Lesson 3 Ж Fourth and Fifth Class
Me and the Sea: The Sea and Me
(Ocean Biodiversity and Global Citizenship)
Lesson Plan
What is biodiversity? What plants and animals make up our biodiverse ocean? What
would we find in Irish coastal waters? What about in our aquarium? What are people doing to affect the biodiversity in our oceans, and are our activities in and around the
ocean sustainable? Do you think you are doing anything to harm the ocean? What do you
think you can do to be a GLOBAL CITIZEN and to help support our BIG BLUE MARBLE?
Curricular Links:
SESE Geography:
Skills:
Geographical Investigation – questioning, observing, recording, communicating
A sense of place and space
Strands: Natural Environments – The local natural environment
Environmental Awareness and Care – Caring for my locality, the environment,
and environmental awareness (3rd)
SESE Science:
Skills:
Working scientifically – questioning, observing, sorting and classifying,
interpreting, recognizing patters, recording and communicating
Strands: Living Things – Myself, Human Life & Plants and Animals
Environmental Awareness and Care – Environmental awareness, Science and the
Environment, Caring for the Environment
SPHE:
Strands: Myself – Self-identity
Myself and Others – Relating to Others
Myself and the Wider World – Developing citizenship
Arts Education, Visual Arts
Concepts: An awareness of line, shape and form
Strands: Looking and responding, making drawings
Arts Education, Drama
Concepts: Understanding prerequisites for making a drama and elements of a drama
Strands: Drama to explore feelings, knowledge and ideas, leading to understanding
Exploring, making and reflecting on drama, and cooperating and
Communicating in its making
English:
Skills:
Literacy
Strands: Oral - Developing receptiveness, competence, confidence & cognitive abilities
Reading – Developing skills, interests, attitudes, information retrieval skills,
ability to think , response
Writing – Fostering the impulse to write.
Objectives:
To gain an understanding of biodiversity, specifically the unique biodiversity of
our coastline, and how everything is connected through food chains and webs. To look at how humans can positively, or negatively, affect the biodiversity of an area. Different ways to be global
citizen will be explored including using the power of expression, through a debating activity.
Time:
Part A: 40 minutes
Bioaccumulation Activity Option: 40-50 minutes
Part B: 30 minutes
Part C: Debate Challenge Activity: 60 minutes or more
Materials:
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“Me and the Sea: The Sea and Me”
Presentation & Presentation Notes *Presentation available on DVD or through PREZI
http://prezi.com/hct1wvtveckd/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share
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Wishing Sea Origami Activity
Origami Paper Squares
Folding Instructions
Food Chain Game/Bioaccumulation Activity
Coloured Sashes (Red, Blue & Green)
Popcorn or balls of paper (white and coloured)
Plastic bags or socks (also known as durable and reuseable bags!)
SPACE! (Either in the school hall, or outside if weather permits)
Debate Challenge Activity
Principles of Debate sheet
Instructional Video (included in pack and on GETNS website)
3 Issue Cards: “Fish farming is a great idea”; “Plastic should be banned”; “The Ocean
is a good place to dump our litter—it has to go somewhere”
3 sets of “cheat sheets”, including 1 page of ARGUMENTS FOR and 1 page of ARGUMENTS AGAINST each of the issues listed above
Method:
1) This lesson is ideally delivered together with 6th class students, who are the KEEPERS of the
BLUE MARBLES, and who will have been trained to support with the activities. It has been
together in such a way that the presentation is the foundation, marking the flow of information
and the timing of activities. Notes on the presentation and on the activities are in the accompanying “presentation notes” and “activity instructions” pages.
2) Ideally the content can be done over 2-3, or more, different sessions. The Food Chain Game can
be a part of Lesson A, or can be a standalone activity done at any point during “The Sea and Me”
set of lessons.
3) Part C, the Debate Challenge Activity, could be explored over a few different session. A minimum of 60 minutes would be required, with many more lessons possible either as independent research sessions of the proposed debate topics or as guided sessions and practice on debating.
Notes on KEEPERS OF THE BLUE MARBLES:
The contributions of sixth class supporters are at the discretion of the teachers. Ideally they are involved at the minimum in supporting the activities. But if sufficiently prepared, they may be in a position to deliver much of the
teaching content also. There is a separate set of guidance notes for the KEEPERS of the BLUE
MARBLES.