A Seagrass Story

Lesson Summary

By learning about seagrasses, their decline and restoration efforts, students will become familiar with ecosystem interactions, currents trends and research in ocean science, and the decisions and policy making processes that are involved in ecological preservation and conservation. This lesson not only helps students learn about some of the environmental problems caused by the growing human population but also urges them to become part of a solution.

5 E's Lesson Plan

Description of each section of the 5E model	Teacher Lessons	State Standard Indicators for each activity
I Engagement: This activity captures the students' attention, stimulates their thinking, and helps them to access prior knowledge	Clear Things Up Students will learn about the importance of seagrass through 3 different activities and a short video clip. I. Students add nutrients to and observe 4 different jars filled with pond water and various amounts of underwater grass, looking for algal growth over 3-5 days. Phosphorous will be added to the water to stimulate the growth of the algae.
	Give Me Shelter Students will learn about the importance of seagrass through 3 different activities and a short video clip. II. Students observe the feeding behavior and success rate of blue gill feeding on daphnia in two different environments; one with seagrass and one without. (There is also a cheaper alternative activity that can be used without the living organisms.)
	Save the Beach Students will learn about the importance of seagrass through 3 different activities and a short video clip. III. Students will compete with other teams to construct the best "barricade" that prevents sediment from spreading in a container during a "hurricane". The components of the barricade will represent the parts of seagrass.
II Exploration: In this section students are given time to think, plan, investigate, collect and organize information.	Why Have Seagrasses Disappeared? Students will use computer or printed articles and video clips from the COSEE module to research why seagrass numbers have declined. A brief Secchi disc/tube demonstration will help explain why seagrasses need to live in clear, relatively shallow water.
III: Explanation: Students are now involved in an analysis of their own explorations. Their understanding is clarified and modified because of the reflective nature of the activities.	What Can We Do to Help the Seagrass? Students will conduct research using the web and printed articles and watch video clips from the COSEE module to learn about current seagrass restoration and preservation techniques. As a small group, they will come up with ideas for restoring and protecting seagrasses on various scales and at various locations.
IV Extension: This section gives students an opportunity to expand and solidify their understanding of the concepts and to apply them in a real-world context.	Making Decisions About Seagrass Students apply what they have learned about seagrass decline and restoration as they determine how a new law should be worded in their roles as stakeholders, defending their given positions in a mock town meeting.
V Evaluation: This performance-based activity helps students to connect all of the pieces of information involved in these lessons. .	Journal Response Students will use their previous knowledge and experience from the town meeting to write a journal entry in response to a prompt asking how to best restore seagrass. A grading rubric will be used to assess students' understanding of major concepts from each of the previous sections.