This file was created in 2008 as a marine education resource supported by the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre in Sidney
Website courtesy of racerocks.com & Lester B. Pearson College. Copyright: 2008 Garry Fletcher Marine Education Consulting,7.1 Application of the BC MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CURRICULA in the New Marine Centre
The BC Ministry of Education sets the standards of learning for Kindergarten to Grade 12. These standards of learning are outlined in the Integrated Resource Packages (IRPs) which constitute the provincial curriculum. IRPs contain standard-based learning outcomes and achievement indicators for each subject area. (http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/)
Specific learning experiences will be developed for the New Marine Centre that will address the General learning outcomes for K to 12 in the BC School Curricula. Presented below are the curriculum organizers for grade 1 to 7 and selected K-12 Learning Objectives which have connection to the goals of the NMC.
| Sample Boxes like this are inserted below with suggestions of the objectives can be addressed with resources in a classroom, They identify possible lab or research exercises which could be carried out by students . |
PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES BY CURRICULUM ORGANIZER
from http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/sciencek7/scik7_lo.pdf
LIFE SCIENCE
| An exercise on grouping and classifying marine organisms can be done at several grade levels. Each habitat display tank could supply a set of unique organisms. The challenge to the student could be to make a classification scheme for each habitat or to make one that encompasses all of the habitats represented. The purpose would be to emphasize biodiversity , showing similarities and differences in the different ecosystems. An example of the type of dichotomous key to be constructed is here: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/curricula/projects/dichotomous.htm |
| The 13 Moons display could address the wide range of ideas here. There is a model of some such exercises at the following URL: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/jason/firstnations/index.html |
| Plants of the ocean, as habitats for animal life, as symbionts, as a source of food for humans if harvested sustainably could be the target of this objective. |
| A display on algal aquaculture done in a sustainable way would provide the resource here. Also relate to First Nations use of marine algae. |
| Labwork allowing the examination of microscopic organisms and the larger ones in tank exhibits should be designed to emphasize webs not only chains. |
| The section on Choice of Futures fits in well here. |
| Although this objective relates to humans, A good opportunity exists to do comparative labs with other organisms here. Whale skeletal anatomy compared to human anatomy could form the basis of an assignment. See example here: |
| Labwork in the wetlab area allowing the examination of microscopic organisms such as marine plankton would be useful here. Dependency of different levels of the food web would be part of the presentation. The use of microscopes to identify bacteria for water quality monitoring could be demonstrated. |
| Labwork allowing the examination of microscopic organisms and the larger ones in tank exhibits should emphasize wide variety of adaptations present but emphasize the susceptibility to extinction if humans render the natural environments extinct. |
| Taxonomy can be introduced with a hands on exercise of whether creating a dichotomous key or using one already provided. Here is one example of a key that could be designed to accommodate all the organisms in the ecosystem displays. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/curricula/projects/dichotomous.htm
In this example, student are urged to create their own classifications for specific ecosystems. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/newecosystem/genusfolder/studentemplate.html |
| The section on Ecosystem Integrity addresses this |
| Observations of remote video cams can be used to analyze the effect on organisms in different exposures. The emphasis should be on how these abiotic factors affect organisms: See this example of pages linked to each factor being monitored. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/data/weatherlink/Current_Vantage_Pro.htm |
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| The Ecological Footprint parts of exhibits and the problems that humans have created in coastal environments are useful here. |
•http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/sciencek7/scik7_lo.pdf
| The 13 moons materials are useful here: |
| Weather stations, of which there are now many in the UVic sponsored Victoria schools weather network can be accessed along with real time weather information coming from similar sensors using a Davis weather Instrument at your location. |
| Observations of remote video cams can be used to analyze the effect on organisms in different exposures. The emphasis should be on how these abiotic factors affect organisms: See this example of pages linked to each factor being monitored. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/data/weatherlink/Current_Vantage_Pro.htm |
| Aggregate extraction, Coal port facility, and some of the industrial uses of the area could be profiled especially if the are examples of environmentally sustainable enterprises. Whereas fisheries, fishing down food webs and ecological footprint display would provide the living resource examples. |
| The 13 moons stories and a video on clam gardens could provide many examples of this interconnectedness. Sustainable harvest techniques of First Nations should be profiled with many exhibits... for instance the herring or salmon ones.. |
| An exercise can be built up here around the deep sea exhibit. The physical factors present at these depths make research particularly difficult, and the fragility of species encountered here can emphasized to be taken into account for any operations carried out , such as marine mining or gas and oil extraction. |
