S E A S I D E
S C I E N C E
Rhonda C. Bajalia
ABSTRACT
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Seaside Science uses laptop computers on a field trip
to the beach. Hands-on activities help students classify
sea life and shells and develop computer-generated
tables and graphs. Students observe a desalinization
demonstration and enter information on their laptops
through each step of the scientific experimental process. The cooperative group activities and laptop
computers help develop students’ classification and
graphing skills.
TIES TO CURRICULUM
This lesson accomplishes several goals of the National
Science Education Standards. Cooperative groups promote communication and cooperation among students,
and each student can learn at his or her own pace.
Hands-on activities with shells and sea life reinforce
the concepts of classifying and identifying animals.
Students follow the scientific experimental method
through the desalinization demonstration. The science
and communication skills integrate the mathematical
concepts of tables, graphs and charts, and calculating
percentages.
Seaside Science teaches
students to
◆ identify shells as univalves
and bivalves;
◆ construct a circle graph of
bivalve and univalve shell
percentages;
◆ classify sea life into phyla;
◆ create a frequency table of
specimens according to
phyla;
◆ construct a bar graph to
compare frequencies in
phyla; and
◆ follow the experimental
method through a desalinization experiment.
N U M B E R O F L A P TO P S
AND GROUP SIZE
It is ideal to have one laptop
for each group of four
students.
TIME REQUIREMENT
Seaside Science requires approximately 4½ hours.
Task
Time
Location
Introduction
Shell collection and
classification
Shell circle graph
Sea life classification
Sea life phylum table and bar graph
Desalinization demonstration
Science process report
45 minutes
50 minutes
Classroom
Beach
30
30
40
20
45
Beach
Beach
Beach
Beach
Classroom
minutes
minutes
minutes
minutes
minutes–1½ hours
1999 TOSHIBA/NSTA LAPTOP LEARNING CHALLENGE
1
S E A S I D E
S C I E N C E
Rhonda C. Bajalia
LESSON DESCRIPTION
M AT E R I A L S
◆ Laptop computers and
power supply
◆ Word processing and
spreadsheet software
Teacher Preparation
Prepare table and graph templates. Cut out the top
quarter of a gallon milk-jug, leaving the handle, for
shell collection. Each group will need one milk jug.
Introduction
◆ Bunsen burner, stand, and
fuel
Spend one class period introducing data analysis, tables,
and graphs. Review oceanography vocabulary, animal
phyla, and how to classify shells as univalves or bivalves
(see Figure 1). Explain the safety rules and conservation
practices (e.g., what to pick up and leave alone).
◆ Two Erlenmeyer flasks
(150 ml with corks)
Activity
◆ Compton’s Interactive
Encyclopedia: Compton’s
New Media CD-ROM
◆ Tubing to connect flasks
◆ Matches
◆ Seawater (20 ml)
At the beach, divide the class into groups of four
students. Establish boundaries along the beach for
collection.
◆ Red food coloring
Shell collection and classification
◆ Safety goggles
Give groups 20 minutes for shell collection in their cutout gallon milk jugs. Challenge students to pick up a
variety of shells, including univalve and bivalves.
◆ Gallon milk jugs cut for
shell collection
◆ Pictures of marine animals
(if necessary)
Figure 1: Bivalve and univalve shells
Bivalve shell
Univalve shell
A bivalve shell has two hinged, matching halves that form a complete shell. A univalve shell has one
part.
2
TEACHING SCIENCE, MATH, AND TECHNOLOGY WITH LAPTOPS
S E A S I D E
S C I E N C E
Rhonda C. Bajalia
After collecting shells, groups should spend 30 minutes
exploring their shell collections. Within groups, students discuss the shells’ similarities and differences.
Group members should classify shells by size, shape,
color, or another classification they develop. Encourage
students to see how many different ways they can
classify the shells.
Shell circle graph
Spend the next 30 minutes calculating univalve/bivalve
ratios. Each group should separate its shells into
univalves and bivalves. Using graphing software,
groups use their laptops to calculate the univalve/
bivalve ratio and create a circle graph to show the
percentage of univalve and bivalve shells. After each
group calculates its shell ratio, the teacher (with the
help of students) should combine all shell data for one
class circle graph. Have students compare group circle
graphs to the class graph and discuss trends they
observe. Students can explore other classifications
they discovered, and by class consensus design a bar
graph for the number of shells in other categories.
