Jacques Cousteau Lesson Plan: Individuals’ Contributions and Identities
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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic, Jacques Cousteau, and supports the standard of describing the lives and contributions of historical figures. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.
Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
Display the word “Conservation.” Ask students these questions:
- What do you think about when you hear the word “conservation?”
- What might motivate someone to want to take care of the environment?
- How do you think ideas about conservation have changed over time?
Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE
- Read aloud the description on the Jacques Cousteau topic page.
- Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding.
- Assign Related Reading. Have students read one of the following articles: “In Practice,” “Trivia,” or “Did You Know?” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.
Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS
Assign Jacques Cousteau Challenge and Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.
Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND
Students express what they learned about Jacques Cousteau while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.
- Make-a-Movie: Create a documentary about Jacques Cousteau that answers this question: How did Cousteau’s ideas evolve over the course of his life?
- Make-a-Map: Make a timeline that identifies specific moments in Cousteau’s life that impacted his beliefs and actions.
- Creative Coding: Code a comic that explains how Jacques Cousteau’s experiences impacted his beliefs.
More to Explore
Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of environmentalism with these topics: Rachel Carson and Humans and the Environment.
Teacher Support Resources:
- Learning Activities Modifications: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.
- Learning Activities Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.
