Under the Sea WebQuest

1. Under the Sea WebQuest Alison Birk Stephanie Moranz

2. Illinois Board of Education Standards • 12. A.1a Identify and describe the component parts of living things (e.g., birds have feathers; people have bones, blood, hair, skin) and their major functions. • 12.A. 1b Categorize living organisms using a variety of observable features (e.g., size, color, shape, backbone). • 12.B.1a Describe and compare characteristics of living things in relationship to their environments.  • 12.B.1b Describe how living things depend on one another for survival. •  12.E.1a Identify components and describe diverse features of the Earth’s land, water and atmospheric systems • 13.B.1e Demonstrate ways to reduce, reuse and recycle materials

3. Resources:Websites • http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/coralreef/coralreef.shtml • http://www.seasky.org/reeflife/sea2c.html • http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/habitat/coral_reef.php?lb_v=7 • http://www.strange-facts.info/facts-about-coral-reefs-for-kids • http://library.thinkquest.org/4305/animals.htm • http://www.reef.crc.org.au/discover/plantsanimals/facts_plantanimal.htm

4. Under the Sea Have you ever wanted to explore the ocean? Well you are about to get your chance…

5. Task: Starting your journey! • Did you know that 71% of the Earth is covered in ocean? A coral reef is just one of the things you can find under the sea. • Your job will be to work with a partner to learn more about coral reefs.

6. Process: What kind of creatures do you think would live in a coral reef? You’re about to find out! • Step 1: We will divide into groups of two. • Step 2: With your group, look at the websites and choose one sea creature to explore. • Step 3: Answer the questions on the following page as a group using the websites provided. • The work should be divided up between you and your partner or two partners. -1st person: navigate the websites -2nd person: record the answers to the questions for the web quest on a separate sheet of paper (both people should be working on the questions and tasks of the web quest together) • Step 4: After finishing your Web Quest questions you and your partner will create a poster about the creature you chose.

7. Questions • What type of covering is found on your sea creature? (Ex: birds have feathers) • If you could choose a covering for this animal, which would you choose? Why? • In what kind of reef does your sea creature live? • If you could decide where this creature would live where would it be and why did you choose this place? • What is one thing your sea creature needs to survive? • What would be one way humans could reduce pollution in the ocean or coral reef? • What is a coral reef?

8. Websites to Use When Answering Web Quest Questions • Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/coralreef/coralreef.shtml • The Sea http://www.seasky.org/reeflife/sea2c.html • Defenders of Wildlife http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/habitat/coral_reef.php?lb_v=7 • Strange-Facts.Info http://www.strange-facts.info/facts-about-coral-reefs-for-kids • ThinkQuest http://library.thinkquest.org/4305/animals.htm • Reef Research Center http://www.reef.crc.org.au/discover/plantsanimals/facts_plantanimal.htm

9. Conclusion • Congratulations! Now you are an expert about the reef and creatures of the sea. You learned basic facts about creatures including what they eat, where they live and other interesting things. If you liked this you may like the other lessons you will be taking part in… • Students will be writing about their favorite sea creature • Watching a video about the reefs • Art project: creating a sea creature • Exploring other parts of the ocean and answering questions on a worksheet • Pick a book from the library or home that has something to do with the ocean and write a summary about why you picked this book

10. Evaluation

11. Resources for Further Study • Ocean by Maurice Pledger • Eyewitness Ocean by Miranda MacQuitty • Finding Nemo • Ocean Odyssey • National Geographic