Infusion of Literacy into the Science Curriculum
Book Information:
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Author:
Publisher:
Copyright Year
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Coral Reef
Gail Gibbons
Holiday House
2007
978-0-8234-2080-3
Coral reefs are found in tropical waters around the world.
From fringe reefs to barrier reefs to atolls, here is information
about how the reefs are formed, how they grow, and how the
many different kinds of plants and animals live in their special
environment.
Arlington Central Library; Amazon for purchase
How can the book content be infused into the science curriculum?
Grade Level
Strands
3-5
Scientific Investigation, Life Processes, Living Systems,
Earth Patterns, Earth Resources, Interrelationships in
Earth/Space Systems
Grade 3
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
3.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning
and conducting investigations in which
a) observations are made and are repeated to ensure
accuracy;
b) predictions are formulated using a variety of sources of
information;
to the nearest minute using proper tools and techniques;
g) questions are developed to formulate hypotheses;
h) data are gathered, charted, graphed, and analyzed;
i) unexpected or unusual quantitative data are recognized;
j) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;
k) data are communicated;
l) models are designed and built; and
m) current applications are used to reinforce science concepts.
Life Processes
3.4
The student will investigate and understand that
adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and respond to
the environment. Key concepts include
a) behavioral adaptations; and
b) physical adaptations.
Living Systems
3.5
The student will investigate and understand
relationships among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food
chains. Key concepts include
a) producer, consumer, decomposer;
b) herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; and
c) predator and prey.
3.6
The student will investigate and understand that
ecosystems support a diversity of plants and animals that share
limited resources. Key concepts include
a) aquatic ecosystems;
b) terrestrial ecosystems;
d) the human role in conserving limited resources.
Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change
3.8
The student will investigate and understand basic
patterns and cycles occurring in nature. Key concepts include
a) patterns of natural events such as day and night, seasonal
changes, simple phases of the moon, and tides;
b) animal life cycles; and
c) plant life cycles.
3.9
The student will investigate and understand the
water cycle and its relationship to life on Earth. Key concepts
include
a) there are many sources of water on Earth;
b) the energy from the sun drives the water cycle;
c) the water cycle involves several processes;
d) water is essential for living things; and
e) water on Earth is limited and needs to be conserved.
Grade 4
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
4.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning
and conducting investigations in which
a) distinctions are made among observations, conclusions,
inferences, and predictions;
e) predictions and inferences are made, and conclusions are
drawn based on data from a variety of sources;
f) independent and dependent variables are identified;
g) constants in an experimental situation are identified;
h) hypotheses are developed as cause and effect
relationships;
Life Processes
4.4
The student will investigate and understand basic
plant anatomy and life processes. Key concepts include
a) the structures of typical plants and the function of each
structure;
b) processes and structures involved with plant reproduction;
c) photosynthesis; and
d) adaptations allow plants to satisfy life needs and respond to
the environment.
Living Systems
4.5
The student will investigate and understand how
plants and animals, including humans, in an ecosystem interact
with one another and with the nonliving components in the
ecosystem. Key concepts include
a) plant and animal adaptations;
b) organization of populations, communities, and ecosystems
and how they interrelate;
c) flow of energy through food webs;
d) habitats and niches;
e) changes in an organism’s niche at various stages in its life
cycle; and
f) influences of human activity on ecosystems.
Earth Resources
Grade 5
4.9
The student will investigate and understand
important Virginia natural resources. Key concepts include
a) watersheds and water resources;
b) animals and plants
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
5.1
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning
and conducting investigations in which
a) items such as rocks, minerals, and organisms are identified
using various classification keys;
d) hypotheses are formed from testable questions;
e) independent and dependent variables are identified;
f) constants in an experimental situation are identified;
g) data are collected, recorded, analyzed, and communicated
using proper graphical representations and metric
measurements;
h) predictions are made using patterns from data collected,
and simple graphical data are generated;
i) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;
Living Systems
5.5
The student will investigate and understand that
organisms are made of one or more cells and have
distinguishing characteristics that play a vital role in the
organism’s ability to survive and thrive in its environment. Key
concepts include
a) basic cell structures and functions;
b) classification of organisms using physical characteristics,
body structures, and behavior of the organism; and
c) traits of organisms that allow them to survive in their
environment.
Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems
5.6
The student will investigate and understand
characteristics of the ocean environment. Key concepts include
a) geological characteristics;
b) physical characteristics; and
c) ecological characteristics.
Sample Activities:
Grade 4
The Changing Coral Reef Community Game
FOCUS
Observe and track changes in the species composition on a coral reef
as various factors
and environmental influences affect the populations reef inhabitants.
