Photo by Alan C. Egan CENTER’S

www.lrdrivercenter.org [email protected] | (561) 743-7123 CONTENTS

PREVISIT INFORMATION 3 4 BACKGROUND 5 VOCABULARY 5 STANDARDS 6 LESSON TARGETS 7 DIFFERENTIATION 7 STRATEGIES 7 TEACHER MATERIALS 7 TEACHER RESOURCES 7 ENGAGE 8 EXPLORE 9 EXPLAIN 9 ELABORATE 10 EVALUATE 10 STEM CONNECTIONS 10 LOXAHATCHEE RIVER DISTRICT 11 RIVER CENTER EXHIBITS 12 POST FIELD TRIP LESSON 15

RIVER CENTER

The River Center is a program of the Loxahatchee River District. The Loxahatchee River District, an award-winning wastewater treatment facility established in 1971 to protect the Loxahatchee River from pollutants, is the leading authority on the Loxahatchee River. Its physical can treat up to 11 million gallons of wastewater from northern Palm and southern Martin Counties each day, preventing those pollutants from entering our watershed. This special district also provides both scientific and educational programs for the Loxahatchee River and serves as an advisory agency for the many diverse efforts under way. WWW.LOXAHATCHEERIVER.ORG PREVISIT INFORMATION

We are delighted that you have chosen to bring your students to the Loxahatchee River District’s River Center for an educational field experience. The River Center staff would like for your visit to be as fun and educational as possible. The goal of this field experience is to instill the students with an understanding and appreciation of the Loxahatchee River watershed through its unique plant and animal habitats as well as a new perspective on resources and conservation. To make this an enjoyable field trip for teachers, students, and our program presenters, please follow these guidelines. Please Read Please contact the River Center if you will be more than 15 minutes late or for any questions, concerns, or changes at 561-743-7123 ext. 4200 or [email protected].

SCHEDULE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A GOOD TRIP PROGRAM: 10 A.M. - 12 P.M. LUNCH: 12:15 P.M. • Students should wear name tags with their first name. Classes that usually eat lunch between 10:30am • Chaperones: 1:6 ratio for younger and 11:30am should have a snack before or groups (ages 5-9) or 1:10 ratio for during the bus ride to the River Center. Groups older groups (ages 10+). may have lunch after 12:00pm at the River Center’s chiki hut.

EXPECTATIONS • Teachers and chaperones will be responsible for discipline of the children. All adults will be active participants in the activities with the children. • Students are expected to be good listeners, respectful to our program presenters, listen carefully and follow directions. • There are live animals on site and in aquaria, so please do not tap or bang on the or exhibits in to avoid stressing the animals. • Students should practice classroom behaviors including keeping their hands to themselves, not talking out of turn, and watching for attention clues. • To minimize distractions for students, please remind all chaperones and teachers to switch cell phones to silent.

ADDRESS AND DIRECTIONS Address: 805 U.S. Highway 1 Jupiter, FL 33477 Directions: • I-95: Exit 87A (Jupiter Exit) East Indiantown Road (Turnpike: Exit 116 Indiantown Road) • Indiantown Road: Travel EAST until you reach U.S. Highway 1 • Turn Left (NORTH) onto U.S. Highway 1 • Travel NORTH through one stoplight, turn right (EAST) at the flashing light into Burt Reynolds Park. • The River Center is the light blue building located by the fire station. PROGRAM: SHARK HABITATS RIVER CENTER GRADE LEVEL: 2 - 3

CHECKLIST MY NOTES BUS RESERVED • PERMISSION SLIPS • PRE-LESSON PLANS TO • TEACHERS COMMUNICATE ANY • 504/IEP/ESOL/ESE/ ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES

☼ STUDENT NAME TAGS ☼ 1:6 RATIO FOR CHAPERONES ☼ PACKED LUNCHES ☼ SNACK BEFORE PROGRAM ☼ DIRECTIONS FOR THE BUS DRIVER

□ COMPLETE RIVER CENTER SURVEY □ POST-LESSON PLANS TO TEACHERS SURVEY LINKS In-Person Field Trips: □ POST LESSON https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RCschool EVALUATIONS

Virtual Field Trips: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/rcvirtual

4 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org BACKGROUND

Habitats are where animals live. They provide the animal with food, water, and shelter. live in every in the world from shallow coastal and to the open ocean and on reefs. Sometimes they can even venture into freshwater. Sharks are vital to a healthy ocean because they are apex predators at the top of the marine . Sharks are very adaptable and will migrate or move from place to place.

