Lesson Plan : Into The Ocean

Teacher Name:
 Jessica Fennell
Grade:
 Grade 2
Subject:
 Science

Topic:
 Into The Ocean
Content:
 Geography, earth science
Goals:
 
Objectives:
 Students will *discuss the importance of photography in helping people understand why they should take care of the world's oceans *discuss the special adaptations of animals in different parts of the ocean *draw pictures of animals that live in different parts of the ocean, and tape their pictures up representing the ocean's layers *discuss in a paragraph about why one of the animals they studied is important and should be protected for the future
Materials:
 Computer with Internet access World wall map Drawing and writing materials
Introduction:
 Show students some of David Doubilet's photographs. Explain that he is a famous photographer who specializes in taking pictures in the ocean. Point out the world's oceans on a classroom map of the world, or have students point them out. Ask students to think about why Doubilet's pictures are important. What are some of the ways that humans interact with the ocean? Get them to think about ships and boats, and waste products in the ocean, and how this might affect the animals and plants that live there. Explain that sometimes photographs of the creatures in the ocean help people understand how important it is to protect them.
Development:
 Inform students that Doubilet's photographs were taken at different ocean depts. Some were taken in shallower water, and some were taken in deeper water. Explain that different types of sea animals live at different depths. Can students determine which pictures were taken in shallower versus deeper water? Show students the poster paper you have decorated and taped to the wall. Introduce them to the different ocean layers, and describe a few things about each layer. For example, let them know that as the water gets deeper, it gets colder and darker. Ask students to think about the things that animals would need to be able to do or the body parts they would need to possess in order to survie at various ocean depths. Tell students that every animal has special adaptations to its environment and that all ocean animals are specially suited to the part of the ocean in which they live.
Practice:
 Use the Internet resources about life in the three layers you have drawn on the poster. Show students pictures of the animals they would find in each of these ocean regions, and then place the resources around the room so students can take turns looking at the pictures more closely. Also, label each area of the room with a different ocean layer so the students remember where the animals come from.
Accommodations:
 
Checking For Understanding:
 Ask students to draw a picture of one of the animals they learned about in this lesson. Then have them write a paragragh or two describing the animal (what it looks like, what it eats, in what part of the ocean it lives) and explaining why it is important to protect it. What would the ocean be like without this animal?
Closure:
 Have students continue to think about what it would be like to be an ocean photographer like Doubilet. Why do students think Doubilet does his job? What would be the best and worst parts of his job? Ask them to write about whether they would like to have Doubilet's job, and what they think a day in the life of an underwater photographer would be like.
Evaluation:
 
Teacher Reflections:
 

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