The Renaissance and Oceanography Project

Grade 6

When we create integrated learning units for our students, we make an effort to include both science and social studies activities. The challenge is to find some connection between two subjects which the students will be studying in their classrooms and to help them find the connection between the two. Sometimes the subjects seem far fetched as in the unit we call:

The Renaissance and Oceanography

OR:

Do You Really Think All Those Guys Could Swim?

Overview:

The study of oceanography combined with a study of the Renaissance time period ( about 1400-1600) is not as far-fetched a combination as you might think! Did you know, for instance, that the pilgrims landed in Plymouth instead of Virginia due, in part, to the action of the Gulf Stream ocean current? Had they known about ocean currents there may never have been a Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts! Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the greatest artists and inventive geniuses of all time, realized the importance of understanding the vast oceans and spent considerable energy inventing devices to make ocean exploration possible.

The Renaissance was a period of great discovery. Scientific discoveries eventually showed up in the artwork of the times. Once the telescope was invented and man was able to get a closer look at the skies, artists began portraying the moon more realistically in their paintings. Discoveries in the area of mathematics gave artists a better idea of symmetry and perspective in their works. Music was given a boost with new technology in creating instruments. Work in the biological sciences gave artists a better understanding of human anatomy and allowed them to portray the human body in a more realistic way. Although much of the art of the times was still religious, there slowly evolved a style of art which depicted everyday life of that time period. So you see, the work of artists, scientists and explorers are much more connected than you might think.

Procedure:

Since this is a fairly complex learning unit, more time is spent in group instruction than in some of our other integrated units. However, most of our students already have some knowledge of the time period since they did the overlapping Colonial Times integrated unit in fifth grade. The learning unit is divided into three main categories: Life and Times of the Renaissance, Oceanography, and Exploration. For record keeping ease, activity lists and record sheets are color-coded. For instance, all oceanography activities are on blue paper and in blue folders; exploration is on yellow paper in yellow folders, and Renaissance activities are on orange paper and in orange folders. Students are given a folder containing the record sheets of activities.

At this age level, a certain amount of choice is allowed within activity areas though certain activities are required for everyone. Activity sheets are placed in folders in a central location so that as students begin a new activity, they simply get the required sheet which gives them the directions for that activity. Teachers review student folders regularly and meet with students to discuss their progress throughout the unit.

At the start of each class, teachers spend time with the whole group in an activity related to one of the topics. Some of the activities might include: reading poetry or samples of literature of the Renaissance; looking at architecture of the time; seeing pictures of unusual sea creatures; listening to music of the times, doing a scientific experiment about ocean water; or doing an activity using coordinates and latitude and longitude. Time is also given to discussing particular problem areas which teachers or students feel need to be addressed.

Topics:

Renaissance:

People and Ideas of the Renaissance:

Activities in this topic are required of all students. Included is a matching activity of important people, events, and objects of the times. Students may use electronic or print materials to get the information. In some cases, students may need to use more than one reference source to complete the activity. In this section students also do an in-depth study of Leonardo DaVinci using a CD-Rom program. They must complete activities about his life, his art and his inventions. Within the art and inventions sections, students may choose which particular ones to study and write about, though all of them must do the section on DaVinci's underwater exploration inventions.

Renaissance Art:

Students use CD-Roms from the Chicago Art Institute and The Louvre Museum as well as print materials to complete two out of three art activities. They have a great deal of flexibility to choose the artwork and artists which interest them most. Their written record requires them to identify the work and the artist and then write a brief description of the work. They may study architecture, pottery, paintings, sculptures, and even objects such as suits of armor of the time period.

Internet Adventures:

Music: The web site Renaissance Consort gives students an overview of Renaissance instruments and allows them to listen to the sounds of each instrument. Students may choose three instruments to describe. They also listen to music of the Renaissance time period on CD's.

Tower of London Tour: Students take the Tour of the Tower of London and answer questions as they visit the various sites.

Virtual Renaissance: The Virtual Renaissance web site gives students a very wide range of choices of places to visit in a Renaissance town. They may choose a school, a shop, a hospital, a university, the Globe Theater or many other places within this site. Students choose the area they want to visit, then record what they visited and note some things they learned at that site. (Students can get very intensely interested in certain areas here. For instance, we recently had a few girls become very interested in Shakespeare while visiting the Globe Theater site-- something we would never have predicted!)

Oceanography:

Oceans:

The activities in this section come directly from the students' science textbooks. Topics included are: ocean currents and wind, makeup of sea water, tides, waves and living things in the oceans. Each of these topics requires some large group or small group instruction by the teachers. Students must complete all of these activities.

Internet Activities:

Tracking the Albatross is the main activity which requires students to use the internet. Each student plots the coordinates of his or her albatross on a large map during each class period. A group lesson on latitude and longitude is done before the beginning of this activity.

Oceanography Activity Choices:

Students are given a list of eight possible oceanography activities which they may do in addition to those required above. Activities might include: creating a diagram of the ocean floor; making a graph showing the relative sizes of the earth's oceans, making a poster of past and present scientific tools for ocean exploration, or creating a crossword puzzle of oceanography vocabulary using a computer program. They are also encouraged to create their own activity ( which must be approved by one of the teachers) if their interests lead them towards something not on the list.

Exploration:

Latitude and Longitude:

Students must do two group activities about latitude and longitude under the direction of the teachers. They are then required to use maps of various areas of the world and locate places using latitude and longitude. Maps include: Middle East and Africa, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, Israel and its Neighbors, Ancient Greece, and Australia.

Ferdinand Magellan:

Students follow the around the world exploration of Ferdinand Magellan using a CD-ROM program and answer questions as they work in the program.

Exploration Activity Choices:

Students are given a list of four activity choices and must choose two of them to do. Activities include: latitude and longitude crossword puzzle; a book of navigation tools; a chart of well known explorers, and a CD-ROM program of world maps to put together. Students may also come up with one original activity, which must be approved by a teacher, to replace one of the four activities.

Special Activities:

Some special activities are included within the time frame of this integrated learning unit.

Renaissance or Oceanography Bingo: Students use the vocabulary they researched within these topics to play a computer-generated bingo game. Students may use their own vocabulary sheets at first but soon progress to playing the game without aids. This is a large group activity and usually includes the whole class.

Michelangelo's Birthday Party: Michelangelo's birthday falls on March 5th which has always come during the course of this unit. We hold a special birthday party for him including foods made using recipes from the Virtual Renaissance web site. The party game is Michelangelo Trivial Pursuit. Students are divided into teams of about three or four. Each team is given printed information about Michelangelo. A teacher asks a question and each team must find, agree upon, and record an answer within a specified time period. Points are given to each team with the correct answer.

*Anyone interested in more information about this unit, including specific resources, click on the button below and let us know the unit you are interested in. If enough interest is expressed, the information may be posted on this site in the future.