Goals:

1. To develop a basic understanding of natural occurrences and how the sea is affected by teaching other students about the sea.
2. To work effectively with other students in order to develop better writing and communication skills. 

Resources:

1.  Internet Access.
http://www.atmos.uiuc.edu/
http://www.nnic.noaa.gov/
http://www.essc.psu.edu/~arthur/WWWlist.html
http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/NSGO/SeaGrantFuture/V2N05.html
 
2.  Library Materials

Time:

This lesson will take approximately 5-7 hours. Students will be given approximately 4 hours to research their topics and prepare a presentation. Students' presentations should be approximately 10-15 minutes. In a class of approximately 30 students, there will be 15 presentations which will take between 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 hours of class time.

Procedure:

1. Divide students into groups of two, three if necessary, and assign a different topic to each group. (Examples: tides, moon, sun, clouds, wind)
2. Students will work together to research their group topic and prepare a presentation on the information they discovered for classmates. Guide questions will be provided for each topic stating specific areas that need to be covered in presentations. These questions will also help keep students on track.
3. As a group, students will prepare an outline of their presentation which will be copied and distributed to each student. Individually, students will write a short report (approximately 2-3 pages) on their topic for teacher evaluation. Visual aids are optional.
4. A lottery system will be used to determine when groups will make their presentations.
5. After each presentation, students will have an opportunity to ask questions of their peers on their topic.

Assessment:

1. Students will hand in an outline of their group presentation and an individually written report of their findings. Criteria for Success: A complete outline and paper showing the main points covered in the presentation. Information will be accurate and relevant to the sea.
2. Students will evaluate other groups (see peer group evaluation). Criteria for Success: Positive evaluations by a majority of the groups will determine success. Example: Three out of four positive evaluations based on the accuracy of information, relevancy to the sea, and flow of the presentation, including the manner and degree of professionalism used in relaying the information and the level of interest the evaluating student had in the presentation.
3. Presentations will be evaluated by the instructor. Criteria for Success: Each student will actively participate in the oral presentation and is responsible for half of the work. Visual aids will help students, but can not hurt the student's overall evaluation.

1. Language Arts - research skills, outline writing, and oral presentation.
2. Science - natural occurrences.
3. Art - visual aids. 

Possible Extensions:

1. Invite a local meteorologist to visit the classroom and discuss the topics being researched.
2. Keep a log of the local weather for a month and note the changes.
3. Hold a Mini-Science Fair displaying diagrams, posters, and reports belonging to the student groups. Invite other classes and parents to view the displays.

Sailing into the 19th Century - developed by Angela Hammerlind, Renee Kust, & Kevin Feyen

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