Engage your students in active construction of ideas and explanations about the world around them. In this activity, students use the scientific practice of observing to discover the characteristics of organisms and structure and function in living systems with shells. As a conchologist, students observe a shell (either land or sea mollusks) and record qualitative and quantitative descriptions. The lesson includes a What do You Know writing page, a student recording sheet, teacher instructions and a science notes page. Use this as an opening activity to your oceanography unit or a stand alone after school science club activity.
This lesson is included in the green book Rising to the Challenge of the National Science Education Standards, also sold on this website. The lesson will also be available in a packet of nine process skill lessons with shells.