A "Shore" Solution


A WebQuest for 1st and 2nd Grade (Tide Pools)

Designed by Nicole Fieschel and Amanda Miller

Nicole_Fieschel@westport.k12.ct.us
amiller2379@aol.com
Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Page

Introduction

Tide pools are areas on rocks by the ocean that are filled with seawater. Tide pools can be small puddles found on the shore or huge holes near the sea. Tide pools are created when the ocean covers the beach twice a day. Have you ever seen a tide pool?  Now you will have a chance to create your own!
Task
You are a marine biologist. You recently visited the local shore and noticed that many of the animals and plants in the tide pool are dying. You decide to investigate and learn that water pollution is the cause. To save the animals and plants, you must design your own tide pool to give these animals and plants a healthy home. 

Process
1. 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. You will each be assigned to one of these roles. Click on the name of your role to find out what you need to do.
 
Environmentalist
Animal Detective #1 and #2

Plant Detective

4. Now that you have finished your research, meet with you group members to look over all that you have learned to save the animals at the tide pool. Each of you should share your notes with the other group members (Be sure to be a good listener to each other!). Have one person sketch and write about what your tide pool will include as the group is sharing with each other.

5. 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?

       
    6. Once everyone in your group agrees on what should be in your tidepool, you must next talk about how your group should go about making the design.  Will it be a 3-D design using a shoe box, a paper mache model, a drawing with art supplies, a pattern block design or a design created using hyperstudio? You can also create your own  idea for a design, but please check with your teacher first.  Here are some examples of other children's projects:  Pattern Block Models, Drawing and Model#1 and Model #2

    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.  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. 
     

    Evaluation

    Your teacher will go through these rubrics with y ou before your group begins this project. As you work, think about where you would place yourself in these categories.
     
    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.

    Student Rubric


    I did my best research.
    Always
    Sometimes
    Never
    I worked well with my group.
    Always
    Sometimes
    Never
    I shared all my information and spoke clearly during my presentation.
    Always
    Sometimes
    Never

    Conclusion

    Congratulations! You have successfully saved the life in the tide pool from the polluted waters of your local shore. Your town and friends thank you! You were able to create a substitute tide pool for the animals and plants in the tide pool and all are once again living a healthy life.

    Did you enjoy learning about the animals and plants that live in tide pools? Would you like to learn about some of the animals or plants that live in the ocean? Click on some of these links to learn about fearsome sharks, gigantic whales, beautiful dolphins and more!
    Whales
    Marine Life
    Deep Sea Creatures
    Seals


    Credits & References

    Thank you to "Tide Pools" for the use of their pics. 

    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."

    Last updated on August 16, 2002. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page