My Annotated Bibligraphy Science Rocks

The Chesapeake Bay

This unit will discuss the Chesapeake Bay and its importance to our area.  The students will be given the opportunity to complete and share illustrations, writings, and cooperative group activities.  The students will also complete Webquests along with a reading guide to ensure that valuable information is being gained throughout the unit.  The students will take picture walks through vividly illustrated trade books.  The students will also share in a final culminating activity where they will prepare and taste seafood from the Chesapeake Bay. 

I was careful to select trade books that met the reading levels of all my students.  I selected books with vivid pictures that allow the students to imagine while viewing pictures of the Chesapeake Bay.  As I stated in a earlier blog, many of my students do not have the opportunity to travel to the Chesapeake Bay, so these trade books are an instrument of travel.  The Cheseapeake Bay trade book offered pictures and maps that could easily be copied and displayed in the classroom.  The picutres could also be used in the area of written expression.  The students can reflect on a picture and explain what they have learn by writina response in his/her writing journal.  The trade book Awesome Chesapeake provides the students with pictures of all the sealife found in the Cheasapeake Bay.  For my student that read above grade level this book provides information about the water, web life and opportunities for the students to get involved in restoring the Chesapeake Bay.

The Seashore can be used by the students who are on or below grade level.  This book describes the not only the sea animals found near the bay, but plants as well.  One extension for students who may  needs to be challenged is present them an opportunity to describe the flow of energy from plants and animals by using poster board and markers.  The above grade level students can then present the finish product to the class.  This will be a visual presentation of what was learned through independent research.  At the end of the book there is a glossary and food web that the students can use to build vocabulary knowledge.  The index in the back of the book has words that are easy to read making research less stressful for the students.  The book is written in chapter book format, however; the colorful pictures will offer struggling readers a chance to use pictures clues to decode some words.  One chapter allows the students a chance to connect with a trip to the beach.  Most of our students have visited a beach but, now that can make the connection that the beach is a part of the Chesapeake Bay in some areas.

In conclusion picture books can be an assett to student who are reading on, above or below grade level.  Picture books can provide information about a unfamiliar topic, expose students to new vocabulary, and develop language skills of the students who may be struggling. Exposing students in inner city schools to pictures and other tangible objects enhances the learning experience.  I bought in fishing poles, net, and a crab cage and we went on an imaginary fishing and crabbing adventure.  This activity will be appreciated by students of intermediate grades as well.  I described above the books that provided pictures of the Chesapeake Bay, the Susquehanna River and the beaches in our area.  Each book includes facts about the bay and the plants and animals found around the Chesapeake Bay. 

            Our classrooms are becoming more and more diverse for this reason I have included two books that embrace diversity.  Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and crab cakes later) describes fun times at an African American relative’s house through the eyes of two young girls.  Meet Naiche takes the reader on a journey of day to day life along the Chesapeake Bay.  Our literature centers and libraries can serve as comfort zones for our students who may be new to an area or country.  In each book the author describes how the characters feel while sharing with friends and families.  Often students from different cultures feel left out and unwelcome in our classroom, helping them to understand and embrace their culture and help overcome many learning obstacles Meet Naiche describes how he feels when he is looked at strange by people who do not speak his language.  This is a perfect example, or lesson that we can use in our classroom for out Hispanic or Spanish speaking students.  It is our job as educators to ensure that all our students fell welcomed and valued in the classroom community.     

Meet Naiche can also dispel a stereotype that many of our students believe and that is that all Native Americans live on a reservation.  In this book a young Native American boys shares his school, friends, family and experiences in a town near the Chesapeake Bay.  The book mentions the Potomac River that flows in the Chesapeake Bay this is another learning opportunity.  The teacher can create a list of rivers that flow into the Chesapeake Bay.  After reading this story they can add the Potomac River to the list.  The author tells this story using a writing technique called flashback.  This can also be a teachable moment.  Explaining and describing how an author can use flashback to tell a story, offers the students a new skill in written expression.  Naiche the main character describes his room, pets and what he enjoys doing during the day.  As Naiche describes his parents jobs and hobbies our students can visualizes the similarities and differences he/she may have with Naiche.  This is another teachable moment the student can use a T-chart or Venn diagram describing how he/she is like Naiche and how they are different from Naiche. 