VOCABULARY

• Ocean • Freshwater • • • Shark • Apex predator • • • Adaptation • River • Vertebrate • Food chain • Coral • • • • Ampullae of Lorenzini • Pelagic • Nursery • Lateral line • Migration • reef • Cartilage • Saltwater • Dermal denticles • • Elasmobranch

5 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org STANDARDS

SECOND GRADE SCIENCE

SC.2.N.1.2: Compare the observations made by different groups using the same tools. SC.2.N.1.6: Explain how scientists alone or in groups are always investigating new ways to solve problems. SC.2.L.17.1: Compare and contrast the basic needs that all living things, including humans, have for survival. SC.2.L.17.2: Recognize that living things are found all over , but each is only able to live in habitats that meet its basic needs. SC.K2.CS-CC.1.4: Provide and accept constructive criticism on a collaborative project. SC.K2.CS.1.2: Describe how models and simulations can be used to solve real-world issues in science and engineering. SC.K2.CS-CC.1.3: Collaborate and cooperate with peers, teachers, and others using technology to solve problems. SC.K2.CS-CC.1.4: Solve questions individually and collaboratively using models.

THIRD GRADE SCIENCE

SC.3.N.1.4: Recognize the importance of communication among scientists. SC.3.N.1.6: Infer based on observation. SC.3.L.15.1: Classify animals into major groups (, birds, , amphibians, fish, arthropods, vertebrates, and invertebrates, those having live births and those which lay eggs) according to their physical characteristics and behaviors. SC.3.N.1.1: Raise questions about the natural world, investigate them individually and in teams through free exploration and systematic investigations, and generate appropriate explanations based on those explorations. SC.35.CS-CS.1.2: Describe how models and simulations can be used to solve real-world issues in science and engineering. SC.35.CS-CS.1.1: Identify the concepts illustrated by a simulation (e.g., , predator/prey, and invasive species). SC.35.CS-CS.1.4: Create a simple model of a system (e.g., flower or solar system) and explain what the model shows and does not show.

MATH LANGUAGE ARTS 2 - MAFS.2.MD.1.1 2 - LAFS.2.SL.1.1, LAFS.2.SL.1.3, LAFS.2.SL.2.4, LAFS.2.RI.1.1 3 - MAFS.3.MD.2.3 3 - LAFS.3.SL.1.1, LAFA.3.SL.1.3, LAFA.3.SL.2.4

6 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org TEACHER MATERIALS • Books about sharks • Videos of sharks • Photographs of sharks

TEACHER RESOURCES • https://kids.nationalgeographic.com • https://www.sharks4kids.com/ • http://discoverymindblown.com/ category/sharks/

LESSON TARGETS

• I can define and explain what a habitat is. • I can explain the differences in each of the shark habitats. • I can identify which sharks live in each habitat. • I can explain why it is important to protect the habitats.

DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES • Use of visuals • Hands on activities • Working in a group setting to explain vocabulary • Offer different stations • Use of open-ended questions • Relate topic to their everyday life Terri Roberts ENGAGE PRE-VISIT LESSON - Complete before visiting the River Center ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Sharks migrate to find new sources of food and they can travel up to hundreds of miles to feed. They have the ability to switch up their living conditions quickly in order to find food. Unlike many other animals, sharks are not territorial by nature. Like other fish, female sharks do not stay to take care of their eggs or newborns. Young sharks are born ready to take care of themselves from the very moment they are born. Because they are so skilled at adapting to new situations and changing environments, sharks have succeeded for 420-450 million in our .