Print out graphs at school.
Sea life classification
Spend 30 minutes on this classification activity. The
class will observe and classify live animals in tide pools,
or if you are in a nature center/aquarium, hands-on
tanks. If live specimens are unavailable, use pictures of
animals. Two group members pick up animals for the
group to classify (e.g., sea cucumbers, starfish, sea
snails, clams, sponges) while the other two members
collaborate and list the animals in a table on the
computer, using the prepared template. Have students
identify the characteristics of each phylum to identify
the animal, using Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia
CD-ROM on the laptops.
1999 TOSHIBA/NSTA LAPTOP LEARNING CHALLENGE
3
S E A S I D E
S C I E N C E
Rhonda C. Bajalia
Sea life table and graph
SUGGESTIONS
◆ Depending on the age of
the students, a good
introduction to this activity
is the Magic School Bus
Explores the Ocean CDROM.
◆ Take several chaperones to
the beach to help with
management during the
shell collecting activities.
One chaperone for each
cooperative group is ideal.
◆ Remind students not to
touch sharp objects and
dead animals on the beach.
◆ If there are no tide-pools
or hands-on aquarium
tanks, photocopy pictures
of animals from books, or
print out pictures from the
Internet for the sea life
classification activity.
◆ Practice the desalinization
demonstration before
trying it at the beach. Take
an extra Bunsen burner,
fuel, and plenty of
matches.
◆ If the beach you visit is a
protected refuge, do not
take home any shells.
Spend the next 40 minutes developing a frequency
table and graph. Groups will convert animal frequencies to a bar graph, where bars represent the following
phyla: Cneideria, Porifora, Echiodermata, Mollusca,
and Crustacea. Students should label the vertical and
horizontal axes, and write a title for the graph.
(Labeling the graph may require some teacher interaction, depending on the sophistication of the students’
computer skills.) Students should be aware of limited
observation time on the accuracy of frequencies.
Desalinization demonstration
During the final activity, the teacher will perform the
desalinization demonstration, which takes about 20
minutes to perform and discuss. Set up the experiment
on a picnic table or other sturdy surface. Set up the
stand with the Bunsen burner under the Erlenmeyer
flask. Pour 20 ml of red-colored seawater into the flask
on the burner. Cork the two flasks and run the tubing
to the second flask on the table. Put on safety goggles.
Ask students to formulate a question based on what
they think will occur. Help students recognize the
Bunsen burner as a heat source that causes the water
to evaporate. Have one person in each group type the
group’s question into the computer. A sample question
is: “What will happen to the water when it is heated?”
Each student group forms a prediction on what will
happen to the water, and types the prediction on the
laptop. Next, point out the amount (20 ml) of water.
Groups should estimate how much of the water will
condense into the second flask, and type in their
estimates.
Light the Bunsen burner and have students observe
closely until all of the water has evaporated. Each
group should discuss and type in the amount of liquid
in the second flask. Have groups identify the material
(salt) and figure out why that material remains. Groups
can then draw conclusions about the desalinization
process.
4
TEACHING SCIENCE, MATH, AND TECHNOLOGY WITH LAPTOPS
S E A S I D E
S C I E N C E
Rhonda C. Bajalia
On the trip home, encourage discussions of the results
of Seaside Science. Review which phylum was found
most frequently, which shells were most prevalent,
and what new discoveries they made on the beach. At
school, groups should spend about 45 minutes discussing the demonstration, and then type up reports
on their laptops.
ASSESSMENT
REFERENCES
Books
National Research Council.
National Science Education
Standards. Washington DC:
National Academy Press,
1996.
Web sites
Use informal performance assessment by observing
students throughout the field trip. Assessment opportunities will include observing the groups classify sea
life into phyla and shells into categories. The teacher
can formally assess the group description of the
experimental method through the desalinization demonstration. Review each group’s printed graph to
assess mathematical skills. Each group should be able
to design graphs based on the information gathered. If
Seaside Science activities were successful, extend
explorations in the classroom.
Compton’s Interactive
Encyclopedia: Compton’s
New Media:
http://www.comptons.com/
Scholastic’s The Magic School
Bus Explores the Ocean
CD-ROM:
http://www.scholastic.com/
magicschoolbus/
1999 TOSHIBA/NSTA LAPTOP LEARNING CHALLENGE
5