What are some of the issues facing Florida’s ocean water?

Florida’s Ocean Water

SS.4.C.2.1

Discuss public issues in Florida that impact the daily lives of the citizens


SS.4.C.2.1

Discuss public issues in Florida that impact the daily lives of the citizens.

Correlated Florida Standards (See Full Text on Cover Page)

  • LAFS.4.RF.4.4, LAFS.4.RI.1.2, LAFS.4.RI.3.9, LAFS.4.SL.1.2

Essential Question

What are some of the issues facing Florida’s ocean water?

Learning Goals/Objectives

  • Students will view a video to understand one issue impacting the lives of citizens.
  • Students will read and discuss one possible solution to the issue.

Overview

Students will watch a video, read a passage and engage in a whole class discussion to understand the issues facing Florida’s ocean water, the impact on citizens and one possible solution.

Materials

  • Internet Access to view a map of Florida and an online video
  • Florida’s Ocean Water handout
  • Florida Needs a Healthy Oceans Act reading

Time

  • 15-20 minutes

Activity Sequence

INTRODUCTION/HOOK

  1. Display a map of Florida, ask students to identify a major geographical feature of the state.
  2. Lead students to the understanding that Florida is a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides,and the ocean is an important resource that impacts everyday life.

ACTIVITY

  1. Pass out the Florida’s Ocean Water handout.
  2. Explain to students that they will watch a video about oceans and the importance of saving the oceans.
  3. Instruct students to take notes while watching the video on reasons why oceans need to be saved in the space provided on the handout. They also need to restate the problem in their own words on the handout.
  4. Play the School House Rock: Save the Ocean! video, Teacher Note: If needed, download the video prior to the lesson using .
  5. Review student notes after watching the video. Teacher Note: Reasons include - pollution, overfishing, carbon dioxide and warming oceans.
  6. Encourage students to discuss some ways this problem personally affects them. Have students write these ideas down in the “Personal Connection” box on the handout. Examples could include: beach access, unclean beaches, or not eating a lot of fish.
  7. Pass out the Florida Needs a Healthy Oceans Act reading and explain to students that they will read the passage as a whole class to learn about one possible solution to help oceans. While they are reading they will mark or highlight text to help them determine the main idea of the passage.
  8. Read as a whole class.
  9. Instruct students to write a summary sentence on their handout explaining the main idea of the passage.

CLOSURE

  1. Brainstorm as a whole class some ways they can help keep beaches and oceans clean.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION SUGGESTION

  1. Have students create community awareness posters that depict the theme: Save our Ocean.

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NAME______DATE______

Directions: Using video and text, you will watch and read to understand some of the problems facing Florida’s ocean water. After watching the video, you will write the main problem on the lines below and list some of the reasons for this problem. You will read to understand one solution to help oceans. You will also make a personal connection to the problem.

Florida’s Ocean Water

What is the problem? ______
______
______
Reasons for the Problem / Solution
Personal Connection


Florida Needs a Healthy Oceans Act

Floridians depend on the ocean for food, recreation, and jobs. However, Florida oceans now face pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction. Florida is feeling the effects of these waters not being protected. These effects arepolluted coasts that are closing beaches, increase in Red tide and algal blooms due to pollution and these toxins lead to seafood contamination and disappearing wetlands.

Fortunately, solutions are available that can help protect our ocean with passing a national Healthy Oceans Act. A national ocean protection law like the Healthy Oceans Act will reduce pollution and protect ocean habitats so that beaches are cleaner and there are larger populations of fish and other ocean animals around Florida and other coastal states.

The federal government manages our oceans and coasts without a basic plan to make sure that our oceans stay healthy and productive. That’s why we need a national Healthy Oceans Act to establish federal laws that would create a plan to reduce pollution, protect ocean habitats, and protect our shores and wetlands from being destroyed.

Adapted from: Natural Resources Defense Council March 2008

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