TEACHER'S GUIDE THE LIVING SEA .. TEACHER'S GUIDE

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Table of Contents

1 Introduction 10 cHAPTERs Wind And Waves ACTIVITY: Blow Painting 2 cHAPTER 1 How Big Is The Ocean And Parachute Waves What's It Really Like? 12 CHAPTERs Food Webs ACTIVITY: Planet of the Apples ACTIVITY: The Food Web Game

4 cHAPTER 2 What's The Ocean Made Of? 14 cHAPTER 1 Pyramid Power ACTIVITY: Be Your Own Ocean ACTIVITY: Peanut Pyramid Game

6 CHAPTER 3 How Does The Ocean Move? 16 CHAPTERs Reef Builders ACTIVITY : A Current Affair ACTIVITY: Sea Hunt

8 CHAPTER 4 Of Tides And Time 18 cHAPTER 9 Dancers Of The Deep ACTIVITY: Can It Be Done? ACTIVITY: Jellyfish S

Introduction n the film THE LNING SEA, we understand the wid est perspective of the oceans; that of a single, global system and its importance to all life on earth. In a way, we are the ocean and the ocean is us. Life probably began in the ocean and thrived there for more than three billion years before some proto-amphibian gathered up its courage and slopped onto the dirt! All of us- humans, wombats and redwoods-still carry an ocean inside. Our blood, Sea water is a sort eggs, the fluid behind the corneas of our eyes and the insides of our cells are salt water. Just as of "Earth tea," about three-fourths of the earth's surface is salt water, about three-fourths of each of us is salt water. containing the dissolved atoms Above and beyond the personal, the ocean has a profound effect on our pla net and on ourselYes. of probably every Tt moderates and affects weather. The majority of the earth's oxygen is generated by ocean plants, element on and most of the earth's reservoir of carbon dioxide (a gas critical to plant survival and the control our planet. of climate) is dissolved in the ocean. The ocean provides us with an immense amount of food and other natural resources, and ninety percent of the world's trade is transported on its waves. If it weren't for the ocean, there probably would be no life on earth. THE LIVING SEA TEACHER ' S GUIDE Written By MILTO r LOVE, PhD, Associate Research Biologist, Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara 1 HOW BIG II THE OCEAN AND WHAT'S IT REALLY LIKE!

he earth is a water.planct. 111c ocean covers The layer of ocean where light penetrates is 71% of its surface (61% of the Northern called the photic zone; this is where most of the THemisphere and 81% of the Southern action takes place. Since plants require sunlight Hemisphere). We use the term ocean because it is for survival, all plants live in the photic zone. a single entity. Traditionally, we have divided the The other reason most life lives in shallow waters into"oceans" (e.g., Pacific, Atlantic, Indian) water is that it is "'·here plant nutrients are con­ and "seas" (e.g., Mediterranean, Caribbean, Bal tic), centrated. Many of these nutrients (such as nitrates) using various land masses as boundaries. But in are carried from the land by water (in rivers, for reality, these terms are just for our convenience; instance) and tend to stay near the coast. However, all of these water masses are interconnected and in a few select locations, plant nutrients arc water flows freely throughout. As far as its chemical extremely concentrated, and here is where life makeup is concerned, cups of sea water taken really gets going. These arc called upwelling areas. from off California, Texas, Upwelling is an extremely important process, WORDS TO KNOW Italy, Mozambique and one that has a profound effect on the productivity World Ocean: all oceans and seas are inter- Macao arc almost idcn- of the ocean. Upwelling is the process where conncctcd. tical; it's al l from the deep, cold, nutrient-rich water comes up to Photic Zone: the layer of ocean where light world ocean. replace surface waters as they are moved offshore penetrates. There's no doubt, by winds. Most upwelling occurs along coastlines, when we talk about the and only a few coastlines at that. Major upwelling Upwelling Areas: areas where cold water rises to the surface ami plant nutrients are ocean, we are talking only occurs along the coasts of California, Peru, concentrated. substantial. The ocean Chile, West Africa and a few other scattered spots. covers 139 million square What effect does up\\'elling have1 Well, first KEY IDEAS mi les and its average remember that microscopic plants (phytoplankton) 1 The ocean covers 71% of the earth's surface. depth is about 12,4SO absorb dissolved nutrients (such as nitrogen) fe et (by comparison, the from the water. As we have just discussed, plants 2 The ocean waters are all interconnected. average height of the live near the ocean's surface, so surface waters tend 3 The deepest spot in the ocean is the land is 2, 772 feet). And to be low in nutrients. On the other hand, deeper Challenger Deep, located east of Guam. it's cold, too. Despite all water has li ttle phytoplankton and, therefore, lots 4 Most of the living things in the ocean are in those pictures of warm of nutrients. When this nutrient-rich water hits a very small portion near the surface. Plants seas lapping aga inst the surface, phytoplankton start reproducing. live there because they need light. Most mzimals tropical isles, the average Phytoplankton forms the basis for most ocean live there because they depend on plants. ocean temperature is 39°F. food webs, and the more phytoplankton there is, 5 Upwelling is the process where cold, nutrient­ This is because most of the more phytoplankton eaters can live in the rich water comes up to replace surface waters the ocean is deep and, system. For this reason, upwelling areas usually that are pushed offshore by winds. even in the tropics, deep contain more organisms (by numbers or weight) water is cold water. than any other open ocean habitat. How deep is it and where is the deepest spot in the ocean? lt's the Challenger Deep, an additional divot in the already cavernous Mariana Trench, ACTIVITY: CHAPTER 1 located just cast of Guam. The floor at this spot is 36,163 feet from the surface. If you put Mount PLANET OF THE APPLES Everest into the Challenger Deep, there still would be 7,191 feet left before you broke the surface. Purpose: It's important for Yet for all its size, most of the ocean's life is students to be aware that the concentrated in a very small portion, near the productive parts of the planet surface and in the shallow waters ncar coastlines. comprise only a small propor· First, remember that most life in the water tion of the whole. Students will ultimately depends on sunlight. This is because model this with apples and THE LIVING SEA the bottom of the food web is made up of plants, paper plates. TEACHER' S GUIDE and these need light in order to survive. Even in Life on earth is not spread very clear water, sunlight only penetrates a short ly around the globe. In 2 distance, maybe 100 feet or so. fact, on land and in the ocean . the really productive parts (where oxygen is made and where humans get their food) form a very small chunk. Materials: Pair off the students. Each pair should have an apple, a plastic serrated knife, a paper plate, I a number of colored markers and several paper towels .

Procedure: The students are divided into pairs, one of the pair will be the land (and will cut the apple first) the other one will be the ocean (and will draw and label the plate first). Partners will switch jobs in the second part of the activity.

