Activity Three for: EstablishingTrust

Exploring the Ecology of the Gulf of Maine with Fourth Grade Students

Goals:

• Student groups will gain familiarity with different state and regional organizations that have a research focus on marine ecology/science in Maine.
• Student groups will develop an appreciation for the diversity and fragility of the marine ecosystem in the Gulf of Maine.
• Student groups will further develop previously acquired research skills so that they can generate thoughtful electronic communications/queries to local and regional marine scientists.
• Student groups will design a legacy project that includes research, stewardship and local and global electronic community outreach.

Objectives:

• Student groups will gain experience making electronic contact with marine scientists from the University of Maine, Bigelow Labs, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Department of Marine Resources, New England Aquarium, University of New England Marine Stranding Program, and other organizations with connections to the study topic.
• Student groups will invite local and regional scientists to access, respond and to update their recently created Gulf of Maine wikis.
• Student groups will continue to expand and refine their use of wikis by tracking edits, revisions and the comments posted by the scientific community.
• Each student group will design a stewardship project that could be implemented in the Gulf of Maine. Student groups will solicit support from the global electronic community for their Gulf of Maine stewardship project.

Description:

• Assign students to groups. Have group members select their group roles and review role responsibilities.
• Provide students with on-line/classroom time to research the species diversity and the symbiotic relationships between species in the Gulf of Maine.
• Using wikis have student groups develop a consensus on a question set that can be electronically forwarded to the participating scientists.
• Initate/facilitate electronic communications between each student group and marine scientists at local and regional research facilities.
• Provide time for students to electronically correspond with the research community. Request students and scientists post their queries and responses to an open-access, established wiki.
• Assist student groups in designing a unique service project that could be implemented in the Gulf of Maine. Have each student group post their project to a wiki website. Have students democratically determine the project chosen for implementation.
• Provide time for students to electronically solicit suggestions/recommendations from the research community for the implementation of their service project.
• Provide time for students to electronically solicit suggestions/recommendations and support from the global electronic community for the implementation of their service project.
• Request students, scientists and community members post their queries and responses to an open-access, established wikispace.

Assessment:

• Students will video record the significant events that lead to the successful completion of the Gulf of Maine legacy project.