Aquarius Lesson Plan
Focus
Grade Level
Focus Question
Science
1st Grade
How can we keep our water clean and why is it important?
Learning Objectives:
1.L.1.3 Summarize ways that humans protect their environment
and/or improve conditions for the growth of the plants and animals
that live there.
1 glass of clean water
1 glass of dirty/muddy water
Pictures (listed below)
Computer or construction paper
Crayons/markers/colored pencils
1
http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/states/florida/maps/floridariver-map.jpg
2
http://www.magazine.noaa.gov/stories/images/aquarius.jpg
3
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/people/journals/space/todd/aquarius4.jpg
4
http://aquarius.uncw.edu/images/coral1.jpg
5
http://patricklynch.net/portfolios/floridadiving/content/bin/images/large/Reef_Grunts_c_Lynch_2007.jpg
6
http://www.theoutdoorsguy.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/09/grunts1.jpg
1 hour
Students can be seated at desks or on the floor
30
Pollution
River
Ocean
Aquarius
Sea Sponge
Students should know what rivers and oceans are and that rivers flow
into oceans.
1. Show students the glass of dirty water and the glass of clean water.
2. Ask which glass of water they would like to drink from. Why?
3. Ask students, “How do you think we can keep our drinking water
clean?”
4. Ask students, “Do you think it is also important to keep our rivers
and oceans clean? Why?”
a. Yes, because there are plants and animals living in the ocean.
5. Explain that just like we want to have clean drinking water, so do
the animals and plants in the ocean.
1. Show picture 1.
2. Point out all the rivers and explain to the students that they all end
in the ocean.
3. Show picture 2.
4. Explain that scientists sometimes live and sleep in an underwater
lab called Aquarius so they can study things in the ocean.
5. Show picture 3.
Materials
Audio/Visual Materials
Teaching Time
Seat Arrangement
Maximum Number of Students
Key Words
Background Information (Prior
Knowledge)
Opening Activity
Learning Procedure ( Activity)
Aquarius Lesson Plan
Connections to Other Subjects
Closing Activity and Assignment
Assessment
6. Explain that Aquarius is in a coral reef off the cost of Key Largo
Florida, which is an Island.
7. Show picture 5.
8. Explain that this is a picture the coral reef in Key Largo Florida.
9. Ask students what types of animals and plants they think live in the
coral reef.
10. Show picture 6.
11. Say, “These are some fish that live in the coral reef.”
12. Ask students, “What types of things do you think the scientists
see and study in the Ocean?”
13. Show picture 4.
14. Ask if anyone knows what this is a picture of.
15. Explain that this is a sea sponge.
16. Tell students that scientists can study these sea sponges and tell
how much pollution is in the water.
17. Tell students, “Scientists have found oil and other pollution in the
sponges which means there is oil and pollution in the ocean water.”
Speaking and Listening:
1.SL.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
1. Ask, “What do you think will happen to the plants and animals if
there is too much pollution in their water?”
a. They may die
2. Ask students how they think we can keep the ocean water clean
for the plants and animals.
a. stop polluting
b. clean up oil spills
c. stop littering
d. keep rivers clean
3. Ask students if they can think of where the pollution comes from
before it enters the ocean.
a. Rivers
4. Explain that if we keep our rivers clean we can also keep our
oceans clean.
5. Give each student a piece of paper and have them draw a line
down the middle.
6. On one side the students should draw a picture of a river or ocean
that they think would have poor drinking water.
7. On the other side, they should draw a picture of a river or ocean
that they think would have good drinking water.
8. Pictures should include plants, animals, and things that may make
the river produce poor or good drinking water.
9. Students will then present their pictures one at a time to the class
and explain why they drew what they drew.
Students will be assessed by the pictures they drew (example below)
and their presentation.
Aquarius Lesson Plan
Side 1:
Many animals
Many plants
No pollutants
Labeled “Good”
____/5 pts.
____/5 pts.
____/5 pts.
____/5 pts.
Side 2:
Few or no animals
Few or no plants
Pollutants in water
Labeled “Bad”
____/5 pts.
____/5 pts.
____/5 pts.
____/5 pts.
Presentation:
____/10 pts.
Points
Description
Other Links and Resources
5 pts.
8 pts.
Student presented
drawing to the class.
Student presented
drawing to the class and
demonstrated a clear
understanding of the
assignment.
10 pts.
Student presented
drawing to class and
demonstrated a clear
understanding of the
assignment, was
articulate, and loud
enough to be heard.
Student was actively
listening to other
students’
presentations.
Total:
____/50 pts.
Sponges on Florida Coral Reefs
http://aquarius.uncw.edu/missions/2012/06_2012/expd
Aquarius Lesson Plan