Tidal Biology

Overview

For the last six weeks, my twenty-nine sixth graders have been studying marine biology. They have been exposed to the subject through their background reading in their Tidal Biology packet (xeroxed) and through the Marine Biology Electronic Learning Packet. They also have created a tide pool scene in the classroom complete with a large colored mural, shells and other specimens, and sand. My students' basic knowledge thus far has been evaluated through open-note quizzes. They will also be tested on the identification and characteristics of specific marine animals. However, in order to raise their level of understanding of the the characteristics of marine phyla, students will now be involved in a number of projects and activities that develop their thinking and inquiry skills.

These sixth graders are unique in several ways. They are very proficient in computer use. They have been word processing since the beginning of the year, they have completed several HyperStudio stacks, and they have all created web sites. They have not yet had experience with data bases, although many have used spreadsheets in my math class. Roughly half of my students are online at home and nearly three quarters have computers at home. Linguistically, they are a homogeneous group with average to above-average skills. There are many gifted students in the group and four students who receive resource specialist care for some part of the day.

Because of the depth of a unit such as this, the focus of this project will be only on tide pool animals, their classification, characteristics, and their struggle for survival. Below is a list of the general goals for this teaching unit.

• Build a data base of marine phyla
• Create a unique animal that fits the characteristics of any single phylum
• Create a HyperStudio stack or a web site on the five phyla we have studied
• Provide a written description of a featured animal through Expert's Journal entry

Lesson 1: The Marine Phyla Data Base

Description:

The class will brainstorm, order and categorize concepts about marine biology animals. They will construct a retrieval chart using the Inductive Strategy of Hilda Taba in a teacher-directed series of lessons. Once the retrieval chart is organized and relatively complete, students will be introduced to a data base, shown how to enter data in a form and grouped in such a way as to allow all students to enter records from the class chart. Materials required for this lesson are students' Tidal Biology packets, the Marine Biology Electronic Learning Packet, butcher paper, colored markers, index cards, tape, and a data base application (ClarisWorks in this particular case).

Objectives:

1. Students will recall their knowledge of marine biology animals.
2. Students will group similar concepts about marine biology animals.
3. Students will demonstrate understanding of marine biology concepts by organizing and constructing a retrieval chart.
4. Students will complete a data base from a class retrieval chart.

Day 1: Building the concept

• Teacher asks, "What do we know about marine biology animals?"
• Students respond with any facts they know. These are recorded on butcher paper on the classroom wall.
• Once brainstorming is complete, teacher asks, "Do any of these ideas go together?"
• Students respond by grouping similar ideas with colored markers. Teacher tests students' understanding with questions about the validity of grouping certain ideas together.
• Once groups are formed, teacher asks, "Can we name the groups?"
• Students respond by naming the groups and establishing the field categories for the retrieval chart.

Day 2: Organizing the retrieval chart

• Students are shown an incomplete retrieval chart on the wall. Categories are listed across the top. Several animals are listed under the Animal field.
• Students are shown how to complete the retrieval chart by using index cards to form records for each animal on the chart.
• Students complete the retrieval chart.

Day 3: Building a data base

• Students are introduced to the data base that the teacher has constructed beforehand.
• Students are shown how to enter data into a form provided by the teacher.
• Students are given time in pairs or groups of three to complete data entry.
• The data base is checked as a class for accuracy. Note: certain words need to be key words for sorting purposes. For example, Poda is a common form of locomotion. It should be listed first in each record for the Locomotion field if it is a characteristic of the animal in question. Similar key words are the name of the phylum, Radula, Sexual, Spiny skin, etc.

Day 4: Inquiry - sorting

• Students are shown how a data base can sort, find and match (filter) data so that information can be revealed.
• The teacher asks, "Can we sort the data base to find out whether or not all molluscs feed with a radula?"
• Students respond (with help from the teacher at first) by sorting the "Feeding" Field.
• Other questions are asked that can be answered by sorting the data base. Students become very familiar with this procedure.

Day 5: Inquiry - matching

• Students are asked, "Can you search the data base to find which animals have both nematocysts and tentacles?"
• Students respond by matching words in the "Defense" field. They can also use "Find" to locate data.
• Students are asked if all echinoderms use their specialized tube feet to feed.
• Students respond by filtering (matching) appropriate key words in the correct fields.

Day 6: Hypothesizing

• The teacher says, "All coelenterates have tentacles."
• Students use the data base and the appropriate search strategies to accept or reject this hypothesis.
• Similar hypotheses are made and accepted or rejected.
• Students form generalizations about marine animals and their characteristics and phyla.

Evaluation:

Students are evaluated in an open-database format. They are given hypotheses to test in groups. Their responses are recorded on papers handed out to groups of three. The results of their searches (generalizations) are handed in to the teacher for grading and feedback.

Self-evaluation:

This project is complex and involves a number of potential changes. The most obvious change would be to the fields, or categories, that students create in the retrieval chart. Several other fields can be added. Behavior is one field that begs to be added. Type of preferred food is another. By adding the data base to the Inductive Strategy, students realize that learning is ongoing because the data base can always be expanded.

Lesson 2: Create an Animal

In this series of lessons, students create an animal that fits into one phylum we have studied in this unit. The lesson is started in class but done at home and brought to class on the due date.

Follow the same procedure as shown in the example for Lesson 1 with obvious modifications.

Lesson 3: Build a HyperStudio Stack or Composer Web Site

This series of lessons is developed around the students' use of HyperStudio or Netscape Composer in our school lab. Students create a at least a seven card stack or a seven page web site presenting the five phylum and one featured animal of their choice.

Follow the same procedure as shown in the example for Lesson 1 with obvious modifications.

Lesson 4: Expert's Journal

Using the previous lesson, students write in their Double Entry Journal a complete description of their chosen featured animal.

Follow the same procedure as shown in the example for Lesson 1 with obvious modifications.

Final note: As you can see, the Teaching Unit is complex but not difficult. In terms of the curricular content, there is nothing in this unit that I would not normally do in my classroom to teach students about marine biology. However, I have infused the regular marine biology curriculum with some technology that enhances student learning and inquiry. To be honest, the research is still incomplete as to whether or not teaching with technology actually makes students learn more or more effectively. There are a number of Master's Thesis ideas just waiting to be researched on this very subject. You be the judge.