In this set of five lessons, students will learn about the importance of seafood worldwide, the impact of seafood on the local economy, and examples of local seafood ventures and programs in Maine.
Students will explore seafood in different cultures using an interactive map, analyze graphs and readings about the environmental and health aspects of local seafood, participate in a model seafood marketplace, compare the journey and economic impacts of local and imported fish, and create an artifact to influence others to eat local seafood.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The choice board in Lesson 5 is a great way to honor student preferences.
The ThingLink research activity has an incredible accessibility feature that reads the text aloud and can translate it into several languages.
Additional Prerequisites
Teachers will need seashells for Lesson 2 and to prep game materials for Lesson 3.
The link for Seattle Aquarium: Seaweed Search at Home under extension resources for Lesson 2 and the links to purchase play money are broken.
Students should understand how people buy and sell goods.
Differentiation
Teachers can use the vocabulary list for the module to create a word wall to support student understanding.
Students may need to slow the video playback speed on videos in other languages with English subtitles.
Science classes can research the impact of climate change on Maine waters and discuss the impact these changes will have on the local economy.
Math teachers can pose questions that help students practice analyzing the data in Lesson 2.
Consider including reflection questions or additional content about overfishing, trawling, bycatch, and commercial fishing practices that may harm corals or other marine life.
Advanced students can research pollutants that bioaccumulate in seafood, such as PCBs, mercury, DDT, PFOA, or others.
Scientist Notes
This series of lessons explores the benefits of implementing more seafood into school lunches. While there are many environmental factors and benefits to consider, teachers should note that this lesson does not give a complete picture, so it would benefit students to add some of the negatives of seafood, such as overfishing and how dangerous the practice can be. That said, this resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
CCC.Stability and Change: For both designed and natural systems, conditions that affect stability and factors that control rates of change are critical elements to consider and understand.
3-5-CCC-Stability and Change.1. Change is measured in terms of differences over time and may occur at different rates.
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Economics
D2.Eco.1.6-8 Explain how economic decisions affect the well-being of individuals, businesses, and society.
D2.Eco.3.6-8 Explain the roles of buyers and sellers in product, labor, and financial markets.
D2.Eco.1.3-5 Compare the benefits and costs of individual choices.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Writing (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
National Health Education Standards
Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
1.5.3 Describe ways in which safe and healthy school and community environments can promote personal health.
Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.
8.5.2 Encourage others to make positive health choices.