The Land

D Have the land partner cut the apple into four equal E1 Have the drawing partner divide one of the quarters pieces from top to bottom; three of the pieces represent on the plate marked ··ocean" in half. Draw a fish on the three quarters of the world that is covered by one of the halves. ocean, the fourth piece is the area not under water. ~ Now have the ocean partner cut the ·' productive" Set the three ocean pieces aside. piece of apple into four equal pieces. There are on ly E1 After the land partner cuts the apple, the ocean about four truly rich regions of the ocean-the major partner divides the plate (using a colored marker) with upwelling areas. One is located along the Pacific 3j4 of the plate representing the ocean and lj4 of the Coast of North America, from Alaska to Baja plate representing the land, labeling each accordingly: California. "ocean·· or ··land.'" a Have the drawing partner divide the piece on the ~ The land partner will now cut the one quarter of plate representing the productive ocean into four the apple representing the land into two equal pieces. slices. Color one of the resulting pieces to represent One piece represents the land that is too dry, too the productive upwelling off North America. wet, too cold or too hot (mountains, river basins, liJ Now the ocean partner will take one of the small deserts) for human habitation. Set this piece aside. apple pieces and cut off a thin slice. This tiny slice a The partner drawing and labeling will now draw a represents 1j10o of 1% of the world 's surface-the line dividing in half the lj4 piece representing the land. photic zone, the top 300 feet through which light On one of the resulting ljs pieces, draw a human; on penetrates and plants grow. All plant life, the basis of the other, a human with an "X'" drawn through it. the ocean food web , grows in this zone. Most of the life in the ocean is concentrated in this narrow region Ill Now the land partner will cut the 1js piece representing below the surface of the sea. the habitable land into four equal pieces. Set aside three of these. Hold up the remaining piece, it represents [lJ Have the drawing student show the photic zone on the portion of habitable land on which food can grow. the plate as a dot in the section colored to represent the West Coast of North America. Label this "'lj10o of [1) Have the drawing partner, on the plate, divide the 1% Photic Zone. " 1js piece representing the habitable portion into four slices. Color one of the resulting 1/32 pieces to repre­ 6 Now have the students look at the two tiny slices sent the food-growing portion and label it "all our food." in relation to the rest of the apple or the plate. One represents the resource necessary for much of the D Have the land partner take the lj32 piece of apple life on land; the other, that necessary for most life in and cut off the thinnest slice possible; this represents the ocean. They also represent the parts of the land 3j10o of 1% of the earth's surface. This area supplies and ocean which humans impact the most. These are all of our drinkable water. the places on our planet that are the most susceptible Ill Now have the drawing partner show the drinkable to human damage and must be the fi rst to be protected. water as a dot in the section colored in to represent Activity Age Modifications: For preschoolers, do the area on which we can grow food. Land steps 1-4 and Water steps 1-2 as a class. A The Ocean cantaloupe could be used instead of an apple. For grades K-2nd, Land steps 1-4 and Water steps 1·2 D The ocean partner now cuts the apple and the land can be done with the teacher; then each student col­ partner draws on the paper plate. Have the ocean ors in their own paper plate. Grades 3rd-4th, do Land partner take one of the three pieces representing the steps 1-4 and Water steps 1-3 with a partner; the ocean and cut it in half. This piece represents the rest of the activity can be done as an entire class. THE LIVING JEA productive zones of the oceans. Though we might think Grades 5th and above can do all steps with a partner TEACHER ' S GUIDE the ocean is a vast, infinite resource, most regions are or small group with the teacher or an adult leading not very productive. Most life is concentrated near shore. them through each step. 3 WHAT'S THE OCEAN MADE OFI t

ost sea water (97.5%) is just that, water; but the Earth's crust, and much of the chloride comes the rest is dissolved salts. While the most from volcanic vents under the sea. Mcommon salt in the ocean is"tablc salt," All of the salt we put on our food originates, made of sodium and chloride, salts also include one way or another, in the ocean. VVorldwide, compounds formed from various other constituents, about one-third is produced in huge evaporation such as sulfate, magnesium, calcium and potassium. ponds situated near salt water. The remainder comes In fact, sea water is a sort of"Earth tea," containing from salt mines that recover salt laid do\\'n by the the dissolved atoms of probably every clement on evaporation of ancient seas. Since all salt originally our planet. And while the most abundant elements came from the ocean, \\'hat is the difference in sea water are chloride and sodium, every cupful bctween"table salt" and "sea salt"? Table salt is contains all the other clements, including such almost pure sodium chloride.' Vhen salt manufac­ exotics as gold, silver and uranium. turers evaporate sea water, the first salt that comes So why is the sea out is calcite (calcium chloride). \'Vhcn this occurs, WORDS TO KNOW salty? First, it's salty the brine is shifted to another pond, more evapo­ Earth Tea: sea water. It is called this because it because rivers dissolve ration occurs and gypsum (calcium sulphate) C011tai11s the dissolued atom~ of ei..'ery element on and bring down bits of precipitates out. What is left in the brine is primarily our planet. the earth's crust and sodium chloride, or table salt. Sea salt retains all Table Salt: almost pure sodium chloride. have been busily doing of the other salts. so for billions of years. Sea Salt: sodium cll/oride plus calcium chloride Even though rivers arc and calcium sulphate. "fresh," they contain ACTIVITY: CHAPTER 2 Hot Water Vents: occur when ocean water minute amounts of seeps into volcanic fissures, e11cowlfcrs subter­ dissolved elements. But BE YOUR OWN OCEAN ra11ca11 magma and returns to the ocean. A source if you take river water of mi11cral-riclz 1mter. and concentrate its Purpose: In th1s exercise, students imitate rivers, KEY IDEAS salts, they are not in the creating an ocean filled with dissolved salts. Afterward, 1 Most sea water is 97.5% water. The otlwr 2.5% is same proportion as arc they learn how the ocean evaporates sea water, salt, composed of sodium. chloride, magnesium, the salts in the ocean. producing fresh-water rain. calcium, potassium a11d other trace eleme11ls. River water has too little chloride. In other words, Materials: In this project, students make salt water, 2 River water CO/Ita ills too little sodium a11d chloride there is too little table then distill off the water and recover the salt. You will to accou11t for all that i' foulld i11 the omm. salt in river water to need three tablespoons rock (kosher) salt (the granular Another source of chloride for the ocea11's explain its concentration form can make the water cloudy), 4" by 4" cheese­ waters comes from i..'olcamc i.'ellts 1111der the sea in the ocean. cloth, funnel, one cup sand, measuring spoons, 3 Tiu• difference bef11'l'l'll table salt and sea salt is Fortunately, scientists baster or eye droppers, a pot with a lid and a heat that table salt is almost pure sodium chloride, have recently discovered source (this will be used either by the teacher or while sea salt also CO/Ita ills calcite (calcium another major source of under close adult supervision). chloride) a11d g;tpSlllll (calcium sulphate). elements for the ocean -the earth's mantle. A River Runs Through It The molten part of the mantle comes to the surface as la\'a and hot gas. Since the ocean covers 71% of Procedure: Have the students do this in small the earth's surface, most volcanoes and gas vents groups, each with an adult, or do this as a class. are under water, and the material that escapes into the ocean is similar to the chemical composition of D Ask students to help mix together a cup of sand the sea. In particular, hot-water vents arc a source and three tablespoons of rock salt. of mineral-rich water. This occurs when ocean f) Now have the students line the funnel with the water seeps into volcanic fissures, encounters cheesecloth and place the sand and salt mixture subterranean magma and returns to the ocean inside it. (The cheesecloth prevents the sand/salt THE LIVING lEA loaded \\'ith chloride. from running down the funnel.) TEACHER ' S GUIDE So, the best explanation for the large amounts of table salt in the sea is that much of the sodium D Now have them suspend the funnel over a pot and, 4 in the ocean comes from rivers dissolving away with a baster or eye dropper, slowly drip warm or hot I

Ocean water moves vertically as well as horizontally. Winds drive surface water away from the coast and deep water moves upward to replace it (upwelling). Water also moves downwar~cean water sinks when it is saltier or colder than surrounding water.

