Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Page

Congratulations!

You are on your way to Hawaii! You are a marine biologist working for the Nanaimo Biological Station and you have just been selected to do some research on tropical fish. The head scientist at the station, Holly MacKerel, has been trying to get some tropical fish into the station to study how they are able to survive in tropical waters.  She has a huge salt-water aquarium set up at the station, but no fish! She has been trying to get some tropical fish flown in, but hasn't had much luck.  She called all of the pet stores around Nanaimo, but has been told that they haven't been able to get any tropical fishes in for weeks now...

What is happening to the Tropical Fish?

Holly MacKerel has asked if you wanted to take on the job of finding out where the fish are. The tropical fish that she wants to study are from the Coral Reefs in the Hawaiian islands.  You were hesitant to give her an answer at first because you weren't sure if you wanted to go to Hawaii or not...but after some thought, you decide that Hawaii in December isn't such a bad idea at all...

You agree to do the research.

Before you pack your bags, your surfboard, and your snorkel, Holly MacKerel says that you should get a MAP of all coral reefs in Hawaii where the tropical fish live.  Then she suggests that you read some important information on these CORAL REEFS and take some notes down that will help you figure out what may be happening to the fishes.

Just as you are getting on the airplane, Holly MacKerel comes running down the gangplank (she really wants her tropical fish!) and hands you a stack of papers and a list with the names of people and places to visit that may help you with your research.  As you board the plane she calls out, 

"When you get back, I want you to tell me everything you know about what is happening to the fishes !"  

I waved politely, thinking..."sun, surf, and fishing - oh yeah!" 

As you are dreaming of palm trees, coconuts and fish, you decide to look through the stack of papers that Holly MacKerel had given you. You find:

• a blank JOURNAL 
• pieces of blank paper with the names of tropical fish and other coral reef wildlife (on the top of each paper, she had written: could you please try to draw these for me if you see them? -Thanks, HM).  There were 4 fish altogether.
• questions on a piece of paper that she had jotted down.  She wanted to know if pollution, the weather, or if humans had anything to do with what was happening to the fishes.

Process 

While you are in flight, you look at the information that Holly MacKerel gave you. The first thing you want to do is find out exactly where you will be going (go back and look at the MAP - try not to do too much exploring on the islands...you have a lot of research to do first!!). After you have seen the map of the Hawaiian islands, you will then watch the two SLIDESHOWS and make notes in your journal.

You are about an hour away from touchdown at the Honolulu Airport, and you begin to really look at the information that Holly MacKerel gave you.  Tucked inside the stack of papers, she left a note that read, "Please make sure that you look at the following:..."

http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/marlife/fishes/fishes.htm- "I want you to draw me four of the tropical fishes that you see in the photo gallery (there are lots to choose from). Could you also write down a few comments under each of your drawings that will help me to explain the fish that you have chosen? Please make your drawings at least half a page. Oh, and make them colorful, too! I want to know if these are the fish that I want to study." - thanks, HM

http://www.seaworld.org/coral_reefs/deathcr.html - "I think that you will find a lot of information that will give you an idea of what is happening to the fishes. While you are visiting this place, remember to write down any information that you find on POLLUTION, the WEATHER CONDITIONS, and HUMANS (all or some of these may be the reason why I can't find any tropical fish to put in my tank!)." - HM

http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/network/hcri.htm - "I won't mind if you want to go surfing once you get there, but I want to tell you that you must go and visit this place before you leave Hawaii.  It is very important for you to go here.  I think that the people who work here will be able to give you all of the information that you need to help you finds some answers.  See if you can find out if there are any programs that protect tropical fish that live in the coral reefs.  If there are areas along Hawaii's coral reefs that are being protected, please find out why"...thanks a bunch, HM
 
 

When you get back to Nanaimo, you will hand in all of the information you received.  I will expect to see:

JOURNAL - 10 complete sentences that describe what you saw in Hawaii.  (20 marks) 

4 colorful drawings of the tropical fish that you saw at the Photo Gallery with a comment about each one underneath the drawing.     (16 marks)

A half-page - page explaining what YOU think may have caused the shortage of tropical fish in the pet stores. Remember, you went on this research, so you are the expert! Tell me what you think the problem could be based on your research.  Your writing must be clear, free of spelling errors, easy to read and must follow the COPS rule. (14 marks)

TOTAL MARK out of 50.
 

So...how was your trip to Hawaii? I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to go there for me.  I have been so busy at the Biological Station and it would have been impossible for me to go.  Thanks to you and the information that you have researched, I have decided to concentrate on renewing the salmon population around here...

And before I forget, I will give you 3 days (computer periods) to finish your assignments for me. I am really interested in what you have to report!

But I have to ask you one thing...Do you think that people should keep tropical fish as pets? Why?
 
 
 
 

   
Credits and References:

http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/

http://www.coralreefnetwork/research/research.htm

http://www.coralreefnetwork.com/educate/shows/slide_shows.htm

http://www.seaworld.org/

http://www.motherjones.com/coral_reef

Thank-you to those who have allowed me to pilfer your "free" animated gifs and images.
 
 

Teacher's Page

This web page was designed with the students in mind.  I needed to find something that would work for the entire class.  I have found that there are many varying levels of computer skills in children who are within this age group.  The lesson itself centers around learning outcomes that are stated in the Integrated Resource Packages (IRP), in the subjects of Science and Language Arts.  It was my intention to keep this lesson strictly on the scientific level, but given the nature of how this lesson is put together, it is evident that the students will have the opportunity to gain valuable Language Arts lessons if integrated.

The scenario that I chose for this WebQuest (Hawaiian study of coral reefs) allows the students to reach a comfort zone where computer language can be reduced to a minimum, as is the intimidation that some students experience when working with computers.

The learning outcomes for this WebQuest are as follows:

It is expected that the students will:  LA IRP

• create and express thoughts, ideas, and feelings in a variety of oral and written forms (Presenting and Valuing).
• use grammatically correct language when writing and speaking, including consistent verb tenses and correct pronoun references (Composing and Creating).
• share what they know about chosen topics (Composing and Creating)

• demonstrate their ability to recognize a valid interpretation of their results
• present their interpretations of their results.