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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

The water column: Where do ocean animals belong?

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g35/seascolumn.html

A lesson plan for grade 5 Science

Provider: National Geographic


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In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore three broad ocean habitats—the intertidal zone, the open ocean, and the abyss—and find out about some specific adaptations animals have made in each of these regions. Activities in this lesson engage students in online research, whole class discussion, collaborative group work, and creation of a board game using information from their research.

Students will:

  • discuss the depth of the ocean in different places;
  • brainstorm marine animals adaptations;
  • use the Web to research marine animals and their adaptations to varying ocean depths;
  • list information they learn in their research; and
  • design games about ocean animals.

Xpeditions provides detailed directions for completing the lesson, suggestions for assessment and extension activities, discussion questions, and links to helpful web resources.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grade 5

  • Goal 1: The learner will conduct investigations to build an understanding of the interdependence of plants and animals.
    • Objective 1.01: Describe and compare several common ecosystems (communities of organisms and their interaction with the environment).
    • Objective 1.02: Identify and analyze the functions of organisms within the population of the ecosystem:
      • Producers.
      • Consumers.
      • Decomposers.
    • Objective 1.03: Explain why an ecosystem can support a variety of organisms.
    • Objective 1.05: Determine the interaction of organisms within an ecosystem.
    • Objective 1.06: Explain and evaluate some ways that humans affect ecosystems.
      • Habitat reduction due to development.
      • Pollutants.
      • Increased nutrients.