Harvesting the ocean for medical science
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g68/
seasharvest.html
A lesson plan for Grade 8 Science
About this resource
- Appropriate grades
- 8
- Subjects
- science (oceanography, technology and innovation), thinking skills (information literacy, research skills), education technology (integrating technology), teaching methods (cooperative learning, discussions, online learning)
- Provider
- National Geographic
Legal
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In this Xpeditions lesson, students learn more about how marine species can be helpful to humans. This lesson engages students in reading for information purposes, whole class discussion, and small collaborative group work.
Students will:
- read and answer questions about the horseshoe crab and Bugula neritina;
- brainstorm and list ideas about the challenges, benefits, and environmental impacts involved in the harvesting of the horseshoe crab and Bugula neritina; and
- write plans pretending they are scientists who are going to harvest the species for medical purposes.
Xpeditions provides links to helpful web resources necessary for research, detailed instructions for completing the lesson, and suggestions for assessment and extension activities.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science (2005)
Grade 8
- Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
- Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
- explain observations.
- make inferences and predictions.
- develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
- Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
- Communicate findings.
- Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
- Describe strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and/or data.
- Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
- Research.
- Gather and analyze data.
- Visualize data.
- Disseminate findings to others.
- Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
- Scientific text.
- Articles.
- Events in the popular press.
- Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
- Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate an understanding of technological design.
- Objective 2.02: Use information systems to:
- Identify scientific needs, human needs, or problems that are subject to technological solution.
- Locate resources to obtain and test ideas.
- Objective 2.02: Use information systems to:
- Goal 3: The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of the hydrosphere.
- Objective 3.03: Evaluate evidence that Earth's oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:
- Estuaries.
- Marine ecosystems.
- Upwelling.
- Behavior of gases in the marine environment.
- Value and sustainability of marine resources.
- Deep ocean technology and understandings gained.
- Objective 3.07: Describe how humans affect the quality of water:
- Point and non-point sources of water pollution in North Carolina.
- Possible effects of excess nutrients in North Carolina waters.
- Economic trade-offs.
- Local water issues.
- Objective 3.08: Recognize that the good health of environments and organisms requires:
- Monitoring of the hydrosphere.
- Water quality standards.
- Methods of water treatment.
- Maintaining safe water quality.
- Stewardship.
- Objective 3.03: Evaluate evidence that Earth's oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:
