The Unit activities for classroom sessions are selected from MARE publications from the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley. The exceptions are the Grade 2 activities which are from the GEMS ‘On Sandy Shores’ booklet. Some of these published activities must be shortened to fit into five 1-hour sessions. The COS course designers recommend the following activities for each Unit. The sixth session will be selected by the activity presenters. Classroom teachers may want to follow up with optional activities.

Grade 1 - Rocky Seashore

~Seashore Charades (1 session)

Introducing the Habitat and Adaptations (p. 5-7, but skip the Tidepool Animal Hunt) and Seashore Charades (p. 8-23)
Option – Going Further or Home Activities (p. 24-26)

Water Station Activities (p 5-8) in the Ponds (Grade K) book
Option – Beyond the Activity (p. 8-9) and Home Activities (16-17)

Crayfish in the Classroom (p. 6-10)

1. Shake, Rattle, Rock and Roll (p. 6) and Sand Stations (p. 6-12)
2. Hidden Animals (p. 12-14) Options– Going Further (p. 14-15) or Home Activities (p. 24)

• Crayfish Capers
• Seashore Charades
• Seashore Sleuthing
• Water Water Everywhere

~Beach Bucket Scavenger Hunt (1 session)

My Buddy Says (p. 16), Beach Explorations (p. 18-20)
Option – Make a Mini-book (p. 22-25), take a field trip, or show the MARE Sandy Beach Slide Show

1. Partner Parade (p. 30-33) and start Comparing Sands (p. 33)
2. Complete Comparing Sands and Observing & Recording
Option – The Experts Meet (p. 37-38)

(a few days before, assign the students interviews on oil, Getting Ready, p. 93)
1. Partner Parade (p. 95-96) and Brief Oil Talk (p. 96-98)
2. Oil on the Beach (p. 98-101) for 15 min, then Cleaning the Spill (101-103)

• Beach Bucket Scavenger Hunt
• Oil Beach
• Sand on Stage

~Oyster Beds (1 session)

The Shell Game (p. 14-23) - Have the students in an even number of groups of equal size.
Option - Before starting, the classroom teacher may show a video to orient the class to this habitat. Afterwards, the teacher may want to follow up with Poets in the Classroom (p. 23-29) and some or all of the Going Further and Home Activities (p. 29-33)

Crayfish Discoveries and I Wonder (p. 1-18, modified to 60 min and including the Crayfish Inquiry Journal, p. 27-31). Arrange students into small groups of 4-5.
Option – Synthesis (p. 21-22) and some or all of Going Further (p. 23-24) and Home Activities (p. 26)

1. What’s a Current? (p. 7-11)
2. Making Currents (p. 12-16)
Options – Application & Assessment, Going Further, Home Activities (p. 16-20)

The Buffet (p. 10-18). You will need a carpeted floor large enough so all the students can sit in a circle). Teacher may be willing to show in advance a video of wetlands.
Options – Going Further (p. 19-21) and Home Activities (p. 22-23)

• Bird Beak Buffet
• Oyster Beds
• SalinityCurrents
• Crayfish Investigations

~Fish Formation (1 session)

Fish video (5-7 min), What it Takes to be a Survivor (p. 7-9) and The Dress-Up (p. 10-17)
Options – Teacher may be willing to do ‘What Does it Take ...’ (p.4-6) beforehand, and Going Further (p. 18) and Home Activities (p. 19)

1. Fishing for Information (p. 10-13)
2. The Mystery Fish (p. 14-15)
Options – Making a Mini-Book (p. 16-17), Gyotaku (p. 18-19), Going Further (p.19), Home Activities (p. 22)

1. Wavelengths Demonstration through Making Rainbows and Color Spinners (p. 4-6)
2. The Dive (p. 6-7), may have time for only 2 rounds
Options – Teacher may show a video beforehand, and follow up with Wavelength Worksheet (p.7), Going Further and Home Activities (p. 7-9)

• Fish Formation
• It Takes All Kinds
• Redfish Roundup
• Redfish Roundup, Part II (mask patterns & wavelength worksheet)

• COS Standards