Comparing Sea Horses to Knights


Objectives

The students compare and contrast sea horses and knights using a Venn diagram.
The students write three sentences comparing sea horses and knights.
The students write three sentences contrasting sea horses and knights.

Time Period

2- 45 minute periods

Vocabulary

knobs: mark the spot where plates join together
camouflage: ability to hide or blend in with surrounding environment
bony plates: body covering

Materials

Sea Horse Venn Diagram- to be designed by teacher using Venn Diagram Generator
Compare and Contrast Chart
Pencils, paper, crayons
Computer with Internet connection
Children's book  Sea Horses by Lola M. Schaefer. Heineman. 2002.
How to Hide an Octopus & other sea creatures by Ruth Heller. Grosset & Dunlap. 1992.

Procedures

  1. The teacher will review the facts known about sea horses. Then the teacher will read How to Hide an Octopus  or a similar book and lead a discussion about camouflage.
    Leading questions might include How does camouflage help animals to survive?, What colors would be best to use?
  2. The teacher will then have the student's research about knights and sea horses and record their information on their Venn diagram.
  3. Next the students will be asked to discuss how sea horses are the same as knights, then how sea horses are different.

Evaluation

The teacher will assess the students' Venn diagrams; each section of the Venn diagram should be complete, that is, what is the same and what is different about the comparisons.

Home Learning Activity

The students will compare and contrast sea horses with knights.  They will complete the Compare chart by writing three statements about how sea horses are the same as knights and three statements about how sea horses are different from knights.

Answers might include knights and sea horses had protective armor for their bodies, tales were told about them, and they moved slowly.  The differences might include one is a fish, one is a human,  one walks, one swims, one is covered with skin and one is covered with bony plates.
 

Extension Activity

The students will be asked to provide additional web sites to explore and/or titles of books to add to the classroom research library.