• Open ocean - Over 300 million cubic miles of the ocean are classified as the “”, and sharks that live in this area have adapted to become swift swimmers in order to catch prey. The Short- Mako shark is an especially fast-moving species that thrives in the open ocean and has been observed reaching a swimming speed of 50 miles per hour. • Deep ocean - The ocean has an average depth of 2.5 miles, and the deepest parts of the are rich with unusual-looking creatures, including the Goblin Shark. • Coral reefs - Reef Sharks and Nurse Sharks tend to live near coral reefs feeding on the diverse found in these communities. • Sandy plains - Tiger Sharks, Sharks, and Saw Sharks () thrive in the sandy plains, sniffing out prey like small fish and even when they are buried in the or . • Rocky coastlines - You may not think of a rough, rocky as the most hospitable environment for sharks, but a diverse variety of species live beneath the surface, which means a steady food supply. This is why Spiny Dogfish Sharks, White Sharks, and Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks are attracted to these regions. • Estuaries - These bodies of water are found in locations where meet oceans. A variety of sharks can be found in this brackish mix of saltwater and freshwater, including Sandbar Sharks and Lemon Sharks. • Freshwater - Most people do not think of sharks as freshwater-dwelling creatures, but they do exist in some lakes and rivers that connect to the ocean. Bull sharks are the most common species of shark found in freshwater in our area. They are one of 43 species to utilize freshwater habitats.

Prior to visiting The River Center, show students different pictures of the Loxahatchee River andhow it is important. Read different books and watch a few clips about sharks that will give students some background knowledge. • https://www.sharks-world.com/ • https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals • https://sharkopedia.discovery.com/ • https://seethewild.org/shark-threats/ • www.ocearch.org

8 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org EXPLORE VISIT TO THE RIVER CENTER

1. Welcome, introduction to the River Center, overview of today’s field trip, and safety/rules talk 2. Divide the students into 2 groups to rotate through 3 different activities a. Lovin’ the Loxahatchee River Tour – focusing on habitats, animal adaptations and sharks b. Shark Habitats hands-on activity (See below) c. Water resources discussion i. Where does our water comes from? ii. How we use water in our everyday lives? iii. Where it goes once it flows down the drain? iv. What is the process of wastewater treatment? v. How can I help? Water conservation 3. Touch tank demonstration

EXPLAIN

SHARK HABITATS LAB - Completed at the River Center

1. Students will be divided into five different groups and sit at different tables. Each group will have a box of Legos, paper, and crayons. 2. We will begin the lesson with an activity that will let the students show their feelings about sharks. On the screen there will be different statements about sharks and the ocean. When the statement is on the screen the students will stand if they agree or stay seated if they disagree. We will take a few minutes to allow the students to “turn and talk” about their opinions. Afterwards, we will then talk about the parts of a shark and the seven senses. Make sure to take extra time to show the shark jaw and talk about the infinite number of teeth they have. Pass around the teeth and jaws for them to touch and explore. Take a minute to talk about the dermal denticles and let them feel the sharkcicle. 3. Next, have the students answer, “What is a habitat?” Let them explain in their own words and make a list of the different words they use to describe a habitat. 4. Have the students take their paper and write estuary, open ocean, , and freshwater in the spaces provided. Explain what each of those words mean and show different pictures/examples to help them better understand. Have them draw pictures and place the sharks that we discuss in the most accurate habitat. 5. Once we have gone over each habitat, each will be assigned a different shark and design and build the habitat for their shark. Once the habitats are complete have the students explain why they chose that particular habitat for their shark.

9 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org ELABORATE POST-VISIT LESSON - Complete the reflection after visiting the River Center

• Students can create a piece of art, paper slide show, puppet show, movie, poem, or other art of their choice to represent their shark habitat. • Students will also elaborate on migration and how each shark can have more than one habitat depending on the time of and the age of the shark.

EVALUATE POST-VISIT

• Participation in all activities. • Play the True/False game in the classroom. Have students stand in a straight line and then read a statement. If the answer is true step to the right. If the answer is false, have them step to the left. If they get the answer wrong they will sit down. If they get the answer correct they will go back to the line and continue. Last one standing is the Shark Expert. • Grade assessment on the Elaborate section.

