Wildlife Conservation
Center Aquarium 7th Grade:
Grade
Level: 7th grade life science
Learning
Standard: S2a,S2c,S2d,S2e
Time
Requirements: Approximately 1-hour preparation time and 2 hours class
time. Approximately 2 – 2.5 hours at the site.
Topics
covered by this lesson:
Types of sea life: Invertebrates vs. vertebrates,
fish vs. marine mammals
Pre-Visit:
Purpose:
Discuss taxonomy, create charts with traits of invertebrates, vertebrates,
mammals, and fish
Objective:
To be able to distinguish different phyla for marine life based on observable characteristics
Materials
Required: blank graphic organizers of dichotomous keys, research materials
(appendix of our text: Biology: The Study of Life by Miller and Levine),
other books, Peterson Guides
Students
Learning Prerequisites:
Research skills
Use of dichotomous keys
Basic knowledge of taxonomy
Visit:
Upon
arrival at the aquarium, students will be given a team assignment: fish, marine
mammal or invertebrate. They must track down at least 5 species of each and
be able to classify them positively. The animals they find are drawn into
their own graphic organizer.
Post
Visit:
Assessment:
Students create advertising campaigns in small groups, which highlight
the strengths of their type of creature. Example: Porifera: Sponges can filter
up to 100 liters of water each day and they can clean your feet too!
Extensions
and Suggested Homework Assignments: create small aquarium at home or school
(space and materials permitting) and research appropriate organisms with which
to fill it. Observe the changes in the organisms and keep a log. Summarize
the log and hand in later.
Possible
questions that may be brought up:
Teacher
reflections (include what to change next time):
Does the aquarium have existing scavenger hunt-type
materials?
Could
I arrange a classroom session with access to the touch tank, seine nets and
other hands on activities to go with the lesson?
MSTEP
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