LESSON 4

Unit: The Cay

Lesson 4:  To research information about the coral reef

Aims:
    1.  To instill in students an appreciation for science and a respect for all living creatures and natural environments.
    2.  To increase student's competencies in using computer technology to research information.
    3.  To have students organize and interpret information in the form of an informative report.
    4.  To ensure students will respect each other while working cooperatively in small group situations.
    5.  To enable students to appreciate the connection between multicultural literature and science.

Grade Level:  5th Grade

Estimated Time: 2 Class periods

Setting:  Classroom

Interdisciplinary Areas:  Literature/Science/Art

Materials:
    Novel- Theodore Taylor, The Cay, Avon Books, New York, 1969
    Internet
    Apple Works
    Grolier's Multimedia Encyclopedia
    Netscape Page Composer
    KidPix

Motivation:
    1.  Relate to children's knowledge gained from introductory lesson about the novel The Cay, and the previous lessons on the coral reef and the related vocabulary.
    2.  Ask questions like:
        a.  In the novel, what were the physical characteristics of the island?
        b.  What vocabulary terms did we learn about the coral reef?
        c.  What plants and animals did Philip and Anthony encounter on the island?
    3.  Direct students to online graphics of reefs and its inhabitants.  A good site is:
        http://seaworld.org/coral_reefs/coral/cr.html

Procedure:
    1.  Distribute questions:
 

What conditions must be met in order for a coral reef to grow and survive?

What is the difference between hard and soft coral?

How do coral animals construct a reef?

What are three basic types of coral reefs?

How can we preserve coral reefs?

How do coral reefs benefit us?

Name and describe the living creatures inhabiting the coral reef.

    2.  Direct students to work in cooperative groups to research questions.
    3.  Have students use the Internet and online encyclopedias or computer encyclopedias to research the physical characteristics of the reef and the living things.
    The following are online encyclopedias:
  http://encarta.com 
  http://encyclopedia.com

The following links provide photographs of coral reefs along with a description of reef composition and formation:
    http://seaworld.org/coral_reefs/introcr.html
    http://route23.com/coralreefsmegaworld.htm
    4.  Encourage students to write information on the chart.
    5.  Have students work in cooperative groups transferring gathered research to informative reports.
    6.  Direct students to use Apple Work's painting program to represent their reports.
    7.  Have reporter from each group read reports and share illustrations with the class.

Evaluation:
    1.  Review what students learned about reefs by completing the KWL chart. (See introductory lesson).
    2.  Analyze informative reports confirming that students used all information gathered from the database.
    3.  Check findings from teacher made test on reefs.

Follow-up:
    1. Visit the New York Aquarium
    2.  Watch home videos of coral reefs.
    3.  Create a model of the "Living Reef"