STEM CONNECTIONS Creating STEM Connections

Science - See standards listed above. Technology • Learn more about shark research, satellite tagging, and tracking. • View the River Center’s Virtual Education – Science with Sam Volume 6: Shark Senses and Conservation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMj9XyWEtUo&list=PLA39R2PcEo32OY- s6Wp9bJE3ysTXj-Dqq&index=6 Engineering • Scientists use different methods to catch, gather data, and then satellite tag sharks before release. • Create a “shark collection device.” • Using craft materials, your goal is to create a collecting device that can be used to bring sharks to a research vessel.

10 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org • The contraption must be suspended in some way and be able to hold the of the “shark” (item of your choice) for at least 10 seconds without aid. • When you are ready to test, have a “Lead Researcher” start with a lighter weight object and then add additional weight to see what the capacity of the collection device will hold. • Continue to add weight to see if the invention can hold heavier sharks. Mathematics - • See standards listed above.

LOXAHATCHEE RIVER DISTRICT FOCUS AREA CONNECTIONS ☼ WATER SUPPLY The overall water conditions determine whether sharks, and their food, can survive in a habitat. , and water clarity effect what and animals can live in a habitat; if the habitat cannot support the shark’s food, then they cannot live there either. The LRD helps to limit this issue by recycling wastewater and assisting in management, so it does not enter the river or estuaries. In addition, the LRD conducts water quality monitoring research to help decision makers by providing data. ☼ SOLID WASTE Solid wastes in the ocean can be eaten by sharks, or their food, causing health issues and potential fatalities. Solid wastes can also block and from growing, further affecting the shark’s food source and its habitat. The LRD helps limit the amount of solid waste entering the by removing solid pollutants through wastewater treatment before it re-enters the ecosystem. The LRD also supports initiatives to trap or limit solid pollutants entering our waterways through drains.

11 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org RIVER CENTER EXHIBITS

Connecting the tour and the activity

ESTUARY AQUARIUMS - MANGROVE AND • (NURSERY AND MATING HABITATS) The estuary is a protected habitat and for this reason is a nursery for all kinds of aquatic life, including baby sharks! One of the reasons this habitat is a nursery is because it is home to other small animals such as , , and . All of these animals provide a food source for juvenile sharks. Sharks will travel to these estuary habitats to have birth and leave their young in a safe habitat to grow.

JUPITER SHARK EXPLORATION EXHIBIT • Despite being apex predators, sharks need our help! One of the biggest impacts on wildlife is habitat loss/destruction, and sharks are not immune to this issue. Sharks keep other fish populations at a healthy balance by eating the sick, old, and injured, keeping populations from over growing and running out of food. When a habitat is not healthy it cannot support the full variety of living creatures that are meant to be there, this causes certain species to suffer and die off, and for this reason sharks are extremely important to the health of the ocean, keeping populations in balance. Humans can help by protecting for wildlife, we call them Marine Protected Areas! Sharks live in a variety of habitats throughout their lifetime as their needs change and as they grow from pups to adults! Marine Protected Areas are especially important to mother sharks and their young; because sharks take a long time to reproduce, and since it takes years for a young shark to reach maturity to have its own young, mother sharks and their young heavily rely on protected areas to keep them safe. Having a variety of Marine Protected Areas ensures sharks have all the needed habitats to grow-up, feed, migrate, breed, and give birth to their young. Migration is a unique instinct that tells a shark it’s time to travel to a different area, usually following a change in seasons. Certain shark migrations can gather up to 15,000 individuals! Migration can be dangerous, however, because sharks must leave the safety of their habitat and journey through open ocean where along the way they can encounter fishing vessels and get tangled up in nets/fishing lines. One way we can protect sharks is by tracking their migration, in doing so we learn what areas the sharks utilize to migrate, so we can then protect those areas from and create more Marine Protected Areas.

SHARK MODELS THROUGHOUT THE EXHIBIT HALL • • • Is one of 43 species of sharks that can enter freshwater. • Is one of the most adapted sharks to brackish or freshwater, traveling as far as 2,200 miles up the and even giving birth to pups in freshwater rivers.

