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The Salmon Are Drowning In Problems!
A WebQuest for 5th Grade (Science & S.S. & L.A.) Designed by Sofeya Devji and
Annette Dehalt
Introduction | Learners | Standards | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Student Page
This webquest was developed as an assignment for a Technology Integration course for student teachers at Malaspina University-College, during fall 2000. This online lesson will alert young students to some of the natural and man-made problems facing Pacific salmon stocks, and will guide them through "field" research of gathering information on environmental impacts and possible solutions. A "field" notebook with data sheets and graphic organizers is provided in Word format. According to your preference, this may be printed out and filled in by hand, or information may be entered electronically. While designed for grade 5 students studing natural resources within their Science and Social Studies curricula, this lesson could also be used as a valuable extension and/or pre-writing and writing activity for grades 4-7. Students should
have basic internet skills, such as clicking on links, using the "Back"
button, scrolling down etc. They should have also been exposed to the concept
of graphic organizers. Using this lesson at the end of a unit on natural
resources and human impact would be most helpful, as some creative/reflective
thinking regarding solutions and personal responsibility is required.
Curriculum Standards Some of the curricular (IRP-related) outcomes addressed in this lesson are: Science
apply a variety of strategies (e.g. graphic organizers, research, brainstorming, outlines etc.) to generate and shape ideas In addition, this
lesson is designed to further organizational skills as well as both critical
and creative thought processes through problem-based and personally meaningful
learning.
Students are asked to follow the process described below. Teacher help may be required at various steps, most likely with printing the "SCHOOL-O-FISH Consultants notebook" or using it with the aid of Windows while on-line, and with submitting a finished salmon story to the aquarium via e-mail, should you consider this incentive worthwhile. To support and extend the process, a class set of "Scales and Tales" salmon life history sheets (DFO) would be helpful, but are not required (except for some extension activities). Extension activities
are color-coded in salmon-orange.
1. Pick up your special SCHOOL-O-FISH Consultants notebook, in order to gather field notes on your field trip observations 2. Go on a surfing trip on the net (that's the INTERnet, not the Fishnet - hopefully!!) to learn more about salmon. The questions to guide your field investigation and places to look for the answers are listed in the table below. For EXTRAresearch opportunities, check out the salmon-coloured hints. For example, for EXTRA information on life and life-style of a salmon, look at the life cycle series fact sheets of "Scales and Tales" from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), which your teacher can order: Salmon
Sheets (hand-outs):
Don't forget to record all your findings
in your field note book!
3. Based
on what you have learned, decide what YOU can do to help salmon in your
neighborhood survive. Click to play the salmon-saving game:
4. Share your expert knowledge with others by writing a story to the Vancouver Aquarium. (Ask your teacher to help you send it by e-mail) Your story should include: a) a short introductory paragraph that lets people know WHY salmon are in trouble b) a description of three things that you and your classmates could do to help salmon c) a wish for what
you would like other people to do to help you save salmon
Note to the teacher: Please feel free to
modify the story assignment according to your students' needs and your
particular L.A. goals and requirements.
"The Salmon Challenge" website, and we are particularly grateful to its authors for this valuable link.This program poses a set of 10 questions to students with regard to responsible choices which can help save salmon. Both good and bad choices are given explicit feed-back, and students can retry simply by clicking on the "Back" button. Specific questions may vary from one visit to the next, so the site may be visited more than once for additional learning experiences. Since "The Salmon Challenge" is a U.S. based website,and makes mention of U.S.environment agencies in 1 or 2 questions, you may wish to alert students to the appropriate B.C.government alternatives, e.g. Ministry Environment, Land and Parks or Dept. Fisheries & Oceans. Students are given the following
evaluation rubric. Please feel free to provide your students with your
own criteria and marking system as you see fit.
TOTAL:
100
Conclusion We hope you will find this web lesson to be a worthwhile component or extension of your teachings on natural resources, personalresponsibility, organization of research, and writing for an audience. Please feel free to e-mail us with any comments or suggestions. Special thanks for connecting to the following web sites: Baby
Salmon Pictures:
Salmon
Life cycle
Life
Stage Descriptions
Fresh
Water/Land
Salt
Water
Predators
and Prey
Ships
Problems
for Wild Salmon
Problems
in the Ocean
Animation Sources: http://www.ssanimation.com/site/graphics/3.htm
Hard Copy Sources:
Last updated on August 15, 1999. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page |
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