water over the sand/ salt mixture. This will dissolve the vapor, the water in the cup will be fresh. the salt and carry it into the pot. Have the students What do we make of this? Th is is how salt is continue this process until the salt is dissolved. In the extracted from sea water. The only difference is t hat pot you now have your own little ocean. salt extraction companies use the heat of the sun and 9 Now that you have a miniature ocean, cover the pot, the process takes weeks. Further, this demonstrates put it on a burner or hot plate and bring the water to how the sun can evaporate sea water and produce a boil. fresh-water rai n. In nature, as water vapor rises, it eventual ly hits cooler air, condenses and falls to earth. ~ Periodical ly, lift off the lid and let the drops of water Activity Age Modifications: For preschool-4th that have condensed on its underside drain into a cup. grade, this activity could be done as a group with the THE LIVING SEA [1) Eventually, all of the water (minus the vapor that chi ldren helping the teacher with each step. 5th grade TEACHER ' S GUIDE escapes when you lift the lid) will be in the cup, and and above may want to have several "ocean" groups, salt will line the pot. Because salt does not rise with with supervision during water heating. 5 HOW DOES THE OCEAN MOVE! I

ater is in constant motion in the ocean months there are cool, windy and foggy. On the and much of that motion occurs within other hand, Washington, D.C.- at about the same W currents. The term current usually refers latitude but on the Atlantic Ocean-has hot and to water flowing horizontally (parallel to the muggy summers. The reason for this difference is ocean's surface), but masses of water also can move that the City by the Bay sits on the edge of the vertically. Currents can be rapid and almost river­ cold California Current. Winds approaching the like (such as the Gulf Stream) or they can be slow California coast lose heat to this cold water and and diffuse. chill San Francisco. i Vashington, D.C., is hit by What causes water to move? Ultimately, the winds that have flowed over the warm Gulf sun does the job. Warm water expands and cold Stream, picking up heat and moisture as they water contracts. Ocean water is warmer at the pass over that current. equator (the sun shines on it more) than at the

WORDS TO KNOW poles. Equatorial water is actually about three ACTIVITY : CHAPTER 3 Current: usually refers to water flowing horizon ­ inches thicker than polar tally, but masses of water also can move vertically. water, because it is A CURRENT AFFAIR KEY IDEAS warmer and has expanded 1 The ocean water is moved by currents. Currents slightly. This global Deep currents are generated by differences in salinity are created by the sun warming the waters in difference creates a very and temperature between two bodies of water. certain areas, like at the equator. The warmer slight slope and warm Salinity Currents: Salt water is more dense than water has e:>.:panded slightly, creating a slope. equatorial water flows fresh water and sinks below it. In the first experi­ The warm water runs dow11hill toward the "downhill " (poleward) ment, the blue salt water on top wi ll soon replace the poles. The winds also help trigger currents by in response to gravity. clear fresh water below. Similarly, in the second half propelling swface waters. However, this movement is only the beginning. of the exercise, the clear tap water above will remain 2 Ocean cun·e11ts can affect the weather. If the Surface water also is on top of the blue salt water. current off a coast is cold, the wind blowing propelled by winds. across it will lose heat, creating cold weather. Temperature Currents: Like salt water. cold water is Winds move water more dense than hot water. When placed on top, it Winds blowing over a warm current pick up through friction between moisture and heat. will sink down and displace the hotter water. Hot water moving air molecules and will sit on top of cold water. However, as the tempera­ water molecules. As the surface water molecules tures equalize, they will begin to mix. begin to move, they pull with them some of the molecules below, which triggers the current. Purpose: Students will create their own water cur­ Water also moves vertically. As mentioned rents, using differences in water salinity and water previously, winds can drive surface water away temperature. from the coast and deep water can move upward Materials: You will need two 1-liter clear plastic soda (upwelling). However, water also moves downward. bottles. index cards, food coloring, table salt and Ocean water sinks when it is saltier or colder measuring spoons. than surrounding water. A prime example of this takes place in Antarctica, where Antarctic Bottom Salinity Currents Water is formed. This is the densest water in the ocean and it is created in the winter when sea ice Procedure: In this experiment, students will fill one forms. This ice only takes up about 15% of the bottle with just tap water and the other with tap water, ocean's salt and the rest forms an extremely cold salt and food coloring. They will predict what will hap­ brine. This sinks to the bottom and spreads pen to the colored water before doing the experiment. northward from Antarctica. In the Pacific Ocean, then will observe and record the direction of the actual this water actually may reach the Aleutian Islands water flow. Have them write down their predictions on off Alaska, a trip that takes about 1,600 years. their worksheets. THE LIVING lEA Ocean currents have a profound effect on the D Divide students into small groups, each with an adult, or do this as a class. TEAC HER ' S GU I D E weather. An example is the perhaps apocryphal remark of Mark Twain: "The coldest wi nter I ever fl Have students fill both bottles with room-temperature 6 spent was a summer in San Francisco." Summer tap water. Add approximately 1 Tbl. of salt and 8 drops of blue food coloring to one bottle and shake well. WORKSHEET:CHAPTER 3 Don't add anything to the water in the other bottle. Make sure both bottles are completely filled to the top. Salinity Currents I

I!J Have a student place a index card over the mouth of Part 1: Colored salty water on top. the colored-water bottle and turn it upside down. Do this I over a dish to prevent spillage. The students should hold Predictions Results the card in place as D Predict the final color on top and fJ Now show what actually happened. bottom when they turn the bottle I!) Are the results the colored over, then gently different then your salty water remove their hand predictions? starts on top. from the card. The Why do you think Shade the upward air pressure they are different? wil l hold the card in area where place. Center the the color will upside down bottle be after the directly over the card is removed. mouth of the upright bottle containing the Part 2. Clear, fresh water on top. clear water. Place the Predictions Results bottles in a dish to 0 Predict the final color on top and fJ Now show what actually happened. catch spills and slowly bottom when slide the card from I!J Are the results the clear between the bottles. different then your fresh water Observe the results for a few minutes. Color the illustra­ predictions? starts on top. tions on the worksheet to show how the colored water Why do you th1nk Shade the moved and where it ended up. they are different? area where 9 Now the students can empty and rinse the bottles the color will and do the experiment again, but this time turn the be after the clear bottle upside down. Again, record your predic­ card is removed . tions and what actually happens. Temperature Currents Temperature Currents Part 1. Colored cold water on top. Procedure: This experiment is similar to the preceding Predictions Results one, except that in this experiment you will fill two PrediCt the final color on top and fJ Now show what actually happened. bottles with water of different temperature. Again, after 0 bottom when preparing the bottles, make sure to predict what will I!) Are the results the cold water happen to the colored water after the card is removed. different then your starts on top. pred1ct1ons? D Fill one bottle with ice-<:old tap water, add 8 drops Shade the Why do you think of blue food coloring and shake well. Fill the second area where they are different? bottle with hot tap water. Make sure both bottles are the color will completely filled to the top. be after the EJ Align the bottles over each other with the index card card is removed . separating the contents as directed in step fJ of the activity above. Slowly slide the card from between the bottles. Observe the results for a few minutes. Color the Part 2. Hot water on top. illustrations on the worksheet to show how the colored Predictions Results water moved and where it ended up. 0 Predict the final color on top and fJ Now show what actually happened. ~ Empty the bottles and do the experiment again, but bottom when I!) Are the results this time turn the clear hot water bottle upside down. the hot water different then your starts on top. Activity Age Modifications: Preschool-3rd grade predictions? Shade the can do this project as a class with the teacher lead­ Why do you think area where ing and asking for volunteers. 4th-6th grade would do they are different? the color will the project in small groups with an adult. Within each be after the small group, students would be chosen for each of the card is removed. following positions; recorders, experiment performers, and observers. 7th grade and above would do the same as the group above, but more independently. OF TIDES AND TIME I

