Nashplans Benton High School

5655 South Fourth Street

Saint Joseph, Missouri 64504
page 1 of 2

Lesson: Protecting Our Ocean Resources Teacher: Sean P. Nash

Course: Honors Marine Biology Duration: 1 period
Sequence: Day 2 - Explain & Evaluate data

Learning Objectives
• Identify and share the main local seafood species and their sustainability situation.
• Summarize and present data characterizing the sustainability of key species.
• Evaluate summative knowledge on local keystone seafood species.

Lesson Design
Connection to or Analysis of Background Knowledge

Students discuss their homework findings within their group of four (or five). From last period, students were on assignment
until today to find one of the most common seafood items sold in a minimum of two local grocery stores or restaurants. Stu-
dents will share their findings with the group and prepare a summary statement of their findings to share out with the whole
group.

Objective and Purpose (Share the “why”)

Today’s session is an introduction connecting what students have experienced in the world of seafood while growing up in
the midwest... to the current state of our seafood resources. Students often think that the choices they make in Missouri have
little to no effect on the oceans of the planet. Students should be informed up front that this idea will be addressed and dis-
cussed throughout the class in every phase of learning. In today’s introduction, we are looking for an increased awareness
about critical issues in ocean resources directly pertaining to food issues & practices.

Modeling or Demonstration

Next, groups are assigned one of the critical species presented. Each group will spend 20 to 30 minutes in online research of
this species, preparing a final presentation out to the class. Students will then

Check for Understanding

Students participate in whole group questioning strategies with their peers as they practice solid Cornell note-taking strate-
gies throughout presentations.

Practice

Upon completion of presentations and question-answer period over each species, students will take turns in a collaborative
quiz game at their table to help review the new information presented, connect it to previous knowledge and prepare for a
summative quiz at the end of today’s period. The quiz will cover basic facts about the sustainability and health of these locally
“cornerstone” species.
Nashplans Benton High School
5655 South Fourth Street
Saint Joseph, Missouri 64504
page 2 of 2

Closure and Extension

Prior to the end of the period, students are given a bridging question to help close the day’s lesson as well as to provide a con-
nection to the next lesson in the series: “What can one person, or one small group of people do to affect local behavior?”. Stu-
dents answer this question on a post-it note to be posted on the door on the way out of class. (or posted to the Twitter ac-
count by phone) These brief ideas will be highlighted at the beginning of the next period.

Finally, students will go to our social network at: http://stjoeh2o.ning.com to post a summary of today’s lesson (including
solid connections and reflections) on the program blog pages. A key part of today’s post should be a reflection of not only
their own personal performance on the summative quiz, but also a discussion of the process we used to prepare. Students
will also post online comments and questions to the blog posts of other students in the class.

Resources

• Summative ocean resources quiz: http://www.scribd.com/doc/3616718/Ocean-Resources-Quiz

• Blue Ocean Institute: http://www.blueocean.org/
• Online “Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood”: http://www.blueocean.org/Seafood/

Notes

• The final lesson will be an introduction to actually “doing something” (social action) about the issues we discussed to-
night. The theme of the next period will be “taking social action from Missouri to change things in the ocean.”