Aquarius Lesson Plan
Focus
Grade Level
Focus Question
Aquatic Life in the Coral Reef
1st Grade
What do fish need to survive?
Learning Objectives:
NC State Objective and Goal Being Addressed:
Science Goal 1:
The learner will conduct investigations and make observations to build
an understanding of the needs of living organisms.
Ecosystems 1.L.1:
Understand characteristics of various environments and behaviors of
humans that enable plants and animals to survive.
Learner Objective(s): At the completion of this lesson,
students will be able to:
The student will be able to identify the needs of aquatic life in the
ocean.
Materials
Audio/Visual Materials
Teaching Time
Seat Arrangement
Maximum Number of Students
Key Words
Background Information (Prior Knowledge)
Opening Activity
 Paper plates
 Scissors
 Glue
 Crayons
 Colored paper
 Computer
http://www.oneworldoneocean.com/expeditions/aquarius
-Once on the website click on the “slideshows” link.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/animals/fish/
-Link to paper plate fish instructions
45 minutes
Seats arranged in pairings of two facing each other.
25
Fish, ocean, aquarius, reef, aquanaut, coral reef, oxygen,
plants, gills, organisms
 Where fish live
 What other organisms live in the ocean
1. First greet the students and ask them what they know about
fish.
2. After assessing their prior knowledge, show them the
slideshow of the Aquarius titled The Living Lab, explain the term
“aquanaut” and detail what people do in the Aquarius.
3. Once finished with the media aspect show them the model
fish of what they will be making.
These activities will allow students to become engaged through
a visual/media presentation about fish instead of just explaining
things with no examples.
Learning Procedure ( Activity)
1. In the first 10 minutes of activity you will explain to the
Aquarius Lesson Plan
Connections to Other Subjects
students what fish need to survive in the ocean. (oxygen,
plant life, etc.)
2. After explanation has occurred the craft materials will
be passed out.
3. Each student will receive a paper plate, crayons and glue
(that can be shared between desks) and colored paper.
4. Students will then be lead in a step-by-step instruction
of how to create the paper plate fish obviously allowed to
add their own creative style to it.
5. Once finished with their craft students will be asked to
write what fish require to survive on the body of their
paper plate fish.
(The needs of the fish will be repeated at various times
during the lesson to ensure accuracy).
Visual arts education
Closing Activity and Assignment
The lesson will be wrapped by allowing students to show the
class their craft and this will even allow a separate topic to be
touched upon (differences and similarities). This should take
around 10 minutes.
Assessment
Students will be assessed when asked to write the items that a
fish needs to survive on the body of the fish that they created.
Informal questions will also be asked at the conclusion of the
lesson asking (and reinforcing) their prior knowledge and new
terms acquired during instruction.
Other Links and Resources
http://www.uncw.edu/ed/aquarius/
http://www.oneworldoneocean.com/expeditions/aquarius
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/animals/fish/
alternate paper plate fish:
http://busymommymedia.com/2009/09/preschool-artpaper-plate-fish/