12 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org • The bite of the Bull Shark is among the highest of any fish, weighing in at 5,914 Newtons, that is more powerful than the Great White Shark! • They give birth to live young, instead of laying eggs like most sharks. • They can grow up to 13 feet in length and weigh around 600 pounds. • • They are more social sharks who can be found hunting in packs. • They can live up to 30 years, growing up to 11 feet and weighing around 500 pounds. • The Lemon shark’s retina is equipped with a specialized horizontal band that allows the shark to see fine detail and color while underwater. • Lemon sharks can be found at depths up to 300 feet. • They give birth to live young, instead of laying eggs like most sharks. • Nurse Shark • Nurse sharks do not need to continually swim to breath, they can pump water over their gills while resting; this is called Buccal Pumping. • Instead of swimming, they sometimes use their pectoral to “walk” across the sea bottom while stalking prey. • Nurse sharks are known to rest communally, with groups of two to 40 individuals piling on top of each other. • Nurse sharks have a five- or six-month gestation period and give birth to of 20 to 40 live young. A single batch of newborn pups may include the offspring of up to six different fathers. After she’s given birth, a mother nurse shark won’t mate again for another 18 months. • Scalloped Hammerhead • They grow between 6-9’ in length, weigh between 60-80 pounds. • Gestation periods for scalloped hammerhead sharks last for approximately 12 months. The female can produce large litters between 12 and 38 pups • They give birth to live young, instead of laying eggs like most sharks. • Despite their large heads, they have relatively small mouths. They feed on mackerel, herring, sardines, other fish, , and sometimes smaller sharks! • Atlantic Sharpnose Shark • The lower and upper jaws of an Atlantic Sharpnose shark have 24-25 rows of triangular teeth. • Atlantic Sharpnose sharks can grow to up to 32 inches in length. • They grow and mature at different rates in the Atlantic and of Mexico. • Females mature at around 2 years old in the Atlantic when they reach approximately 24 inches in length, and at around 1.3 years old in the Gulf of Mexico when they are approximately 25 inches in length.

13 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org • They can live up to 18 years.

CORAL REEF/DEEP MARINE • We have finally made it to the ocean; here we have saltwater surrounding our coral reef habitat. However, there a few fish that we have seen before, we saw them in the estuary where there is brackish water! As these fish got bigger, they made their way out of the estuary, adapting to saltwater. Even though the ocean has a different kind of water than the river or estuary all these habitats are connected; the water that flows from the river ends up in the ocean. Any pollutants that enter via the river or the estuary or the intercoastal will influence the coral reef and its inhabitants. This can drastically affect sharks; if coral reefs die off due to there will be no homes for fish to hide, and less food available in the habitat for sharks. Without a food source the sharks will migrate elsewhere in search of food or die off. There are ways humans can help, by reducing pollution around waterways, implementing , and creation/instillation of artificial reefs in areas where coral is no longer growing. By lending a hand to nature we preserve habitats, and the creatures that call them home, for ourselves and future generations.

14 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org POST FIELD TRIP LESSON

Thank you for participating in a field trip at the River Center. We hope your students enjoyed their experience learning about the Loxahatchee River as well as the different hands-on activities and animal encounters.

We are always looking for feedback and ways to improve our programs at the River Center. Please take a couple of minutes to complete the River Center’s field trip survey. We would really appreciate it! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RCSchoolSurvey

Attended a Virtual Field Trip? Use this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/rcvirtual

Please refer to the 5E lesson plan and the “Elaborate” section as a post-lesson activity. This is for you to utilize back in the classroom as a continuation of your experience at the River Center. They are an educational, fun, and creative way to gain more knowledge.

We appreciate your support and interest in the River Center and our programs. Please contact us with any questions or concerns. We look forward to seeing you and your students at the River Center in the future!

River Center - Loxahatchee River District 805 North U.S. Highway One Jupiter, FL 33477 (561) 743-7123 ext. 4200 (561) 743-6314 [Fax] [email protected] www.LRDRiverCenter.org Explore | Experience | Connect

15 River Center | lrdrivercenter.org