Walk the Plankton
Lesson Information:
Grade / Age Level
Years 7-10
Class Time
3 class sessions
Products Used In This Lesson:
Applications
Access

Grade Level: Yrs 7-10
Curriculum Connections: Science, Marine Biology
Required Software: Microsoft® Access®,
What's in this Lesson:

 

Teacher Guide
Summary: Working in groups, students create a classification database of marine life using Microsoft Access.
Objectives:
  • An ability to apply the skills of critical thinking, research and analysis
  • Classification groups of all ocean life forms

      – plankton (drifters and floaters)

 – nekton (free swimmers)

 – benthos (encompasses all bottom dwellers whether in shallow water off the coast or in the depths of the ocean)

Outcomes:

  • Classify examples of ocean life discuss the differences between classification groups in terms of their structure and needs
  • Carries out planned research activities using appropriate measurements, observations, classification and recording skills
Prerequisite Skills: Basic Internet research skills
Time Allotted 3 class sessions
How to Begin:
  1. Review marine terminology: Plankton, Nekton and Benthos. Brainstorm and list marine life under these classification types.
  2. Organise students into groups of 3. Using the World Wide Web and other resource material, students research the different specimens of marine life under the above mentioned classifications.
  3. Discuss the advantages of storing information in a database. How can scientists’ best utilise this format for storing and retrieving information? Information gathered during research is entered into a database. Demonstrate the technological skills needed to create a database of information using Microsoft Access.

TIP! Encourage students to save the sites to their ‘Favourites’ file in Internet Explorer when researching on the World Wide Web.

 
Resources

Marine Laboratory

Marine Biology - Diversity of Pelagic Organisms

Plankton - Images, Databases and General Oceanography Sites

Pelagic Organisms and Information

Student Activity
Description: Working in groups, you will create a classification database of marine life using Microsoft Access.
Step A Planning the Content
Software: None
What to do:
  1. Did you know that twenty-eight of the thirty-three animal phyla are found in the sea? It makes the mind boggle. With your teacher and classmates, brainstorm and list as many marine life forms as you can. Now work together to classify that list into three main headings; Plankton, Nekton and Benthos.
  2. To understand the immensity of marine life, you and two classmates research as many marine life forms as you can find. Use the World Wide Web and others sources to assist in your research. Get wise and distribute the work between you. Each of you takes one area, plankton, nekton or benthos. 

Tip!  Save your web site in Favourites in Internet Explorer.  

  1. Now your group has a huge list of marine life. What is the best way to organise this information? Your teacher will demonstrate how to create a database in Microsoft Access. Classify marine life into the three basic headings in your database.
  2. Your group has formed a comprehensive list of marine life forms. Discuss how this information in database format would be used by scientists.
Step B Creating a Database
Software: Microsoft Access
What to do: To create a database using Microsoft Access, follow these steps:

  1. Open Microsoft Access. Select File then click New and select Blank Database.

  2. You will now be prompted to save your database, give your database a file name and save it in the appropriate location.

  3.  The first thing we need to do is create a table. Make sure the Table tab is selected. Select Create Table in Design View. The following screen will open:

  1. Add in the field names and select the appropriate data type. Save your table.

TIP! It is a good idea to begin the file name with ‘tbl’ as you will be able to tell which files are tables easily.

  1. Next we need to create a form. Click on the Form tab:

  1. Select Create Form by using the wizard. Select the table or query you would like to use for the form and click Next.
  2. Select the layout of the form and click Next. Select the style of the form and click next. Give the form a name then click Finish. The form will now appear on your screen. Change the view to design view to manipulate your form by dropping and dragging the fields. Select the font and font style you would like to apply. Click save.

TIP! As you did in the tables it is a good idea to put the prefix ‘frm’ in front of the form files so user can identify the forms.

  1. To add data open the form. Type in the data. Click on the new record tab located at the bottom of the screen and add in a new record. Add in all appropriate information in the appropriate fields.

  2. Now discuss how you would use a database to manipulate this information.

 


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