A "Shore" Solution

Introduction

Learners

Curriculum Standards

Ecology Knowledge

• Problems created by pollution can be reversed with human solutions.
• Water Pollution can disrupt the balance of an ecosystem.

• Animals and plants in tide pools have special adaptations to survive.
• There is a wide variety of life in a tide pool including mollusks, fish, arthropods, and algae.

• Take notes and sketch tide pool plant and animal life.
• Use hand lenses to investigate tide pool plant and animal life at local shores.

• Engage in independent, inquiry-based research for the purpose of sharing scientific information about marine animals.

Animal Study Knowledge

• Marine animals survive in different habitats dependent on their physical characteristics.

INTEGRATED SKILLS

Gathering Information

•  listening
• observing data from pictures
•  learning directional words through movement and the arts
•  observing

•   speaking in an effective way to the topic
•    using relational vocabulary for locating objects

•  classifying data by ideas
•   classifying data by identifying similarities and differences

•  talking in complete sentences
•  keeping to the topic
•  listing data from discussion and pictures
•  recognizing and using verbal and nonverbal communication
•  using visuals for presenting ideas by constructing maps

• assuming responsibility for carrying out a task
• recognizing that others may have a different point of view
• participating in discussion
• initiating ideas

•  developing constructive strategies for dealing with change
•  developing constructive outlook
•  growing in the capacity to recognize conflict and seek solutions

Process

1.On the first day, review the student's tasks and assign heterogeneous groups of 4 students. Allow the students to discuss their prior knowledge of tide pools and answer the brainstorming questions. Be sure to review the process guides for brainstorming with your students before they begin.
 You will each be assigned to a group and you will take on a role within your group.  These roles will tell you what part of a tide pool  you will be studying, where you can find the information to share with your group, and what to look for.

2. Brainstorm with your group what you know about tide pools. Try to answer these questions: What is a tide pool? How are tide pools formed? What would you see if you went to the shore of your local beach? What would happen to the marine life if the ocean was polluted?

3. The teacher should review the rubric with the students and set expectations for the project. The teacher may decide to assign roles or allow students to choose their roles. You will each be assigned to one of these roles.The teacher should meet with students according to their role and review the specifics of each role. Click on the name of your role to find out what you need to do. *Teacher should provide clear guidelines on role of the environmentalist.  The environmentalist should not be focusing on animal or plant life, rather the habitat(water, temperature, ground, etc.) of the tide pool. 

 

Environmentalist

Animal Detective #1 and #2

Plant Detective


 

5. Make sure students are able to answer these questions allow extra time if needed. Let's Get Ready to Design Our Tide Pool! You should be able to answer these questions before your group begins building your tide pool:

• What animals will you include in your tide pool?
• How much water will you put in your tide pool?
• What kind of water would be in your tide pool?
• What plants will you include in your tide pool?
• What do the living things in your tide pool need to live? 

7. Now that you have decided on your design, make a list of the materials that you will need.  Ask your teacher for help getting your materials and find a comfortable spot to work.   Be sure that everyone helps!

8.  Teachers should review the oral presentation dimension of the rubric before the students present their designs. When your group has finished, get ready to share! Make sure you are able to tell what you included in your project, why you included it, and tell how your design is a healthy tide pool environment.  Each group member should be able to talk about what they included in the design and what they learned from their research. 
 
 

Variations

If you would like, it would be beneficial to bring students to a local tide pool to supplement their research and provide a hands-on experience.  Students may also want to supplement their research with books in addition to the preselected websites.
I

Resources Needed

• Class set of computers with internet access
• Various appropriate books on tidepools such as... 

• Depending on the designs chosen by the students, you may need the following materials: Hyperstudio Software, construction paper, clay, paper mache, markers, crayons, glue, scissors, shoeboxes, and paint.
• Journals to record research
• Possible aid or parent volunteers to assist in the creation of the design

Review these rubrics with your students before each group begins this project. 
 

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Researches and gathers information.	Does not collect any information relating to the topic.	Collects little information and some relates to the topic.	Collects some information that relates to the topic.	Collects a great deal of information- all relates to the topic.
Tide Pool Design	Design includes few animals, few plants and an underdeveloped tide pool environment with many inaccuracies.	Design includes some animals, some plants and fairly developed tide pool environment with some inaccuracies.	Accurate design of some animals, some plants and a developed tide pool environment.	Accurate design of many animals, many plants and a developed tide pool environment.
Cooperative Group Work	Cannot work with others in most situations or share decisions or responsibilities.	Some difficulty in communicating ideas and taking responsibility.	Communicates ideas and takes responsibility in the group.	Communicates ideas with enthusiasm and takes a leadership role.
Oral Presentation	Student is unprepared and/or speaks unclearly during presentation.	Communicates with little clarity or accuracy some of the information in their design.	Communicates clearly and accurately some of the information in their design.	Communicates clearly; accurately and enthusiastically all of the information in their design.

Credits & References

This webquest was completed following the design on The WebQuest Page and the Design Patterns page.

"We all benefit by being generous with our work. Permission is hereby granted for other educators to copy this WebQuest, update or otherwise modify it, and post it elsewhere provided that the original author's name is retained along with a link back to the original URL of this WebQuest. On the line after the original author's name, you may add Modified by (your name) on (date). If you do modify it, please let me know and provide the new URL."