ides have long intrigued us. Perhaps it's the The narrow Bay of Fundy in 1e\\. BrunS\\'ick, fact that they represent a predictable and Canada, has tides of about SO fee t. Remember, this Twholly unstoppable force. Tides are rhythmic, does not mean that the water goes inshore 50 feet. predictable and periodic changes in the height of It means that it rises in height that amount. If the a body of \Vater caused by a combination of the land is pretty fl at, the sea might flow inshore for gra,·itational pulls of the moon and sun, and the miles before reaching the necessary elevation. Tidal motion of the earth. The contribution to tidal ranges for most of the ocean are smaller. On the height of the moon (lunar tide) is about twice that west and cast coasts of ::\orth America, they tend to of the sun (solar tide) . Even though the sun is 27 be around six to eight feet; in the Gulf of Mexico, million times more massive than the moon, the the tides arc even narrower, often only a foot or two. moon is about 400 times closer to the earth and Tides are a major (perhaps the major) con­ exerts a much stronger gravitational pull. trolling force in many marine intertidal habitats, Throughout the because they help dictate hm,· long organisms arc WORDS TO KNOW month, tides vary in under water. In areas \\'ith wide tidal ranges, Lunar Tides: occur when the gravitational pull their heights. The highest organisms must have adaptations that nllow them of the 1110011 causes the height of the water in the highs and lowest lows to survive in the air. These include facing such ocean to chm1w. occur together during hazards as dr:ing out, \ddc temperature tluctuations, Solar Tides: occur ll'hen the grcwitational pull the new and full moons, influxes of fresh \\'ater (from rain) and attacks by of the sun aj)i!cts the tides of the ocean. when both moon and sun various terrestrial predators. Spring Tides: occur during the{ull or new are pulling in the same 1110011, when the com/Jinrd xra11itational pull of the direction. ln this case, ACTIVITY: CHAPTER 4 sun and moon cause extreme tides. the pulls of the two bod­ ies are added together. Neap Tides: least-mrying tides occurring H'l1en These extreme tides arc CAN IT BE DONE! the sun, earth and 1110011 foml a rightm1gle. ca11ed spring tides, which No one can turn back the tides, but you can easily see Semi-diurnal Tides: occur H'iiC'Il sm11e areas comes from the Old their patterns and how the moon plays a major role. haue hl'O low tides m1d ht•o high tides in a 24- English word springrn, In the table below, we give you the major high and low hour period. mcaning"to jump or tides for Central California for December 1994 and Diurnal Tides: ocmr 111 places luwi11g 011e high mo,·e quickly." Spring the moon phases for the same period. We also have tide a11d Ollt' low tide per 2.f hours. tides occur every two provided a mostly-empty graph of the tidal ranges weeks and alternate Intertidal Zone: tl1e arm l1ehl'een the extrc•1nes from that month. Your job is to fill in the high and low with least varying neap of high and low tide. tide heights for the whole month (we've done the first tides, which occur when one for you) and list the moon phases on the correct KEY IDEAS the earth, moon and sun days (we've done the new moon). By plott1ng the high 1 Tides are rh.tttlm1ic. pred1ctable and are afji•cted form a right angle. and low tides for every day, you can see how the by the gmuitatimzal pull of the sun and moon. Tidal pnttcrns (how moon affects the tides. 2 Tide,; vary ill their height. The ioll•est cmd high­ often highs nnd lows PSI tides occur during thr fullllloon and the IU'1l' occur within 24 hours) Purpose: This exercise demonstrates two phenomena. moo11, ll'llt'll the 1n0011 earth and 51111 are and ranges (the difference First, tides are rhythmic. Second. their heights are ali,l,'lled. between high tide and related to moon phase. low tide water levels) 3 Tidal r1111ge ca11 mry dmmntimlly, depe11ding Materials: Copies of the worksheet (you may give one differ throughout the 011 the ~lmpe of tlle water basin that the tides to each student, each group, or do it as a class). world. Some areas, such flow througlz. Tides also play a 111ajor role ill the colored pencils and a tide chart from the newspaper. as much of the east and marilll' l~fe that Jipes in tlw intertidal habitats. \\·est coasts of North To The Teacher: We ·ve included a completed work­ America, usually ha,·c two high and two low tides sheet for this activity on page 20. The important per 2-f hours. These are semi-diurnal tides. O n the lessons are that tides are cycl ical and that they closely other hand, the Gulf of Mexico tends to have one follow moon phase, with greatest tides around the THE LIVING SEA high and one low tide (d iurnal tides) during the new and full moons. The students should notice that TEACHER ' S GUIDE same period. during the new and full moons. the distance between Tidal ranges vary dramatically, depending on the high and low tides increases. which means that high 8 the shape of the water basin the tides flow through. tides get higher and low tides get lower. stmultaneously. WORKSHEET: CHAPTER 4 Tidal Variations for Central California, December 1994 IJ I

High and Low Tides for Central California ALTERNATE ACTIVITY: CHAPTER 4 December 1994 DATE LOW HIGH DATE LOW HIGH CHANGING TIDEJ 1 -1.2 6.7 16 -0.4 5.8 Purpose: This activity demonstrates how the gravity 2 -1.5 7.0 17 -0.5 5.9 from the moon and sun can displace water toward 3 -1.6 7.0 18 -0.5 5.9 these sources of gravity. 4 -1.4 6.8 19 -0.5 5.7 Materials: One g·· round balloon. water and one circle 2" in diameter, cut from construction paper. 5 -1 .1 6.4 20 -0.3 5.5 Procedure: Fill the balloon with water. let out all excess 6 -0.6 4.2 21 -0.1 5.2 air and tie the top with a knot. Tape the paper circle 7 -0.1 4.2 22 0.2 3.8 onto the center of the balloon. Notice as you hold one 8 0.5 4.3 23 0.5 4.0 hand at the bottom of the balloon and the other at the knot that the water is evenly distributed around 9 0.9 4.5 24 0.9 4.2 the paper circle. 10 1.3 4.7 25 1.3 4.5 Now let go of the hand supporting the 11 1.6 4.9 26 1.6 4.9 bottom and notice 12 1.8 5.2 27 1.7 5.3 how elongated the balloon becomes. 13 0.3 5.4 28 1.8 5.8 The gravity of earth 14 0.0 5.5 29 -0.9 6.3 pulls the balloon and 15 -0.2 5.7 30 -1.4 6.7 water down. Like­ wise, the moon's 31 -1.6 6.9 and sun's gravita­ THE LIVING SEA tional pulls cause TEACHER GUIDE New Moon Dec. 2 First Quarter Dec. 9 the ocean tides to Full Moon Dec. 17 Last Quarter Dec. 25 rise and fall. 9 WIND AND WAVEJ I

