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Procedures for Teachers is divided
into three sections:
Prep -- Preparing for the
Lesson.
Steps -- Conducting the Lesson.
Tips -- Managing Resources and Student Activities.
Materials: - Library resources and reference
materials (print, CD-ROMs, etc.) about sharks.
Computer Resources:
You will need at least one computer with Internet access to complete this lesson.
While many configurations will work, we recommend:
-- Modem: 28.8 Kbps
or faster.
-- Browser: Netscape Navigator 3.0 or above or Internet Explorer
3.0 or above.
-- Macintosh computer: System 7.0 or above and at least 16 MB
of RAM.
-- IBM-compatible computer: 386 or higher processor with at least 16
MB of RAM, running Windows 3.1. Or, a 486/66 or Pentium with at least 16 MB of
RAM, running Windows 95.
For more information, visit What You Need to Get Connected in
wNetSchool's Internet Primer.
Additional Software:
ClarisWorks 4.0 or higher.
Bookmarks:
The following sites should be bookmarked:
 NOVA -- Island of the
Sharks
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sharks/
This PBS Web piece
contains a comprehensive list of shark species, shark attack stories, clickable
shark anatomy pages, shark myths, and resident experts.
Discovery Online -- Nature's Shark Realities
http://www.discovery.com/area/nature/sharks/dispatches/dis01.html
This
site offers 3D shark encounters, interviews, a live shark cam, and plenty of
related links.
SeaWorld -- Sharks and Their Relatives
http://www.seaworld.org/Sharks/pageone.html
Come here to find everything
you need to know about sharks, from senses to longevity.
The Coco Island Web
Page
http://www.istmo.com/cocos/index.html
A Web site dedicated
to the "last frontier on earth," the home to many ocean predators.
Costa Rica -- Coco Island National Park
http://www.costarica.com/travel/parks/pacific/coconp.html
Find out more
information about Costa Rica's Isla de Coco, which is surrounded by
shark-infested waters.
Shark Data Base
http://users.bart.nl/~jkoetze/sharkbase.html
A complete database about
sharks.
Jason
Project
http://www.jason.org/expeditions/jason7/index.html
At
this Web site, visitors read journals from scientists aboard a shark-tracking
boat and plot a tagged shark's movement on a map.
The Center
for Shark Research
http://www.mote.org/~rhueter/sharks/shark.phtml
A Web site that includes
shark facts and statistics.
Sharks
and Rays
http://www.seasky.org/sea2i.html
This site provides an
overview of sharks and descriptions of specific ones.
Sharks
http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/shark2.html
Easy-to-read shark
information.
Zoom Sharks
http://EnchantedLearning.com/subjects/sharks/
An interactive shark book
with information sheets, pictures, anatomy, extreme sharks, shark pop-up
templates, ocean diorama ideas, and shark links.
Ask SeaDog
http://www.whaletimes.org/whaques.htm
Post your shark questions to Jake,
the Sea Dog.
Rand
McNally
http://www.k12online.com/
Maps are available here to
download and print.
Mega Maps
http://www.brigadoon.com/~owlmouse/megamaps.htm
Print out large (7 ft.)
or small (1 page) maps of the U.S. and the world at this site.
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There are three lessons in Sharks: Our
Oceans' Greatest Predators:
Lesson I: Introduce
Project and Lead a Discussion about Sharks to Assess Prior Knowledge. (2 class
periods.)
Lesson II: Learning to Create a Slide Show Using
ClarisWorks. (1-2 class periods.)
Lesson III:
Producing the Project. (4 class periods.) |
Lesson I: Introduce Project and Lead a
Discussion about Sharks to Assess Prior Knowledge. (2 class periods.) |
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Introduce project and lead a class brainstorm about sharks. Ask the
students, "What do you already know about sharks?" Record student responses in a
graphic organizer, such as a K.W.L., a simple chart, consisting of three sheets
of large chart paper:
K represents what students already
know.
W represents what students want to learn.
L
represents a demonstration of what they've learned. On the first sheet,
record the students' prior knowledge about sharks.
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Divide students
into collaborative groups and ask each group to devise five questions about what
they want to learn about sharks. A sample question might be, "What senses do
sharks use to hunt their prey?" Encourage and/or guide students to ask questions
relating to shark anatomy, behavior, or habitat. Reassemble as a class and have
a spokesperson from each group state his/her group's questions. Record these on
the second sheet of chart paper. This is the W -- what the students want to
learn.
Homework Assignment:
Ask students to bring research
materials about sharks, (print, Internet print-outs and URLs, CD-ROMs, etc. )
into class.
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Instruct
students to begin an investigation to find answers to all five of their
questions. Students can use CD-ROMs, print resources, and the Web sites listed
on the Student Pathway, in Organizers for
Students.
Students can post questions to shark experts for additional
support. Direct students to the following sites:
Ask SeaDog
http://www.whaletimes.org/whaques.htm
Students can ask Jake the SeaDog
questions about sharks and receive an answer in about seven days. Although
students may complete the lesson before they receive an answer, have your
students check back with the site after they've completed their final project in
order to compare results.
NOVA: Sharks, Ask-the-Expert
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sharks/
Although students can no longer post
questions to the expert, they can read previous questions and answers.
Homework:
Students should continue searching for answers to their
questions.
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Lesson II: Learning
to Create a Slide Show Using ClarisWorks. (1-2 class periods.) |
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Use the ClarisWorks Slide Show Overview, in Organizers
for Students, to give a lesson about creating slide shows.
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Lesson III:
Producing the Project. (4 class periods.) |
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Instruct
students to create a slide show that demonstrates the answers to their original
questions. The slide show can contain written material, drawings, animations,
etc. These projects are the L of the K.W.L. chart.
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Students should
use the Storyboard sheet, in Organizers for
Students, to plan the look, order of slides, and content of their slide show.
After completion of the storyboard, students should get approval from the teacher
before creating their project.
Each project should include: - A
title page.
- The questions under investigation.
- Sufficient background
information so the answers can be understood.
- Answers to the questions posed.
- Photographs, drawings, and/or animations that support the background
information and answers.
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| After the final projects are
complete, you may want to revisit the K.W.L. chart. Students can compare what
they originally knew to what they now know. |
One Computer in the Classroom
If you have access to one computer in
your classroom, you can organize your class in several ways. Divide your class
into two groups. Instruct one of the groups to do paper research while the second
group is working on the computer. Bring in books, encyclopedias, etc., from the
library for the group doing paper research. Lead the group working at the
computer through an Internet search or allow the students in the class to take
turns. (Always have a set of bookmarks ready for the students before they start
working on the computer, in order to show them examples of what to look for.)
When the groups have finished working, have them switch places. If you have a
big monitor or projection facilities, you can do Internet research together as a
class. Make sure that every student in your class can see the screen, go to the
relevant Web site(s), and review the information presented there. You can also
select a search engine page and allow your students to suggest the search
criteria. Again, bookmark and/or print the pages that you think are helpful for
reference later.
Several Computers in the Classroom
Divide your
class into small groups. Groups can do Internet research using pages you have
bookmarked. Group members should take turns navigating the bookmarked sites.
You can also set the class up so that each computer is dedicated to certain
sites. Students will then move around the classroom, getting different
information from each station.
Using a Computer Lab
A computer
center or lab space, with a computer-to-student ratio of one to three, is also
appropriate for doing Web-based projects. Generally, when doing Web-based
research, it is helpful to put students in groups of three. This way, students
can help each other if problems or questions arise. It is often beneficial to
bookmark sites for students ahead of time. |
Submit a Comment: We invite
your comments and suggestions based on how you used the lesson in your classroom.
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