Objective:
The student will be able to keep a detailed journal of all activities related to the Aquademics™ aquarium.
Materials Needed:
Activity:
Engage students in a discussion of keeping journals. Some questions to ask might include:
Have they ever kept a journal or diary?
Have they ever read a book that was in the form of a journal or diary?
Why do people like to keep journals?
How could a journal prove to be very important to history or science?
What types of information do people put in a journal?
For this lesson, students could be divided into small groups with each group keeping an aquarium journal OR the class could rotate one journal among the students, with each student being responsible for the journal for one week. The teacher may decide on the format or the class could vote on these options.
Once the journal method has been established, make copies of Aquademics™ Language Arts Worksheet #1 and distribute accordingly. Try to make students feel honored when it is their turn to keep the journal. (A student might even be selected to write the journal entry as a reward for good behavior.) Stress to students the importance of using colorful adjectives, action verbs and detailed sentences in the aquarium journal. Encourage students to illustrate the journal and to record statistical information about the fish is applicable.
Result:
At the end of the academic year, students will have a complete narrative describing activities and events related to their Aquademics™ aquarium. Portions of the journal from different weeks in the school year could be read aloud to remind students about how much they have learned. Also, the journal could be displayed in the classroom when parents come to visit.