or thousands of years, poets have turned to by the executive officer of the U. S. Navy tanker waves for inspiration. The images created have Ra111apo on Febmary 7, 1933, in the ~orth Pacific Fcertainly nm the gamut, from the sensitivity Ocean. The tanker was heading from the Philippines of Rimbaud ("Lighter than a cork I danced on the to San Diego and for days a steady 65-mile-per­ waves") to the antic of Carroll ("And thick and hour wind had blown, with gusts to 80 mph. At fast they came at last, and more, and more, and about 3 a.m., with a bright moon illuminating the more- all hopping through the frothy waves, and seas, the personnel on watch noted a particularly scrambling to the shore") to the Byronic of Byron large set of waves bearing down on them. When ("Once more upon the waters, yet once more! And the ship settled into the trough of one, the execu­ the waves bound beneath me as a steed, that tive officer noted that the crow's nest of the main­ knows his rider'"). mast was level with the crest of the next wave. He But, besides universal metaphors for just about calculated that the wave had to be 112 feet high. every human condition, WORDS TO KNOW just what are waves? ACTIVITY: CHAPTER 5 Wind Waves: generated by wi11d blowing across vVhilc waves are caused the surface of wate1; transferring energt; from tile wind by various forces, most of to adjacent water molecules, resulting in waves. the waves we see are MAKE lOME WAVES! Trough: the lowest part of the wave. caused by wind. In the Blow Painting ocean, wind waves arc Crest: the highest part of the wave above the generated by air molecules Purpose: To simulate the effect of wind across the still-water line. from the wind blowing surface of water and how the water moves in the Wave Period: the time it takes for hoo successive along the sea surface and direction of the wind. This is done by blowing air waves to pass a particular point. transferring energy to through a straw across watered-down paint. Wave Frequency: the number of waves that adjacent water molecules. Materials: White construction paper, two or three col­ pass a particular point in a given time period. As the water molecules ors of tempera paint, small bowls, small spoons and KEY IDEAS begin to move, they start drinking straws. to travel in vertical circles, 1 Most of the waves we see are caused by wind. producing tiny wavelets. Procedure: Prepare by covering your work surface The wind transfers its air molewles to ad;acent These tiny waves expose with protective paper. water molecules which begin to moue in vertical more water surface to the circles causing small wavelets. These tiny waves D Give each student a sheet of white construction wind and more wind expose more water surface to the wind which paper and a drinking straw. energy is transferred to result in larger waves. the water, creating larger f.) Put tempera paint in shallow bowls. Water down 2 Thr parts of a wave are the crest (highest point) and larger waves. \Nhen the paint to the consistency of water. and the trough (lowest point). winds slow or cease, waves ~ With a spoon, apply a puddle of paint into the cen­ 3 J\ wave's height is the distance behoeen crest and continue on, though they ter of the paper and blow through the straw, across trough; its length is the distance behoeen crests. become more rounded; the paint. Apply one color of paint at a time. these are swells. Waves come in various parts. The crest is the 19 Notice how the air moves the paint in the direction highest part of the wave (above the still-water you blow it. level) and the trough is the lowest part. A wave's Parachute Waves height is the distance between the crest and trough, and its length is the horizontal distance be­ Purpose: To show how energy can move through the tween each crest. In the open ocean, wave length water to for m a wave. averages 200 to 500 feet, but may reach 2,000 feet Materials: Parachute and a small, soft, rubber ball. in extreme cases. A wave's period is the time it The parachute should be large enough for your takes for two successive waves to pass by a particular students to stand side by side and hold on with both point; wave frequency measures how many waves hands. If it's smaller, do this activity in groups. THE LIVING SEA pass that point in a given time period. Wind period Procedure: TE ACH E R ' S GUIDE varies from a few seconds to as much as 20 seconds. D Have students stand around the parachute and How high do waves get? Really high. The hold on with both hands. Have one side of the circle highest waves ever officially recorded were measured 10 lift their arms up and down, which will start a rippling I!

Most waves we see are caused by wind. Air molecules from wind blowing along the sea surface transfer energy to adjacent water molecules. As the water molecules begin to move, they travel in vertical circles, producing tiny wavelets. These tiny waves expose more water surface to the wind and more wind energy is transferred to the water, creating larger and larger waves. When winds slow or cease, waves continue on, though they become more rounded; these are swells.

effect across the parachute. The other side holds the shows how the energy started far out at sea can be parachute still. Watch to see how far the ripples go, transferred through the water without actually moving then have the other s:de try it. the water forward, but up and down instead. Because the bottom of the ocean changes and becomes f) The small, soft, rubber ball could be started on one shallower toward the shore, the up and down move­ side. Students on one side lift the parachute and ment becomes steeper and finally spills over into a watch the ball travel to the other side. This simulation breaking wave.

-..._...... _ __ TEACHER ' S GUIDE 11 FOODWEBI

f you think about it, the "goal" of every organism that an average blue whale, weighing 75 to 80 tons, is to stay alive. Almost all organisms are more-or­ must eat four tons of krill every day. Since krill aren't Iless generalists- they cat a \"fide variety of prey. that big, we're talking about 40,000,000 krill here. So while this complex set of organisms-eating­ Of course, there are other levels above this. Third­ other-organisms has been called a food chain, it is order consumers include tunas, seals, sea gulls more accurate to think of it as a food web. and molas (ocean sunfish); fourth-order consumers As an example, let's look at what eats what in are the orcas and white sharks of the world. the open ocean (away from the shore) off almost any coast. A typical food web in the open ocean looks something like the diagram on the facing page. ACTIVITY : CHAPTER 6 Phytoplankton form the base of the food web. These are microscopic, often one-celled plants, which absorb dissolved nutrients (nitrates, nitrites, THE FOOD WEB GAME phosphates, etc.) fron1 the WORDS TO KNOW Purpose: This activity helps show how life in the water and usc sunlight ocean is interconnected, with each student acting as Food Chain or Web: a hierarchy of organ ­ for energy to grow and part of a food web, using the illustration on next page. isms basrd n11 what the!) eat. reproduce. These bottom­ Phytoplankton: microscopic, often one-celled rung organisms are ca ll ed Materials: One ball of yarn. one index card and safety plants. primary producers, because pin per student and a copy of the food web. they use light energy to Primary Producers: bottom-rung organisms, Procedure: such as phytoplm1kto11. create organic material. Above the primary pro­ D Referring to the food web figure, each student Zooplankton: tiny a11imals that are first-order ducers are tiny animals, decides what organism to be, writes its name on a consllnlers and eat phytoplankton. zooplankton, which arc card and pins it to his or her shirt. Second-Order Consumers: a large assort­ the first-order consumers. f) Stand in a circle with your students holding a ball ment of sm animals-m11gi11g from small fish like These are organisms that of yarn. Start the game by saying ''I'm a squid and I herring to the world's largest 111arine fish n11d must eat primary producers need fish larvae for food." Holding one end of the ma111111als-that feed oH.flrst-order conSillllers. in order to obtain energy. string, pass the ball to a fish larva person. The fish KEY IDEAS Many kinds of animals larva person might say, ''I'm a fish larva and I eat form the zooplankton. 1 In the ocean, thcfood web starts il'ith organis111s diatoms" or "''m a fish larva and jellyfish eat me" Some, such as copepods or from the primary prod11ccrs, like phytoplankton and, holding some yarn, passes the ball along. ThPy are then mte11 by members of the first ­ krill, live their entire lives order consHJners, s11ch as .::ooplankton. The first as tiny organisms. Others, D Eventually, everyone will be all tied together in a order is mtcn by the scco11d order (herring such as the larvae of fish, tangle of yarn, which emphasizes the whole point: All squid, jellyfish, sharks a11d blue whales). 'nlird­ crabs or worms, arc just living t hings are connected in some way. passing through; they order conSillllers incl11de tnna, seals, sea gHlls 9 Now. cut the string at some point. The food web is eventually leave as they 0/ld ocem1 S1111fish. finally, the fourth-order broken. What might happen to the various organisms consumers are thr orcas and ruhitr sharks. grow. Even at this level in in the food web? the web there are already complications. for example, some forms of zoo­ Activity Age Modification: For younger children, two plankton, such as copepods, eat both phytoplank­ or three organisms from each group; primary, first ton and young fish larvae. Fish larvae return the order, second order etc., could be drawn or actual favor; as they grow larger they eat copepods. pictures used to identify which order eats the other. The next rung above zooplankton in the Another option is to give each child a picture of one ocean food web arc the second-order consumers, of the animals in the pyramid and toss the yarn to and these are an amazing assortment of animals. each in the order they would be eaten. While you might expect to see small fishes (such as herrings) and squids at this level, there are also THE LIVING SEA jellyfish and the world's largest marine fish and TEACHER 'S GUIDE mammal. Seventy-foot-long whale sharks cat zoo­ plankton, as do 80-foot blue whales. Blue whales 12 concentrate on various species of krill. It is estimated I

