Activity 3E: Marine/Freshwater Animal or Plant Riddle
Overview
Students create riddles based on marine or freshwater animals, using research to craft clues, and present their work in a display or celebration to engage others in guessing and learning about aquatic life.
Focus Questions
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How do we identify animals based on their characteristics?
Enduring Understandings
- Plants and animals can be sorted into groups based on different characteristics.
- People use the plants and animals of the seas and rivers in different ways.
Engage
10 minutes
Read an animal riddle to the class.
For example:
I float near the surface of the water.
I eat zooplankton and fish.
I’m eaten by fish, sea turtles.
I have sticky stuff on my tentacles that captures and paralyzes prey.
I defend myself with stinging cells on my tentacles.
What am I? (Jellyfish)
Continue reading a few more examples until children begin to get ideas for their own riddles. Encourage children to share their riddle ideas, helping them to understand that the clues are important.
Explore
20 Minutes
Students will use the information from their marine/aquatic animal research or from another student to write a riddle, using the frame in their science notebook. Ask children to read their riddles to their classmates. Encourage children to use all of the information that they’ve learned as they read and write riddles.
Explain
30 minutes
Prepare riddles for a display so other students and guests to the school can learn about each animal. Encourage students to make an attractive ‘border’ around their clues. The border should include small pictures illustrating the clues in the riddle. (For example, they could have pictures of plankton, fish, and water for the jellyfish riddle). Each student will also draw a detailed sketch of their animal.
The riddles can be displayed in the hall – having the written clues on the top page with the answer and a picture on another page underneath. Invite other students and teachers to read the riddles and guess the animal. Students play the role of scientist and feel empowered when they notice other people enjoying learning from their animal riddles.
Elaborate
At the final Alaska Seas and Watersheds Celebration students will invite others to read and puzzle over their riddles. Tour guides can be used to show how to make a prediction and then lift up the flap to check their thinking! Students can be encouraged to continue making riddle books to display in the hall, especially after they have had their field session and might have more clues to add.
Evaluate
Use a checklist to help students evaluate their own riddles.
Does my riddle make sense? Are there enough clues to help others solve it?
Teacher Needs
Teacher Prep
Read through the investigation and the Teacher Background section. Do research and gather information about local marine/aquatic plants and animals.
Acquire and organize books and materials. Make up examples of a large animal sculpture , a wheel book , and a riddle to show students.
Materials List
- Alphabet books to share with children for models
- 12 X 18 pieces of paper
- laminator
- spiral binding or 3 rings
- drawing and coloring materials (colored pencils, crayons)
- Books, field guides and/or posters showing local marine/aquatic plants and animals
- Science notebooks
- High Tide, Low Tide glue-in
- Large rolls or sheets of paper (variety of colors) and newsprint or newspaper
- Staplers, scissors, markers
- Room to manipulate tools and paper
- Construction paper
- Template and directions for the wheel book
- Brads
- Tag board and circle template
- “Everything Grows” book and/or song
- Life-cycle pictures to cut out
- A book about tides
Student Needs
Prior Knowledge
Students should know the ABCs, and have some prior experience with a class research project. They should be able to work with large paper and use tools for cutting and stapling. They will need to know how to use a paper fastener (brad).
Vocabulary
adult, answer, clues, cut, details, developing, draw, information, larva, life cycle, paint, research, riddle,staple, stuff, tide
Names of local plants and animals and their features.
Standards
Science GLEs Addressed
A1, A2, C2, G3
Ocean Literacy Principles
- The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.