Subject: Curr: Have you seen this? (fwd)
Michael Williamson (williams)
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Date: Mon, 04 Mar 1996 12:48:08 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Williamson <williams@whale.simmons.edu>
Subject: Curr: Have you seen this? (fwd)
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From: borek@umbsky.cc.umb.edu
'Beans and Baleen', simulation activity for estimating populations
These lesson plans are the result of the work of theteachers who have attended
the Columbia EducationCenter's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of
teacherfrom 14 western states dedicated to improving thequality of education
in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and
science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their
telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in
contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.
TITLE: Beans and Baleen
AUTHOR: Anne Germain Lucas, Houghtaling Elem.,
'Beans and Baleen', simulation activity for estimating populations
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 2-8, Science/Mathematics
OVERVIEW: Students will engage in a simulation designed to mirror some of
the problems that scientists face when counting populations.
PURPOSE: This activity uses beans to focus on some of the techniques and
problems involved in estimating size of whale populations.
OBJECTIVE(s): Students will be able to:
1. collect and organize data
2. make a prediction based on the collection of data
3. explain his/her thinking (justify his/her conclusions)
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
1. counting box (8 x 8 box with 4x4 window) assemble box, using acetate, and
tape
2. large lima beans, lentils, pinto beans (or any three types of beans to
represent three populations - and watermelon seeds to represent
unidentified objects
3. poster with key or guide showing which bean represents which whale
4. student recording sheet
5. overhead projector
Resources: RCA (Ocean Related Curriculum Activities), Marine Education
Project, Washington Sea Grant, Pacific Science Center, 200 2nd Ave. N., Seattle,
WA. 98109 Robin Snyder & John Dickenson, Point Higgins Elementary, Pouch Z,
Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Tell students they are going to be scientists whose job will be to record
whale populations in a certain area.
2. Ask students how they would count a whale population. Accept all
responses.
3. Explain that present whale populations are difficult to estimate, and that
estimates of the original populations of whales are not much more than
educated guesses. The International Whaling Commission, the only
worldwide organization with any responsibility for controlling the
whaling industry, bases its population estimates on sightings and the
number of whales caught compared to the effort involved.
4. Explain to students that they will be recording the number of whales
sighted on four different days.
5. Use three types of beans to represent three whale populations. For example
put 4 limas, 3 pintos, 6 lentils in a sealed envelope. Open the envelope
and spill into the ocean area (8 x 8 box). Shake the box back and forth
and place on overhead projector.
6. Students count and record what they see. Ask students to describe the
difficulties in counting. Ask them what they think are some problems
in trying to count whale populations. (The whales move around; you
can't tell if you've counted them before or not; they live in areas we
can't always watch; you can't always identify what you see...etc.). Ham it
up! After 1st sighting, tell them that it's time for bed. Kids will
sleep and snore, etc. Next day, they are back on the ocean. There are white caps, lots of wind, etc. The sightings take place on four
consecutive days.
7. Ask students to predict the total population for each species based on their
data.
8. Have students record their thinking.
9. Share the students' findings.
10. Show them the actual population.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: You can extend this activity to other populations -
especially populations relevant to your area, like Bald Eagles in SE Alaska,
moose in interior Alaska, elk in Oregon, etc.
The students will realize that their predictions are way off - even if they tried
to make "educated guesses", and this is much the same frustration as a real
oceanographer experiences.
Worksheet Name of Researcher
Observation window = 1/4 of area (include a sketch of box)
The largest whales are blue whales, the next largest are humpback whales, and
the smallest are killer whales.
Key draw large lima bean and label blue whale draw pinto and label
humpback whale draw lentil and label killer whale sightings date blue
killer humpback 1st sighting 2nd sighting third sighting fourth sighting
Predict total population for each species of whales based on your observations
(sightings) blue______ killer________ humpback________ Explain your
thinking (justify your conclusions)