The complex system of organisms­ THE LIVING SEA "-.. eating-other-organisms has been TEACHER ' S GUIDE PH L( iO PLAAJ !'.TON called a food chain, but it is more accurate to think of it as a food web. 13 PYRAMID POWER I

other way of looking at food relationships in ACTIVITY: CHAPTER 7 the ocean is by depicting how many organisms (or what weight of organisms) are in each food web layer. Because of the shape this relationship PEANUT PYRAMID GAME invariably takes, it is often called a food pyramid. Purpose: Students learn how energy is lost as it travels "There are ah\·ays more organisms at the bottom­ through a food web. rung than in the layer above, and always more in that layer than in the next one above that. This is Materials: 20 plastic sandwich bags no coincidence; this pattern exists because energy with 20 peanuts each decreases as it flows through the system. Sometimes 7 empty plastic sandwich bags only as little as 10% of the energy from the"eatee" Large pyramid diagram is stored in the" cater" as flesh; the rest is lost as 20 signs on large 1ndex cards saying: waste heat or is used by the eater to pursue prey, Producers: Green Plants reproduce or otherwise 4 signs on large index cards saying: WORDS TO KNOW maintain itself. Because First-Order Consumer: Herbivores Food Pyramid: organi,ms arranged in layers of this energy loss, each 2 signs on large index cards saying: accordmx to what thf!l eat. This food weL1 inmriably successive level contains Second-Order Consumer: Meat Eater takes the shape of a pyramid. fewer organisms and their 1 sign on large index card saying: K E Y ID E AS total weight is smaller. Third-Order Consumer: Top Predator Why would the 1 nm·e are always more organisms at the bottom Procedure: largest mammal and the of the food chain them in the layer above it. This D Have 20 students act as "producers" or green largest fish in the world pattem exists because energy decreases as it plants. Pin or hang the signs on them. Give each one eat some of the smallest flows through the system. a plastic bag with 20 peanuts in it, representing 20 creatures in the sea? 2 The largrM lllllllllnals. like 1c•hales. eat 50111e of the energy units. This energy comes to the plant from Why don't blue whales smallest sea creatures, like krill. For this reason, sunlight and from nutrients and gasses in the water. and whale sharks cat Total energy units available at the beginning 400 large mammab use a ~mall percentage of their 300-pound yellowfin tuna = food energy ill obtaining prey and therefore can or 1,000-pound black EJ Each "plant" may eat 5 peanuts. This represents the be more c1ficien t 111 usmg their food energy for marlin? Basically, it's for amount of energy the plant consumes for respiration reproducing, maintaining their body temperature the same reason that the and normal growth activity. The remaining 15 energy ami other body functions. largest land animals, units are stored in the plant tissue. elephants, eat trees instead of lions. First, there are Note: There are now 300 unused energy units (stored many more trees than there arc lions, so it's really in the plant tissue) remaining. much easier to eat a tree than a lion. Lions have D Next, four students acting as first-order consumers an inconvenient habit of running away if you try to (herbivores) feed on the phytoplankton to get their eat them. In addition, while you may eventually energy. Each one takes an empty plastic bag and catch one, if you are the size of an elephant, you collects 75 energy units (peanuts) from the green will probably expend more energy running it down plants. Each one may collect from any or al l the than you will gain by eating it. Of less importance, plants until each one has 75. Since herbivores requ ire but also to be kept in mind, is that lions tend to a lot of energy to get their food, each one may eat 45 bite you if you insist on chewing on them. Trees, energy units (peanuts). The 30 remaining energy units on the other hand, arc pretty stoic about the are stored in the herbivores as fat, flesh, bones and \\hole process. You can saunter up to one, rip it to internal organs. shreds with your trunk, and just sort of inhale it. Note: There are now 120 energy units (stored in the Similarly, a blue whale certainly could catch animal tissue) left. and swallow a big yellowfin tuna or a bottlenose dolphin, but it might take four days to catch one 9 Two students acting as second-order consumers and there's just no profit margin in that. By com­ (carnivores) each collect 60 energy units from any of THE LIVING lEA parison, krill are just perfect. They swarm by the the herbivores. In nature, this could even mean a TEACHER ' S GUIDE millions and can't swim very quickly; the whale fight over a catch or the sharing of one. The hunt and can catch them by just opening its mouth and the generally high respiration of the predator would 14 leisurely swimming through. use up 30 energy units. Therefore, each carnivore may now eat 30 peanuts, storing the remaining energy units as body tissue. Note: There are now 60 energy units (stored in the an imal tissue) left.

Ill One student acting as the top predator (shark, I orca, etc.) collects all the remaining 60 energy units. If the hunt was very strenuous, the predator may have required all 60 units, leaving nothing left for growth. This could result in a stunted animal or one that could not reproduce or would become ill from lack of resistance to disease. Perhaps the animal would hunt in a wider area, which would include more sources of food to supply a larger supply of energy units. Our predator is pretty healthy, so only 30 units of energy are consumed (the student eats 30 peanuts) and the remaining are stored in the predator's body.

Food Pyramid Assignments

Order Students Units Units Units Taken Eaten Surrendered

Producers 20 20 5 15

FIRST ORDER Herbivores 4 75 45 30

SECOND ORDER Meat Eaters 2 60 30 30

THIRD ORDER Top Predators 1 60 30 30 are stored

Activity Age Modification: This activity would be appropriate for 3rd grade and up. For preschool through 2nd grade, a game based on Upset the Fruit Basket could be substituted. For this game, have al l the children form a circle and choose four children to be "it." They are the top predators. The remaining children would be numbered off as green plants, herbivores or meat eaters (i .e.: 1st child is green plant, 2nd child herbivore, 3rd child meat eater, etc.). S fCOt.~{) OROE"R The top predators call out one of the orders and CO~~t$1JMER; everyone in that order switches places with someone M~A1" EA'f"£fl... else in their order. The object is to avoid being caught by the top predators. If they are caught, they become a top predator, and the top predator becomes whatever the captive was, and the game proceeds. Each top predator only captures one person on each turn. Each order could wear a piece of yarn around their wrist to signify which order they represent For smaller groups of children, the energy units given to each child could be increased (i.e .: instead of using 20 children as producers, use only 10, but THtRD increase their energy units from 20 per child to 40 O~D£R CONSuMER; per child). They now each represent two plants instead of TC>P PR£0AT~ one; they would eat 10 energy units instead of five. ! THE LIVING lEA