            St Ignatius Catholic Church was founded in Port Tobacco, Maryland which is a town along the Chesapeake Bay.  My students have discussed St Ignatius during religion lessons.  Some of my students also have brothers who attend St Ignacious catholic school in Baltimore.  By sharing and reading this in Meet Naiche our students can now make a connection with a place and its relationship to a saint discussed in class previously.  Making connections between books and real life events is important for students who may be struggling readers.  This gives them a chance to extend and build on prior knowledge.  The pictures in Meet Naiche offers students a vivid look at the life of Native Americans.  Meet Naiche show families walking, climbing, and eating together.  This book should be added to the classroom library.  Students could take this book home and share with parents, this may be motivation to plan a family outing.  This book describes the importance of cultural heritage and family tradition. 

            Written in Bone is a book that my students who enjoy scary movies or fossil digging.  This book like most of my books included, can be used by students who are reading above below or on grade level. Most of the pictures included provide captions that are easy for struggling readers to comprehend.  For students that are reading above grade level this book describes where certain fossils were found in advanced vocabulary terms.  This book is listed in chronological order the findings in different areas across Maryland.  I think this book could be used during a cooperative learning experience.  Students could be paired together to complete a reading guide task, graphic organnizer, or a timeline.  Written in Bone can also be used across the curriculum, meaning it can be used for social studies, science, and language arts.  The pictures of the archaeologists digging may even spark the interest of the student.  The students may decide to become an archaeologists scientist, or historian.

            The websites I mentioned in my blog and some that I just reviewed to assist students while completing reading guides were easy to read.  I also included websites that use kid friendly language.  I was careful to include pictures and links to all that I thought students would enjoy viewing.  Our students are growing up in the digital age so we must provide them with opportunities to use web applications and other forms of technology during lessons.  We must also encourage them to research and explore at home as well as in school, by doing this we are creating life-long learners.   The Webquest I included shows students how they can explore an estuary.  The Webquest also provides extension opportunities for the students and parents as well.  As educators we must seek out opportunities that offer parents a chance to become involved.  This Webquest can be completed at home, by the students as extra credit the teacher could offer the parents a chance to reflect and answer question about the Webquest. 

http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/kelly/webquest/intro.htm and http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/webquest/content/chesapeakwatershed.shtml are both Webquests that allow the students to gain information about the Chesapeake Bay while completing a task.  Webquests are a great way to motivatre the students.  Webquests are interactive and allow the students to complete a specific task while gaining knowledge.  In order to keep all our students motivated we must differentiate instruction, Webquests offer students a way to activate his/her imagination, along with focusin on a task.  For advance learners Webquests can activate higher order thinking skills.  Some students also enjoy working in cooperative groups and Webquests allow this to happen. 

      In conclusion my unit on the Chesapeake Bay will offer increase awareness and knowledge in the value of living so close to the Bay.  Our students can begin to appreciate the benefits of living close to this estuary.  They will gain an understanding of why crabbing and fishing is so important to some people that live near the Chesapeake Bay.  Finally, I hope that the students who share this unit are ready to explore and spread the word that Science Rocks, especially if you live near the Chesapeake Bay.

Bibliography

Bennett, K. (2006). Chesapeake Bay. New York: Children's Press.

Farrell, R. (2008). All ABout Drawing: Sea Creatures and Animals. Irvine, California: Walter Foster Publishing.

Howard, E. F. (2001). Aunt Flossie's Hats (and crab cakes later). New York: Clarion Books.

Johansson, P. (2008). The Seashore: A Saltwater Web of Life. Berkeley Heights, New Jersey: Enslow Publishers.

Kaupp, M. (2006, November 27). Estuaries. Retrieved March 3, 2012, from Welcome to Estuaries: http://estuary-webquest.tripod.com/

Media, B. W. (2009). Restore America's Estuaries. Retrieved March 24, 2012, from http://www.estuaries.org/: http://www.estuaries.org/top-10-estuary-facts.html

Museus, S. D., Palmer, R. T., Davis, R. J., & Maramba, D. C. (2011). Special Issue: Racial and Ethnic Minority Students' Success in STEM Education. ASHE Higher Education Report, , 130.

Slovacek, S. P., Whittinghill, J. C., Tucker, S., Rath, K. A., Peterfreund, A. R., Kuehn, G. D., et al. (2011). Minority Students Severely Underrepresented in Science, Technology Engineering and Math. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research , 5-16.

Tayac, G. (2002). Meet Naiche: A native bot from the Chesapeake Bay area. Hillsboro, OR: Beyond Words Publishing, Inc.,.

Thiry, H. S. (2011). The Role of Student-Advisor Interactions in Apprenticing Undergraduate Researchers into a Scientific Community of Practice. Journal of Science Education and Technology , 771-784.

Walker, S. (2009). Written in Bone. New York: Carolrboda Books.