HIT: Resources for Ocean Unit

[Jan Wee <jwee@MAIL.ARC.NASA.GOV>]

Dear All,

The following are resources suggested by members of this list
and others on resources for developing an ocean unit for
elem-middle school.

Thanks to all who contributed suggestions!  This list was
much appreciated by the fifth grade teacher originating the
request.  I have left off contibutor's names but have them on
file if needed for futher info.


Jan Wee, Learning Technology Specialist
School District of Holmen
Holmen, WI


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I friend of mine forwarded you message about ocean units. I have done
2 websites about the ocean. One was done by my 3rd grade students. I'm
sure you could adapt this concept with other grade levels. It's called
"Our Aquarium". You might want to take a look. the URL attached.
http://www.esu3.k12.ne.us/districts/aquarium/aquarium.html

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Oceans are one of the units our gifted classes are studying this year, so we
have a webpage with links to Internet resources on oceans.

Maybe this will help some.

http://www.gsh.org/schools/USA/GA/PGE5061/Oceans.htm

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Our students really like the Microsoft CD called "Oceans".


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There's a software program called the Great Ocean Rescue that's good.  Uses
cooperative learning.


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For a trade book:
You might want to consider CALL IT COURAGE.

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YOU MUST LOOK AT WWW.BEV.NET--SEA WORLD--IT IS A RESOURCE RICH SITE.  THEY
EVEN HAVE A SONGBOOK.  ALSO LOOK AT WHALE WATCH--THEY CAN FOLLOW TAGGED
WHALES AS THEY TRAVEL THE GLOBE.

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Have you been here?  http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/ocean_planet.html

It's a really neat site, with ocean sounds and more.


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You have to try Project Athena!!! They have a whole section on oceans and
currents.  Athena is so teacher friendly!  I use the weather stuff in my
class and love it!  Also look up Virtual Biomes for your biome studies.
Here are the addresses:  Project Athena is http://athena.wednet.edu/  and
Virtual Biomes is http://www.mobot.org/MBGnet/vb/index.htm.  Good luck, I'm
sure you will find some great stuff here!

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I don't know whether your fifth grade teacher has used the Voyage of the
MIMI, but it is a fantastic program.  Our fifth grade teachers all use
it here in Altoona, PA.  I will see if anyone I know has other ideas for
an oceans unit that might be in addition to the Voyage curriculum.

____________________________________________________________________________
From Classroom Connect member:  A GREAT idea...

Thought you might like to try this idea during your unit.  I actually got
it from a 5th grade gifted teacher and adapted it for my second graders.
In general, the Ocean Unit is taught however you would like to do it,
special projects, and inclusion of language arts and math.  What I am going
to tell you about is an end of the unit culmination and way to display all
your things.  Make an ocean bubble!!  This bubble can be as large or small
as you want it to.  We made it HUGE so that the whole class can fit in!
Go to the local hardware and buy (or get them to donate) painters drop
cloths.  The weight is about the same as dry cleaner bags.  It is very thin
and needs to be handled with care.  I think we used eight cloths.  Then you
need to tape the edges together with clear, wide, packing tape.  In the
end, you need to keep a whole large enough to put a square floor fan.  One
floor fan will inflate the whole thing.  I went to school on a Saturday and
used the gymnasium to tape together the "bubble".  I have done it with the
second graders when I had a full time aide, but chose to do it last year
myself since I was alone in the room and had a difficult class.  If you
have a cooperative group of 5th graders, I am sure it would be fine...great
math activities!  Once the bubble is inflated, cut a hole in one side large
enough for a person to get through.  (the fan should be taped into the hole
on the end, so no air escapes)  My kids actually put on a presentation for
the parents.  Yes, the parents came in and sat in the bubble, too!  They
kids read facts to their parents, sang ocean songs and their work was taped
around the sides of the bubble.  Once the bubble is inflated, the four foot
hole that allows people to get in will not matter that it is open, it
actually allows for the right amount of air to escape so that it just kind
of "hovers".

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Lawrence Hall of Science at UCBerkeley has a fantastic curriculum (covers
at least six grades) called MARE; also UHawaii has a huge middle and high
school curriculum. There are several great sources with lessons--Living in
Water, Project Wet, The Ocean Book, Seaside Naturalist--fantastic--these
are all available at the NSTA bookstore.

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I am a fourth grade teacher and I searched the net this
summer looking for curricula about athe ocean.  Her are some good finds.

Tidal Passages--project of circumnavigating the globe
           http://www.tidalpassages.com

Titanic Exploration--
            http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/titanic.html

Sea World
              http://www.bev.net/education/SeaWorld/Water

Ocean Planet--Smithsonian Institute
               http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/squid.html
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