Ecosystems within the Oceans
Group 5
Contact Information:
● Amelia Turner, ameliaturner4@gmail.com
● Grace Waage, gracepink66@gmail.com
● Gina Hungerford, deeregirl23@gmail.com
Title:
Exploring the Ecosystems within the Ocean
Primary Subject Area and Grade Level
Science, 7th grade
Overview:
The lesson we have prepared is on the three marine ecosystems. The class will be separated into groups of
three and will work together on homework assignments given in class. Students will be collaborating as a class
with discussion topics, worksheets, and finding new organisms in the different classes of the selected
ecosystem. The goal of this lesson is to help the students to understand life forms in the ocean; how they
survive and how they differ from life on land. Students will do research to explore environmental problems
that threaten the stability of the ocean’s ecosystems. Through their collaboration efforts, students will interact
with technology; developing their research skills as well as learning to work with others. Students will realize
the efficiency of technology and each other as sources of knowledge. They will be enlightened of the plethora
of information that is made available to them through the computer, others that have researched the subject
before them, and other peers who will share different findings from theirs. They will also grasp the
contribution they have made to the forum of information as they share their findings and the other students add
them to their knowledge.
Approximate Duration:
This class assignment will take two (2) days of one hour class time to complete.
Class Format:
This lesson will be a blended/hybrid lesson. Students will receive face-to-face instruction at the beginning of
class, look at pictures to identify, watch a video about the ecosystems, and then break into groups of three to
work on the computer to do research. They will continue the collaboration for homework and each group will
present their findings to the class. Students will complete the review worksheet at the end of the presentation
as an assessment of their understanding of the subject. The review will be open notebook as students should
be taking notes while the groups are presenting. The teacher will go over the review allowing students to share
their answers. The teacher will walk around the class while reviewing to make sure everyone completed the
worksheet, then collect them afterwards. Students will do a Brainpop video as reiew and play the game and
complete the accompanying quiz.
Common Core Educational Technology Standards Addressed:
● SC.H.3.3.7
● SC.7.l.17.A
● SC.7.E.6.1
● LA.A.2.3.5
● LA.B.2.3.1
● LA.B.2.3.4
Interdisciplinary Connections:
Technology, Language Arts.
Prior Knowledge:
Students need to know what an ecosystem is, as well as understand what you can find in an ecosystem.
Outcomes/Objectives:
● Students will be able to explain what the three types of ocean ecosystems are (different zones).
● Students will be able to explain the advantages and disadvantages of each ocean ecosystems.
● Students will be able to list a variety of animals and plant life (if any) found in each zone of the
ecosystem of the ocean.
● Students will be able to define terms based on the ocean ecosystems.
● Students will have a good grasp of the temperature in each part of the water in the ocean ecosystem.
● Students will have experience in research, analyzing and organizing information to give a report.
● Students will develop collaboration skills.
Technologies and Other Materials /Resources:
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Computer
Handouts
Search and Find
Section Review.docx
Technology and the Florida Sunshine State Standards for Science, 6-8th grade and Language Arts.
Florida Sunshine State Standards for Language Arts and Science, 6-8th grade
Smart board
Notebook
Pencil/pen
http://www.brainpop.com/educators/community/bp-topic/underwater-world/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d3qie3jbHk&index=3&list=PLEB5B480A3ACEE140
http://media-3.web.britannica.com/eb-media/96/90496-004-7C160AA5.jpg
http://trendsupdates.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/marine-ecosystem.jpg
http://www.dnatube.com/video/7297/Open-Ocean-Ecosystems-explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTXzGuQ2MqE
http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life-ecosystems
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean
Activities/Tasks (Lesson Procedure):
Lesson Procedure: Day1
● Introduction/Gain Attention/Ice Breaker (13 minutes)
o The teacher will ask the class how many of them have ever been to the beach. ( 1 minute)
o Then ask them what is the most important thing you’ll see at the beach (what makes it a beach?)
(1 minutes)
o The teacher will show a picture of the ocean on the smartboard. ( 1 minute)
o Then put on snorkelling gears and ask students what the gears are for. ( 1 minute)
o Then have students to share some things they may see if they go snorkelling. ( 1 minutes)
o The teacher will show pictures from the ocean ecosystem on the smart board and ask students if
they know what each thing is called. ( 2 minutes)
o Allow students to share and then write their responses on the smartboard. ( 5 minutes)
o Then bring up the correct answer from the smart board.
o Let students know that today they’ll be learning more about the ecosystem within the ocean. (1
minute)
● Outcomes and Relevance
o I can name different ecosystems in the ocean. This will help me to distinguish between the
ecosystems on land and in the ocean.
o I can describe the different zones. This will help me know that different levels of the sea
requires different measures for their survival.
o I can use a computer to get new findings on my subject quickly. This will help me to know
where to go when I need to do research.
o I can collaborate with others to produce one piece of work. This will teach me communication
skills that I will need in the real world. It will also prepare me for the workforce where I will
have to work with other people.
● Motivating Introduction
o Ask students if they’ve ever been to a beach. Show them pictures of the ocean then of different
contents of the ecosystems there. Get students involved in naming the items.
● Content of Lesson (47 minutes)
● Review objectives. (3 minutes)
● Ask students to share what they know about an ecosystem. (2 minutes)
● Do a brief review of what an ecosystem is. (3 minutes)
● Then go over vocabulary words one at a time on the smart board giving them the word first,
then adding the definition. (8 minutes)
● Have students to write the words and their definitions in their notebook while a volunteer
(students taking turns) reads it out loud.
