Francine C. Coss
The environment will continue to be discussed via the food chain example during the class’ study of water life. The theme Splish Splash will cover the same ground only underwater, leading the children to complete an additional HyperStudio¨ research stack for water life. Trips to the Whitney Water Center, Blake Street Park, Edgewood Park, Lighthouse Park, Schooner, and the Norwalk Maritime Center will all reinforce the students’ understanding of the food chain and environment as it exists underwater. Fresh water and salt water environments will be compared with salt being both the positive and negative attribute for the respective environments. Links from the HyperStudio¨ water life stack will be made to the wild animal stack, allowing the children to further understand the impact one environment has on another. Disk, print and video copies of the more comprehensive HyperStudio¨ stack will also be submitted to the library/resource area for use by other classes.
The culminating project for Splish Splash will be the creation and maintenance of a classroom aquarium. The information gathered in the HyperStudio¨ water life stack will provide the students with the background necessary to select the aquarium size, contents and upkeep schedule. Salt water versus fresh water environments will be compared for viability in the classroom aquarium. The water life chosen for the aquarium will be labeled and information will be entered into a separate HyperStudio¨ stack for continued analysis and observation. The life span of the selected water life will be tantamount to the environmental preservation within the aquarium. This highly controlled water environment will open the discussion of controlling other, less confined environments, such as our classroom, our school yard, our community, etc.
Unit IV: Sample Lesson Plan
HyperStudio¨ Water Life Project
Objective:
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To create a HyperStudio Stack containing images, facts and other materials related to class-studied water-life.
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See “Unit III: Sample Lesson Plan” HyperStudio¨ Wild Animal Project and alter/expand project to encompass water life, especially classroom aquarium life.