Unit Theme: ___Crustaceans Grade Level(S): Grades 3-5 Time to Complete: the Entire Year

Activity Summary

Unit theme: ___Crustaceans Grade level(s): Grades 3-5 Time to complete: The entire year

Summary of activity: We will begin the year with introducing the class pet, a hermit crab, which is one type of a crustacean. The class would do research on what type of habitat hermit crabs live in, what they eat, and what necessities they have. We could build a cage together, buy and paint new shells for when he outgrows his old one, and watch his patterns and routines. This would give the class the experience of caring for a crustacean. Each student would also be assigned to take the hermit crab home every weekend to make sure he is fed and given water to drink. This would be their homework.

Media and technology used by the TEACHER: X Newspapers X (Digital) camera Word Processor X Periodicals Video camera Spreadsheet X Books Flatbed scanner Database Video/DVD Slide projector PowerPoint CD/Cassette Overhead projector Web page editor Audio file (MP3) X Search engine e-mail X Bulletin board Web browser Educational software

Other materials to be used by the teacher (e.g. paper, glue, scissors): Wire to build a climbable cage, wood, screws, sponges, shells, a heat lamp?

Media and technology used by the STUDENTS to complete the activity: X Newspapers X (Digital) camera Word Processor X Periodicals Video camera Spreadsheet X Books Flatbed scanner Database Video/DVD Slide projector PowerPoint CD/Cassette Overhead projector Web page editor Audio file (MP3) X Search engine e-mail X Bulletin board Web browser Educational software

Other materials used by the students (e.g. paper, glue, scissors): Wire to build a climbable cage, wood, screws, sponges, shells, a heat lamp?

Step-by-step instructions for completing the activity: 1. Introduce the activity by providing the hermit crab one day. Give a survey that night of a list, created by the students, of potential names for the hermit crab. Collect the survey the next day. Bring in materials to build a cage, and build the cage the same day (or at least begin to build and finish the next day). 2. Every week have the students’ research from the internet, books, magazines, and newspapers; what does their hermit crab need to survive? What is his natural environment, how could we make it more to his natural habitat?

3. Assign each student a weekend to take the class pet home, with specific directions of food, water, and heat maintenance. This would be a homework grade. Once completed the student would receive a 100, or grade that seems appropriate.

4. Have students take pictures with the digital camera to show growth, changing of shell, and different things, which the hermit crab does to occupy his time. A bulletin board or booklet could be made at the end of the marking period, which summarizes their class pet and his/her life.

5. And lastly, enjoy the activity. If the students have a few minutes of free time, allow them to go to the cage, and observed the hermit crab and his routines.

References used and sources of additional information: None