FOCUS QUESTIONS
• What happens to the populations of sponges, corals and seaweeds on
the
coral reef over time?
• What factors affect the populations of sponges, corals and seaweeds
over time?
• Why is recruitment important to the reef?
• What causes mortality in organisms?
• Is it possible for a biological community to change over time? What
might cause a
shift from one dominant species to another?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
• learn about the living requirements and ecology of three important
sessile organisms
that inhabit the coral reef: corals, sponges and seaweeds.
• chart the changes in the population of sponges, corals, and seaweeds
over time as the coral reef community experiences environmental
changes and other factors that affect the growth, mortality and
recruitment of reef organisms.
MATERIALS
TEACHING TIME
45-60 minutes, depending upon the number of rounds the game is
played and the
length and depth of the discussion
SEATING ARRANGEMENT
Groups of 4-8 students seated around tables
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF STUDENTS
For discussion purposes, the entire group should be limited to no more
than 30, but
multiple games can be played in the classroom simultaneously
KEY WORDS
Organism, Population, Biological Community, Ecosystem, Dominant,
Growth, Reproduction, Mortality, Recruitment, Sponges, Corals ,
Seaweeds (macro-algaes)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The biological community is the living portion of the ecosystem and
consists of populations of plants and animals that inhabit a particular
area. The coral reef experiences environmental conditions that result in
the growth, mortality and recruitment of reef organisms. The ability of a
specific organism to survive and live successfully in a specific location
depends upon many factors: food supply, space and living conditions as
well as competition for food and space resources with other organisms.
Over time, the kinds and numbers of organisms on a coral reef may stay
basically the same or shifts may take place to favor one species or
group of species at the expense of another group. This is especially true
for corals and sponges that live attached to the seafloor or substrate
because they must have a suitable amount of space in which to live and
grow and that suitable space can be very limited in an area like the coral
reef. The species composition of a coral reef is determined by the kinds
of organisms that form the reef community and their relative abundance
to one another. When a species is present in great abundance in a
particular place, it may be deemed the dominant species. Often, a
community is named after the dominant species. In most cases,
dominant species are plants, but they can also be corals, sponges, or
other organisms. When a coral reef experiences conditions that cause a
shift toward more seaweeds and fewer corals over time, the species
composition has changed. If the shift is significant enough, the
characteristics and the dominant species for that community may also
change. Such changes can affect other organisms at the reef. For
example, if
seaweeds become the new dominant species in an area, the fish and
invertebrates that feed on seaweeds will be favored, possibly resulting in
increases in populations of those species. Predators that feed on the
seaweed eaters may also be favored. The way that organisms interact
with one another also determines the kinds and numbers of species
present in a particular area.
PREPARATION
Print out and cut the cards in the three sets of cards attached to this
document: (Coral reef organisms, scenario and extra organism cards).
LEARNING PROCEDURE
The object of The Changing Coral Reef Community Game is to observe
and track
changes in the corals, sponges and seaweeds in a coral reef community
through time. A set of 36 organism cards is used to represent the coral
reef. Students apply scenarios to the corals, sponges and seaweeds on
the coral reef that result in the addition or subtraction of individual, thus
showing the changes in the species composition over time. Scenarios
may be natural or human-induced. As the scenarios are applied, the
students track the population changes in the sponges, corals and
seaweeds and create population curves that show the fluctuations over
time. Scenario cards describe events and relate concepts that involve
mortality, growth, reproduction, recruitment, predation, disease, and
species competition.
1. Shuffle coral reef organism cards (including blank page cards) and
place them face up 6 rows of 6 cards each. These careds will represent
the reef at a particular point in time. Before beginning the game, count
the individuals at the reef of each species-sponge, coral and seaweed. Record the totals in a table that can be
viewed by everyone. The table should have spaces for the total numbers
of sponges, corals and seaweeds at various time intervals. These
counts will represent the “baseline population” from which all future
comparisons will be made.
2. Four to 8 players can play at any one time. Shuffle scenario cards.
Each player takes a turn drawing a scenario card and applying that
scenario to the sponges, corals and
seaweeds on the reef. If the scenario card describes the loss of a certain
number of corals, sponges or seaweeds, the same number of cards for
that kind of organism are
turned over face down with their blank sides up to show that these
organisms have died, creating an empty space for each organism lost in
that scenario.
3. If the scenario card calls for the addition of new individuals to the
community, the
appropriate kind and number of cards from the extra organism set are
placed on the
empty spaces to represent the added sponges, corals or seaweeds.
Only one organism per empty space unless otherwise state.
