NEPTUNE Canada

Researching Facts and Figures (Grade 4)

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Learning Objective(s)

Students must understand how things change with depth and gain important skills by reporting events and information.

Introduction

Describe the changes which occur with depth, including pressure, temperature, light and nutrients. Describe how animals have adapted to the dark conditions of the deep ocean (small eyes, large mouth, sharp teeth, photophore for predation and protection). Show pictures (which can be found on the NEPTUNE website) for visual stimulation.

Materials

• Internet
  
• Notebooks
  
• Pens/pencils

Activity

• Ask students to visit the NEPTUNE website and undergo a scientific research trip to the students’ desired depth (making sure this depth is written in their notebook).
  
• Ask students to keep a notebook of all the facts they can find at the depth that they go. Facts may include, marine life they may see, geological features, pressures, temperatures, which oceanic zone they are in, etc…
  
• Ask the students to take the notebook home and write a concluding paragraph of their findings as an underwater explorer. Make sure at least three facts are written in the paragraph – so remind students to take good notes during class!

Extension

Ask students to draw a picture of an animal they have seen at the depth they went as an underwater explorer.

Assessment

• Give credit for three distinct facts (for example – black smokers are seen on the ocean floor; the temperature cools as we descend below the surface; Small light in the dark are emitted from deep water creatures).

• Check for conclusions or remarks made about why conditions are what they are. For example have they related depth to pressure? Prey to predator? Depth to temperature?

Related Website

Tags

pressure, light, nutrients, deep ocean, small eyes, large mouth, sharp teeth, photophore, predation, protection, underwater explorer, oceanic zone