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

Which turtle for the tiger shark?

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

A lesson plan for grade 4 Science

Provider: National Geographic


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In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore the incredible diversity of marine life of Western Australia’s Shark Bay, an ecosystem of great interest to marine scientists. Activities in this lesson engage students in online research, collaborative group work, and development of higher order thinking skills.

Students will:

  • discuss ways that animals avoid predators;
  • look at pictures of green sea turtles and loggerhead sea turtles, and answer questions about their appearances and physiques;
  • discuss which turtle species seems most likely to be eaten by tiger sharks;
  • brainstorm reasons that may account for the green sea turtle’s reduced vulnerability to tiger sharks;
  • compare their predictions to actual Crittercam findings; and
  • perform puppet shows or demonstrations showing the differences between the species’ diving and breathing strategies.

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

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grade 4

  • Goal 1: The learner will make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding of animal behavior and adaptation.
    • Objective 1.01: Observe and describe how all living and nonliving things affect the life of a particular animal including:
      • Other animals.
      • Plants.
      • Weather.
      • Climate.
    • Objective 1.02: Observe and record how animals of the same kind differ in some of their characteristics and discuss possible advantages and disadvantages of this variation.
    • Objective 1.03: Observe and discuss how behaviors and body structures help animals survive in a particular habitat.
    • Objective 1.04: Explain and discuss how humans and other animals can adapt their behavior to live in changing habitats.