4. If the scenario card calls for the addition of new individuals, but there
no empty spaces are available, no changes care applied to the reef
community at that time. In some cases, scenarios may be applied that
do not result in the loss or gain of individuals to the reef community.
5. After each player plays a scenario card (one round), the group stops
to tally up the
number of individuals of each species and records that total in the table.
Each round
represents a 10-year period of time. Students can plot the number of
individuals for each species for the next 50 years by completing five
rounds. The game can be played through to any point that is desired.
6. Students use the totals for sponges, corals and seaweeds to create
population curves
that reflect the fluctuating populations of the three groups of organisms
at 10-year intervals. After completing the population curves for sponges,
corals and seaweeds, a discussion can begin to identify major shifts in
the species composition and the factors that affected those changes and
any consequences that accompany those changes (new species being
attracted to the area because of changes, etc.). At the beginning of the
game, the baseline community was dominated by corals, but is this still
the case? If not, what hasbeen the trend over time?
EVALUATION
Ask students to review the scenario cards and determine whether each
scenario describes recruitment, mortality or growth. Have students
explain how mortality and
recruitment affect populations of reef organisms and give examples of
factors that
affect coral, sponge and seaweed populations.
Grade 5
Objectives
Students will understand the following:
1. The animals that live in a coral reef are uniquely suited to their
environment.
Materials
For this lesson, you will need:
• Computer with Internet access
• Illustrated books and articles about the plants and animals that
inhabit coral reefs
• Paper, stapler, and art materials for creating books
• Published nonfiction and fiction books on science topics for young
children
Procedures
1. Let students know that they are going to work individually or in
groups to write and illustrate short books that explain to younger
children how the animals that inhabit coral reefs are uniquely suited
to their environment.
2. Before beginning work on their books, have students conduct
research on the types of organisms that live in the reefs. They may
use the materials you have provided, encyclopedias, books and
periodicals from the library, or the Internet. Students should focus
on finding out how specific animals that live in the reefs are
adapted to their environments. (Adaptations may include
camouflage, symbiosis, defenses, hunting strategies, and so on.)
3. Allow students to choose whether they will work on their books
individually or in small groups. They should begin by deciding
whether they will write nonfiction books that present information in a
lively and interesting way or fictional stories about life in coral reefs.
Remind students that even if they choose fiction, their stories
should communicate sound scientific information to readers.
4. Before students begin their own books, give them the opportunity to
look over several published children's nonfiction and fiction books
on science topics.
5. Have students write rough drafts of their books; then revise, edit,
and proofread what they have written. If they wish, they can give
their drafts to other students for peer review before revising, editing,
and proofreading.
6. Have students rewrite their texts, planning how much text should
appear on each page in order to leave room for illustrations.
Students may handwrite or use a computer.
7. Finally, students can add illustrations. Suggest that they may want
to draw their illustrations on separate paper and then cut and paste
the pictures into the book.
8. When the illustrations are completed, students can staple the
pages together to make booklets.
9. If possible, arrange for your students to read their books to younger
children and observe the children's reactions. They might prepare
some questions to ask the children in order to determine whether
the books succeeded in communicating information about coral
reefs.
Discussion Questions
1. Explain how and why different animals in a coral reef
ecosystem depend on each other. To help understand the
interdependencies in coral reefs, think about relationships
between species in an ecosystem with which you may be
more familiar, such as the rain forest.
2. Hypothesize what the Red Sea would look like today if it had
never been connected to the Indian Ocean.
3. Hypothesize the reasons why life in the Red Sea can be so
abundant while the land surrounding the sea is so barren.
4. Describe the types of adaptations you think coral reef animals
might have. In what ways might fish have adapted to be able
to survive life in a coral reef?
5. Describe the effects that you think the Ice Age may have had
on the Red Sea. Hypothesize the effects of another ice age
happening in the future. Hypothesize the effects of global
warming.
6. The rift between Arabia and Africa is growing larger—about 3
inches per year. Hypothesize how this expansion of the Red
Sea might affect life in the sea over the next millennium.
Evaluation
You can evaluate your students on their children's books using
the following three-point rubric:



Three points: plentiful, accurate information; clear, wellorganized writing; imaginative, entertaining presentation;
detailed, carefully executed illustrations
Two points: more research needed; clearly written;
adequate presentation; accurate illustrations
One point: few facts; writing sometimes unclear; adequate
but less-than-lively presentation; illustrations lacking in
detail. You can ask your students to contribute to the
assessment rubric by determining how many facts should
be presented and what would constitute a lively and
interesting presentation for young children.