| Canada's Oceanographic pioneers can be referenced. |
| Change underwater is also obvious and examples of humans hastening the change can be illustrated. |
| Students of all ages can be encouraged to participate actively in marine stewardship issues . The take-aways section addresses this. . |
| Case studies of local issues..sewage treatment, marina development, shoreline modification can be profiled here. |
| Marine Science depends on the ability of scientists to be able to measure, make models and then predictions for models. The techniques for doing such quantification have evolved considerbly in the recent past. Part of how we determine if we are maintaining ecological integrity depends on new technology. Examples of types of equipment and how they have been useful in this aspect of science could be profiled here. |
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| A check list can be developed which enable students to gather data as they move throughout different stations of resources . Suggestions for methods of comparisons and analysis of the data would form the basis of a good set of exercises. |
| Data can be found in many forms in the resources. Everything from feeding rates, Oxygen, pH , temperature, salinity levels can be made available for students to analyze. Encourage the understanding of how physical parameters help to create marine ecosystem diversity. |
| The design of school-specific activities should anticipate the use of technology that is available both in the lab area and from real-time displays of virtual oceanographic data-recording on the internet. To monitor such things as climate change and impactsof human activities on marine ecosystems, exercises could be designed which allow students to draw on these resources . |
| Recent controversy over the application of mathematical models to explain the relationshhip between salmon farming in open net pens and sea-cile infection in wild fish could form part of a case study here. |
| The energy implications of tides and currents could form part of an exercise here. |
| The biodiversity section relates here |
| By using the Sustainability theme we address this objective. |
| Sea-urchin embryology or for that matter, embryology of many marine invertebrate species could be organized as a good lab experience for high school students. |
| Recent research on the genomes of marine organisms could be highighted in the resources available. This ties into the biodiversity theme as well. |
| Given the resurgence of creationism in many American educational systems, every opportunity possible should be provided in the exhibits to emphasize examples of natural selections and evolution. |
| There are many examples of the counter-current exchange adaptation for temperature regulation in marine organisms which could be highlighted. Wading birds, come to mind as a good example. (Biodiversity example also) |
| Fits the over-arching theme. |
| Through the section on Pollution, the effects of various organic compounds on marine environments can be profiled. Microscope setups showing transgender modification from tributyltin would be an interest-catching resource. |
| Internet resources on sustainable ocean energy should address this objective very well. |
| This section on Attitudes should be a focus of many of the exercises of a Sustainability program. |
| Recognition of how our knowledge of marine systems has developed and why we have concern for their conservation Can be encouraged. |
| A feature for the school assignments should be that they are designed to encourage collaborative learning. |
| Sustainability of an ocean culture depends on individuals in a wide variety of fields. Sustainable industries should be profiled. |
| Issues such as Aquaculture under different conditions.. sustainable vs. non sustainable should be examined. An exercise could be made involving role playing of different community members in an area where there is economic implications of these activities. |
| Examining the implications of sustainable fisheries and sustainable communities on the West Coast could prove to be a challenge brought on by displays and data presented here. |
| Highlight at least one individual or group who is contributing to sustainability on marine ecosystems. |
| Opportunities for research using the data and resources on line could be suggested to high schools . |
| Issues of impacts of human activities in the marine environment can be examined here. The real costs of all of our interactions with the oceans should be analyzed. |
| Many of the assignments can provide a resource for factual data on the ecosystems or organisms represented. The ecosystem services section could provide an exercise which would enable students to interpret data and evaluate its legitimacy. |
| Takeaway features should address this goal. Students should all be challenged to submit to a central database, their anecdotes of how they are helping to address this objective. Perhaps an Adopt an Ecosystem Approach could be promoted: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/curricula/projects/adopteco/adopteco.htm |
| The takeaway experience can be a challenge to get involved, to document the process and provide feedback which can be published in local media to allow the public to know what young people are doing for the environment. Streamside restoration, baseline ecological studies in biology classes, salmon enhancement and adopted ecosystems should all be highlighted here. Students could also be presented with a long list of ways they can personally get involved in issues of ensuring marine sustainability, and a follow-up mechanism can be devised to document the choices students make given the tools. |
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Website courtesy of racerocks.com & Lester B. Pearson College. Copyright: 2008 Garry Fletcher Marine Education Consulting, |