Introduction

The Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk is an educational activity kit created by the Illinois Rivers Project, The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program, and the University of Minnesota Bell Museum of Natural History. The zebra mussel, which has been rapidly colonizing the waters of the eastern US and Great Lakes states for the last decade, has had a tremendous impact on habitats, businesses, water quality, and biodiversity. The activities in this kit and the companion curriculum, Zebra Mussel Mania, allow 5th and 6th grade students to explore the effects of alien species, particularly the zebra mussel, on the ecosystem. Students learn about native mussels, shellfish biology, mussel classification, the historical importance of native mussels, and the current effects of the zebra mussel invasion on the environment and society.

The trunks were modeled after the Math and Science Hands-on kit concept developed by the Educational Sevice Center #16 in Belleville, Illinois, and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. The Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk may be ordered directly from the Rivers Project. The Trunk may also be borrowed from a Sea Grant Lending Center. For more information on zebra mussels, contact Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Table of Contents

• Zebra Mussel Mania Post-test
• The Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk at a Glance
• Packing List of Materials for Zebra Mussel Traveling Trunk
• Cooperative Learning
• Quick Reference Glossary
• Agencies and Officials
• Goals and Objectives
• Setting the Stage For Learning
• Student KWL Strategy (pre-test)
• Student Attitude Survey
• Great Lakes Sea Grant Resource List on Zebra Mussles and Other Nonindigenous Species
• Safe Use of Zebra Mussels in the Classroom
• Safety Rules

Activities

• Alien Invaders
• Looking at the Zebra Mussel Menace
• Don't Have a Clue
• Mussel to Mussel
• How Big are your Mussels?
• Filtering Fools
• All Clogged Up
• Family Reunion
• The Web of Life Game
• Lights, Camera, Action

Curricular Skills and Concepts

Each investigations instructional guidelines focus on information in Benchmarks for Science Literacy, Project 2061 (American Association for the Advancement of Science) These guidelines include basic concepts and fundamental skills across the curriculum: science, language arts, mathematics, social studies, fine arts, health, and physical education. The trunk activities were carefully selected to prepare students to meet or exceed these benchmarks. Each of the ten activities is prefaced with specific goals and objectives to be met upon completion of the exercises that comprise the activity.

Science Process and Skills

The activities in the kits address the science process skills necessary for students to utilize when learning science: observation, measurement, classification, inference, prediction, communication, formulation of hypotheses, experimentation, and interpretation of the data.

Cooperative Learning

The instructional approach utilized in this curriculum allows students to work in groups. It is recommended that the size of cooperative groups does not exceed four students. Many educational benefits occur when students work together in groups to solve problems. Cooperative learning more closely resembles the way individuals work together to solve problems in the real world. Another important reason for the use of cooperative groups is to make aquisition, costs, and materials management reasonable for the classroom teacher.

Language Arts

Students read about, talk about, and write about the exciting science activities they are doing. This additional use of language along with the science investigation reinforces students' understanding of the scientific principles being explored. The trunk includes its own science-related publications and an additional list of resources.

Mathematics

Many of the scientific investigations result in an opportunity for the students to apply mathematics skills in a variety of ways. Students are encouraged to quantify their observations with metric measurements and to record and report those observations in charts, tables, and graphs. Often students will need to apply mathematical operations to solve problems or answer questions.

Assessment Alternatives

The activity assessment provided in this guide can be used to determine students' understanding of the major concepts dealt with in the trunk. Unit tests utilize a variety of different question formats such as fill in the blank, short answer, etc. The lesson assessment may be given in a pre-post test fashion in order to 1) Determine the increase of students' understanding as a result of the unit, and 2) clarify students' prior skill and knowledge of the direction instruction should take. The trunks also include a performance-based assessment that gives teachers an opportunity to observe what students actually can do with the science concepts and skills they have learned.