Liberty Science Center 9th
Grade:
Grade Level:
9th
Learning standard:
S2a, S2c, S2e, S2f, S5f, S7a
Time Requirement:
approximately the whole school day at
the site
Topics Covered
by this Lesson: eyespots (ocelli), compound eyes (found in crustaceans
and insects), mammalian eyes, color vision, binocular vision
Purpose: the
purpose of this visit is to help students understand that animals are well
adapted to surviving in their environment, focusing on the adaptation of the
eye.
Objective: The
objective of the lesson is that “Students will be able to understand
and explain the role of the eye in an animal’s survival”.
Materials Required:
a model of the mammalian eye, models
of eyes of different types of animals
Learning Prerequisites:
Students would have already had a good knowledge of the structure and
function of the mammalian eye.
Visit: Students
will visit the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey. Particular attention will be paid to exhibits dealing with
environment. Students will already
be in-groups of 5. One student
from each group will be selected to experience the “Touch Tunnel”.
In this tunnel students will crawl around in the dark, using senses
other than sight and will report their experiences back to the group. Care should be taken in selecting the students since some students
may be claustrophobic or may not be comfortable with the experience.
Students will spend most of their time examining the exhibits on the
4th floor. There are many exhibits on this floor
pertaining to different types of animals with different types of eyes-for
example, sea stars, earthworms, hammerhead sharks, raccoons, crabs, etc. Particular attention should be pain to
the animal’s environment.
Post Visit:
Homework: Students
will randomly select an animal from the selection given by the teacher. Students will (in-groups of three) do
a report on an animal, focusing on how the eyes of the animal allow it to
survive in its environment. Included
in the report should be:
Animals may include:
dinosaur, raccoon, starfish, owl, penguin, mole, lizard, hippopotamus, seal,
spider, eagle, tiger
Extensions:
Explain with the help of a diagram, how
our stereoscopic vision allows us to see figures more in 3-D that someone
who has lost an eye.
Possible Questions:
§
Do all animals see color as we do?
A:
No color depends on the three different types of cones and not all animals
have those cones. Animals with simple eyes do not see color
at all and some insects see ultraviolet light that we cannot see.
§ Are
there animals with better vision than us?
A:
Yes, for example an eagle can spot a mouse from hundreds of meters in the
air. Owls have nocturnal vision that allows them to see better at
night
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