Th is scale may be used throughout the entire exercise . T E A CHER ' S GUIDE Larger groups may do the same , except the energy units are decreased instead of increased. 15 REEF BUILDERS I

oral reefs look like something Picasso would in the Pacific, preparing for thermonuclear bomb have painted if he had eaten one too many ( testing. The drills had to push through -! ,156 feet chocolate bars. These places are definitely of coral before they hit the ancient volcano. Those wilder, grander and sometimes more bizarre than corals had been busy for millions of years. Another almost any other ocean habitat. nice example of the industriousness of these animals Coral reefs, particularly the ones in the region is Florida. The entire state is an ancient coral reef' around Palau in the western Pacific, probably contain more animal species than any other marine habitat ACTIVITY: CHAPTER 8 in the world. VVorldwide, coral reefs cover mil lions of square miles of shallow, inshore waters. ln fact, around many of the smaller islands, there is no other lEA HUNT habitat, because the island itself is made of coral. Purpose: Why are so many coral reef animals, Coral reefs (and islands) are unique because particularly fishes, covered in a fantastic array of garish colors? There are a number of theories, but a leading WORDS TO KNOW they arc made entirely by living creatures; there contender is that these colors (called "poster colors") Coral Reefs: calcium carbonate structures arc no granite boulders actually help them blend in with the already riotous composed of the skeletons of co/ames of tiny jelly­ or sandstone walls here. colors and patterns of their environment. Animals that fish-like organisms. Basically, you can thi nk developed these colors were less likely to be seen Atolls: ring-shaped islands fanned /.Jy coral of corals as tiny jellyfish and eaten by predators; natural selection worked in which at one time surrmmded a volcano. that secrete and live in their favor. This activity will illustrate natural selection KEY IDEAS calcium carbonate in action. (lin1estone) split-levels. 1 Coral reef' are created by tiny jellyfish-like Materials: You will need 25 pipe cleaners in five Tropical corals form huge animals which secrete calcium carbonate. different colors. giving you a total of 125 pipe cleaners colonies, and over Coral reefs K7'0W in shallow water and are made Make sure one of your colors is green, and have an millions of years, these entirely by living aeatures. equal amount of each color. You will also need one colonies become truly set of chopsticks for each member on one team. 2 Charles Darc.(lin was the first to suggest that an massive. These will be shared with all the teams in turn. A 25" atoll is the result of a coral reefforming around Perhaps the most by 32" piece of tagboard, double-stick tape and a a volcano that long ago sank. The volcano sank interesting structures large, grassy area (it will work best on grass; slowly, allowing the coral reef enough time to corals form are atolls, however. the activity can be done indoors on a large grow and stay at the surface. -ring-shaped islands piece of paisley or similarly patterned cloth. In this that dot the Pacific. Why case, use a hole punch to produce large numbers of are so many of these islands round and how did round, paper prey of various colors). they form in the first place? Charles Dan-vin was the first to suggest what Procedure: Each pipe cleaner can be cut into thirds has turned out to be the correct explanation. giving you 75 pipe cleaner sections for each of the five Danvin reasoned that a coral atoll started life as colors. In this activity, the pipe cleaner sections will be a coral reef surrounding a volcano that had thrust the "prey" and the students will be the "predators." its way, sometimes many thousands of feet, from To make this a little more sporting, the predators have the ocean floor to the surface. Over time, the to catch the prey with chopsticks. Since this is a coral volcano became dormant and slowly began to sink reef, we will assume the prey are variously colored back into the sea. If it sank quickly, it dragged the pipefishes and the predators will be jacks, groupers, coral with it and both disappeared from view. barracudas. stonefishes, etc. Because corals live only in shallow water, the sinking On the tagboard, lay out long strips of double­ corals died. However, if the volcano sank slowly, sided tape, one row for each pipe cleaner color. the coral reef grew fast enough to compensate D Mix up the pipe cleaner sections and scatter them and stayed at the surface. Eventually, the volcano over a large expanse of lawn. receded hundreds or thousands of feet down, THE LIVING lEA leaving no trace of its presence, except for a f) Divide the students into predatory groups and give TEACHER 'S GUIDE mysterious, thin, ring-shaped coral island. each one a name ("groupers," "barracudas," etc.). Proof that Dan-vin was right came in 1952, Keep the groups small, so there will not be havoc on 16 when scientists drilled deep into Eniwetok Atoll the lawn . Give each predator a pair of chopsticks. -

A coral atoll starts life as a coral reef surrounding a volcano that thrust its way from the ocean floor to the surface. Over time, the volcano becomes dormant and slowly begins to sink back into the sea. If It sinks quickly, It drags the coral with It and both disappeared from view. However, if the volcano sinks slowly, the coral reef grows fast enough to compensate and stays at the surface. Eventually, the volcano recedes hundreds or thousands of feet down, leaving no trace of its presence, except for a mysterious, thin, ring-shaped coral island.

B Send the groups out one at a time for a short caught the least often. The pipe cleaners are counted , period, perhaps a few minutes. As the predators find recorded and removed from the board so the next the prey. they must "swim"' back to the tag board and group can mount their pipe cleaners (be sure to stick their prey on the tape, one color per row, then record how many of each color is found). return to the coral reef. When their time is up, one Activity Age Modification: This activity would be group of predators returns and hands over the chop­ appropriate for ages 2nd grade and up. Preschool st icks to the next group. through 1st grade would enjoy this activity on a smaller THE LIVING SEA 9 At the end of the exercise, count how many of each scale and without chopsticks. Younger children would TEACHER ' S GUIDE color the predators managed to capture. Most often, also enjoy it done as an "egg hunt .. with various the colors that tend to blend in with the lawn are colored paper fish to find. 17 DANCERS OF THE DEEP I

