This lesson plan is a the result of a total year thematic unit done by my second grade gifted magnet students. It was designed as an integrated science/technology based curriculum strategy to cover the requirements of the "Science Learning Network" pilot program. All activities were geared to foster: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Imagination, Basic Research Skills, Basic Macintosh and Internet Computer Skills.
The format that I wrote this lesson plan in allows for felexibility in teaching at the instructor/facilitator's discretion. The materials can be introduced to the students in various ways.
These are some of the units that we explored. For each unit the students made projects and completed reseach booklets. They also did a lot of water experiments. They also wrote creative stories and poems. By the end of the year our classroom had been transformed into an "Oceans" museum. I allowed the students to design a special "Oceans Day" in our classroom. The students made up programs and invited other classes to our room.
The students gave tour guides and set up activity stations with simple ocean projects that could be done fast. All of our visitors had something special to carry back to their rooms and so did the parents of our students who were also inivited. I made up teacher packets that were given to all of the teachers as their class entered our room. One of the items was a colorful coral reef for the students to color in, using the correct colors of sea life displayed.
Unit #1 Differentiating between an ocean and a sea
Unit #2 Differentiating between the oceans by location and size
Unit #3 What are the mineral componets that make up ocean water
Unit #4 Recognizing the importances and difference between salt and fresh water
Unit #5 Demonstrating how water takes up space and has weight
Unit #6 Recognizing that some substances disolve in water then reappear when water evaportates
Unit #7 What causes the blue/green color of the oceans water
Unit #8 Oceans food chains
Unit #9 What makes an ocean mammal a mammal
Unit #10 Ocean mammals
Unit #11 What makes a fish a fish
Unit #12 Exploring the variations of fish
Unit #13 Identifying ocean vertebrates
Unit #14 Identifying ocean invertebrates
Unit #15 Exploring Plankton
Unit #16 Studying Zooplankton
Unit #17 Studying Phytoplankton
Unit #18 Studying crustaceans
Unit#19 Studying ocean plants
At the end of the year, the students got to go down to "Key Largo" Florida and visit a special attraction called "Theater Of The Sea". It was a wonderful year!