● Vocabulary words: jellyfish; phylum; invertebrate; aquatic; radial symmetry; sessile;
nematocyst; prey; stun; budding; anemone; coral; hydra; man-of-war; organism; tentacles; medusa;
polyp; expel; sexual reproduction; asexual reproduction; fertilize; abiotic
● Watch a video about the coral reef ecosystem: (4 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d3qie3jbHk&index=3&list=PLEB5B480A3ACEE140
● Teacher will explain the three ecosystems. (3 minutes)
● Then give students their research assignment. (3 minutes)
● Explain to students that they will be working in groups of three to do research then present their
findings to the class (as a group) on tomorrow.
● Explain what the students must find in their research on the topic:
o What are the advantages and disadvantages of each ecosystem?
o What type of plant life, if any, can be found?
o What type of animal species can be found in each ecosystem?
● Groups – Break students up into groups of three. (students will be grouped by complimenting
strengths). (3 minutes)
● Each group will choose one of the ecosystems to research.
● Before students start their research, the teacher will demonstrate how to sign into the wiki page that the
teacher would have already initiated for each group. (The teacher will be a part of each group for
monitoring purposes and to provide guidance and answer questions). (3 mins)
● Students will then begin their research in class on the school provided computers. (15 mins)
● Give each student a handout on the search and find document and the definition worksheet to be
completed for homework. It must be turned in the following day.
● Students may collaborate through wiki on their homework assignment which will also help in their
research.
● Students will complete their research for homework and collaboratively write a report using wiki, then
convert it into a word document.
● Students will make a note of each student's contribution.
● Students will prepare to do their presentation as a group of their research findings.
Activities / Tasks (Lesson Procedure) – DAY 2
● Ice Breaker – Critical Thinking Question: Name a new creature of life source you discovered in your
research. (2 minutes)
● Have each group take three minutes to share their research findings while the rest of the students take
notes. (20 minutes)
● Submission – Have all students turn in their homework handouts passing them forward during
presentations.
● Students will continue their research in the library. (20 minutes)
● Submission – Research reports are to be turned in at the end of class. One final product with all group
members’ names. (2 minutes)
● Closure and Review: Students will complete the review worksheet at the end of the lesson. They will
then watch a video from Brainpop to reiterate the lesson, play the accompanying game and take the
quiz. (15 minutes) The teacher will go to each station to assist as needed and collect the worksheets.
Higher Level Thinking Skills Noted
o Categorize each animal in the three most populated ecosystems and put them into which zone
(intertidal zone, Continental shelf, Aphotic zone) they would belong.
o How does the ocean ecosystems differ from our ecosystem on land?(give 5)
Relevance/Rationale:
The outcomes of this assignment will help to enrich the minds of young students, and influence how they look
at the different ecosystems. Many students don’t understand how our actions reflect on the environment and
atmosphere.
Assessment Criteria for Success:
● The students will be called on for questions about the topics we are discussing, and they will also be
graded for their homework that is assigned.
● Based on their scores from homework and response in class will be our assessment of how well they
learned the concept. If they feel comfortable and know the terms and content of the lesson well, it will
come easy to them and that is the way to know if they learned the concepts well or not.
● They will be working together in groups on the ecosystems in the ocean. They will be able to identify
the different organisms in each, and they will know the names of all the ecosystems.
● When the students are able to comfortably answer questions on the spot and successfully understand
concepts, that is when they will master the ecosystems of the ocean.
● The students will be doing word search activities, watching videos on brainpop, and having group
discussion as their assignments.
● Students will present their research findings to the class and do a review worksheet at the end of the
lesson. Students will be graded on the quality of information presented and the accuracy of their
answers on the worksheet.
Explorations and Extensions:
1. EXPLORATION: The students will be asked to do a word search as one of their activities, and this will help
them learn the words and know what they look like, and that will enable them to make a connection and
master the words. They will also have an opportunity to watch videos on brainpop and do the accompanying
games and quizzes.
*Early finishers will be asked to list all the ecosystems and briefly state what organisms are in each. They can
also do the search and find worksheet as well as the definitions handout.
EXTENSIONS: One way that students often learn and understand best is through visual learning, and one way
we have figured would be best to reiterate the lesson is to assign these videos that go into depth about the
ecosystems:
http://www.dnatube.com/video/7297/Open-Ocean-Ecosystems-explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTXzGuQ2MqE
A review is done at the completion of the the lesson.
Modifications/Accommodations and Access for All:
Students with disabilities (vision, hearing, speech, etc.) will be given additional help from a professional
mentor with specialized teaching skills for the impaired. Prior arrangements will be made before starting the
assignment.
Students will be given time to work in their groups during class.
Computer access will be provided for research in the school library.
ESL students will be given access to the Spanish version of Brainpop; they will be grouped with a proficient in
English student; and videos will be captioned.
Meaningful Technology Integration Explanation:
This lesson integrates technology by having students collaborate to do research on the ecosystem in the ocean.
Students will use a computer to research then be required to document their findings on a wiki page shared by
their group. They will not only input their information but will review the findings of their teammates.
Students will be interacting with their peers and the technology to access knowledge needed to complete the
assignment. Furthermore, they will view a brief video in the classroom that gives them an overview of the
ecosystems so they will have something visual of what they are studying. They will also have an opportunity
to play a game on Brainpop to assess their understanding of the lesson. The students will be given the schools
sign in information for Brainpop and given directions in class on how to access and use it.
The lesson mainly draws from the connectivism and the social constructivism theories. Students will be
participating in project based learning by doing research to answer questions that they do not already know the
answers for. They will be depending on their connection to technology and each other to gather information.
Students will be doing hands on work. They will not merely listen to a teacher for information through a
lecture. They will have to search it on their own. Once the group has completed their research, each group
will share their findings with the class while the others take notes. In essence, they will be teaching this
lesson. Students will be given ownership of their learning with the necessary structure to succeed.