irst of all, what are jellyfish? I'm sure you arc from one to 20 inches across and short tentacles), not surprised to learn that, like starfish or a few may reach six feet in diameter and have Fcuttlefish, jellyfish arc not fish . These are tentacles stretching out for 100 feet or more. coelenterates or cnidarians, a group of scmi-goopy Virtually all medusae can swim, by rh)thmically im·ertcbrates that, along with the jellies, include pulsating their bells. Many arc not particularly such organisms as sea anemones and corals. A strong swimmers and these are more or less at jell) fish is more properly called a medusa. (Medusa the mercy of current and \\ind. \\·as the \\'Oman in Greek mythology who had Perhaps the most bizarre medusa population snakes for hair.) A jellyfish, or medusa, has two lives in Jellyfish Lake, a marine lake on the island parts: the bell and the tentacles. The bell-which of Eil Malk, Palau. Jellyfish Lake is a 1,300-foot­ ranges in shape from a frisbee• to a helmet to an long, 90-foot-deep lake that connects to the sea umbrella-contains a mouth and stomach, usually via various fissures and cracks in the coral island. the rcproducti,·e organs, and some nerves. Medusae The lake has two deep basins, one in the eastern WORDS TO KNOW have no brains, no hearing section and one in the \\·estern. \\'hile there are systems and some have very few species of animals in the lake, the popu­ Medusa: the more correct mw1e for jell!dish. nothing resembling an eye. lation of medusae is large. They make two types Bell: the helmet· or 11111/m•lltHiwped part of the Tentacles, containing of migrations e\'cry day. At night, most go out in medusa, which cn11tai11s the mn11th. stomach. stinging cells called nem­ the center of the western basin and repeatedly reprnducth•e or:.;a11s a11d 11£'/'Pes. atocysts, are the business­ dive from the surface to about 50 feet. They stay in Tentacles: extm11ities of a medusa, which end of these animals. Many the center to avoid the shoreline's sharp mangrove amtain stinging n•lls mlled IU'IIIatocysts. medusae slowly raise and roots and medusa-eating sea anemones. They KEY IDEAS lower their tentacles, probably dive to the mid-water to absorb some basically fishing at various of the nutrients that concentrate in deeper water. 1 jellyfi<:h arm'! fisll, they are coele11terate,; or depths. \'Vhen a tentacle These medusae "farm" algae in their bodies and c11idarians. A ;ellyfish IS more pmperly called encounters something, they probably absorb the nutrients to fertilize a medusa. ncmatocysts in the vicinity these plants. 2 There are two main parts to the medusa, the fire, explosively discharging These animals make one other kind of lw/1 and the tentacles. The tc11tacles contain a spiny tube through migration. Every day at sunrise you can find all the stinging cells called IICI/latocysts. A small which venom flows. of them at the eastern end of the lake. As the sun krill might cause 50 llC'IIllltncysts to discharge, lt has been estimated travels the sky, the jellies slowly make their way whcrras a Jargr fish cm1 cause sePrmllum­ that a single tentacle of a westward, a\·oiding shadows along the shore, thus drrd thou<:and sf111gs. ,\ 1nst medus to humans, thrir nrmatnCllsts are too (Physa/ia physalis) may as the animals swim \\·estward, they slmdy zcmk to pc11rtrate human skill. contain 750,000 nemato pirouette counterclockwise. Both of these behmiors 3 TI1rrr are lumdrrds of medusa species, they C\'Sts. While a small krill provide their algae with equal and long-term ji•rd 011 a wide mriety (~f pre_l/, primarily zoo­ n~ight cause 50 of them to doses of sunlight. plankton a11d small fish. There is evidrnce that discharge, som.ething big, Jellies feed on a wide variety of prey, primarily snn1t.' species of mrdusa follow chemical trmls like a fish, might receive zooplankton and small fishes. But how do organisms emitted by thrir planktnn prey. several hundred thousand without eyes, cars and brains find food? Until stings. recently, the con\'entional wisdom was that most The nematocysts of some species arc extremely jellies were random predators, either drifting or powerful and the tubes arc propelled \·vith such S\·vimming about until their tentacles by chance force that researchers report they (the ncmatocysts, brushed up against brunch. \ Vhile this may be not the researchers) can plow through a surgical true for many species, new evidence shows that glove. However, the vast majority of medusae arc two species (Aequroea victoria and Aurelia aurita) harmless to humans; their nematocysts are too follow chemical trails emitted by their plankton \\"eak to penetrate human skin. prey. On the other hand, many animals, such as There are hundreds of medusa species found sea turtles and molas (ocean sunfish) cat jellies. THE LIVING lEA all O\'er the \\'Orld, from the Arctic to the tropics, Humans ha\'e eaten jellyfish for hundreds of TEACHER ' S GUIDE and while most occur in shallow marine waters, years and today there is a major jellyfish fishery some ha\·e been found down to more than 12,000 throughout the South Pacific and Indian oceans. 18 feet. \\'hile most jellies arc small {with bells ranging After capture, jellyfish are salted, then dried. And how does salted, dried jellyfish taste? Well, right out of the package (aYailable at most Asian markets), jellyfish taste .. .well ... just about like nothing. As far as I can tell, dried jellyfish have virtually no taste. They do have a rather pleasing consistency though; when you bite down on each limp little strip, there is a very definite cnmch.

ACTIVITY : CHAPTER 8 EATING JELLYFISH

Here's something fun to do with your class-make a jellyfish dish. Most Chinese cookbooks have at least one recipe. Here is a good one from Madame Chu's Chinese Cooking School Cookbook (Grace Zia Chu, Simon and Schuster).

ALTERNATE ACTIVITY: CHAPTER 9 PARACHUTE JELLYFISH

Materials: One large parachute

Procedure: D Have children form a circle around the parachute and hold on with two hands. Jellyfish and Icicle Radish Salad f) Have them raise their hands above their heads Ingredients: and take several steps toward the center. The para­ 1112 tbl. light soy sauce lj2 tsp. sugar chute will fi ll with air. 2 tsp. sesame seed oil 1 tsp. salt D Then have the children step back to their original 2 oz. soaked, drained lj2 cup chopped scallions, position and the parachute will flatten out. The para­ and shredded jellyfish green part only chute represents the bell and the children are the tentacles. As the parachute goes up and down, this 1 lj2 cups icicle radish lj2 tsp. Chinese rhythmic action symbolizes the travel of the medusa. (daikon), about hot pepper oil (optional) The chi ldren can also rotate counterclockwise to 1 medium-sized radish show medusa pirouetting, as they do in Jellyfish La ke.

Preparation: Wash jellyfish a number of times in cold water. Combine the soy sauce, sesame seed oil, sugar and hot pepper oil (if used) and refrigerate until serving time. Peel icicle radish and cut into fine shreds. Measure 1 lj2 cups of shreds, using more radishes if needed. Sprinkle salt over the radish and let stand for 25-30 minutes. Rinse and drain. THE LIVING SEA

Mix jellyfish, radish and chopped scallions in a salad TEAC HER 'S G U I DE bowl. Just before serving, pour sauce over salad. Serve cold . 19 TEACHER'S KEY: CHAPTER 4

Resources Acknowledgements Marine Biology, An Ecological Approach Written by Milton Love, PhD, ~ ybakken, James W. Harper & Row, NY, 1993 ;\ssociJte ReseJrch Biologist,\ fJrine Science Tnstitute, Oceanography, An Tnvitation to Marine Science L:niversity of California, Santa Barbara Author of Evcntman's Guide to Ecological Living; Rendi1rg,; i11 Garrison, T. Wadsworth Press, Belmont, CA, 1993 Ichthyology; Fishes: A Field and Laboratory Manual on Their Fishes: A field laboratory manual on their structure, Structu re, ldentificatimr and Xatuml Histm~t; and Probably More identification, and natural history Tha11 You Wa11t to K11ml' About tire Fislres of the Pacific Coast Cailliet, G.Jvl., ;vi. Love, and A.W. Ebeling. Editorial Assistance by Alice Casbara, Catherine Wadsworth Press, Belmont, CA, 1986 Girard and Dorine lmbach Readings in Ichthyology Designed by Jeff Girard, Love, M. and G.M. Cailliet. Goodyear Publishing CA Company, Santa Monica, CA, 1979 Victoria Street Graphic Design, San Clemente, Illustrated by Phil Roberts Marine Activities, Resources and Education (lv1ARE) University of California, Berkely, Lawrence Hall of i\11 i11ustrJtions I[) 1995 Phil Roberts. r\11 rights reserYed. Science We toish to recogni::e these contributors to this Additional Resources for Children study guide: Exercises 1 and 3 are adapted from material created When the Tide is Low by MARE: Marine Activities, Resources and Cole, Sheila . Lothrop, 1985 Education, Lawrence Hall of Science, University Life 011 a Corn/ Reef of California, Berkeley. Bender, LioneL First Sight series, Watts, 1989 Special thanks to the Ocean Film t'\etwork Theaters. Coasts Lye, Keith. Our World series, Silver Burdett, 1988 l'\otice: This publication may be reproduced b) the classroom teacher for classroom u:,e onl) . Thb publication may not be reproduced for storage in a retrie,·al system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means-dectronic, mechanical, recording-without the prior penni:,­ sion of the publisher. Reproduction of these materials for commercial THE LIVING SEA rc:,alc I> strict!,- prohibited,

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