Aquarium on Wheels Pre & Post Materials

Dear Teacher,

We are looking forward to your visit with Aquarium on Wheels . Our program allows your students to discover and explore the different areas of the Pacific Ocean. In exploring the different regions of the Pacific Ocean, they will learn about the importance of animal adaptations during the auditorium/classroom program. On the day of our visit, they will learn more about the animals that reside here in the temperate waters of Southern California during the live animal interaction in our mobile aquarium.

In addition to our visit, we have prepared pre/post materials for your students. These materials will provide your students with fun activities that will enrich their knowledge of ocean life and challenge what they have learned during our visit. We have placed activities in the following categories based on standards. However, feel free to use any worksheet or activity that is appropriate for your current curriculum.

6th Grade – 8th Grade

§ Alaska Word Search Activity Sheet Pre- or Post- § Palau Word Search Activity Sheet Pre- or Post- § Southern California Word Search Activity Sheet Pre- or Post- § Fact or Fiction Classroom Activity Pre- or Post- § Big or Small… Measure ‘Em All Activity Sheet Pre- or Post- § Spud Sharks Classroom Activity Pre- or Post- § Super Shark Search Activity Sheet Pre- or Post- § Answer Sheets

*Please feel free to look through other materials in other grade levels. Some materials listed in a grade range may be used in others

The programs conducted by the Aquarium on Wheels, pre-visit materials and post-visit materials incorporate parts or all of the following California Science Standards:

6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade Ecology (Life Sciences) – 5a, Structure and Function in Density and Buoyancy – 8d 5b, Living 5c, 5d, 5e Systems – 5a, 5c

If you have any questions about the materials or program, please contact us at 562-951-5345. Thank you for your interest in our program. We are excited to be visiting your school!

Thank you,

The Aquarium of the Pacific Education Staff

Pre / Post Materials Teacher Letter ALASKA C J I E A M Q F R Z N O R T H A O H Z J D L D K R N I E R W K X L O D I A C L N Z T K A A H M H D P K K P O D W F A I V D S R P T U P L T H A I R P R J Z E U G H H S A A U N U R G X R Y S N T N R G P T S U R E S Y R E P X R H E S X I T Z A L T N A H P E L E B D Z O U N A E C L R H W J I A B I X N B M Z A I Z T P Q K A C U D G S M S S O J S H S O P A K L A Y A A P N D Q A Z S A T X Q B M M Y T S I L E S Y E P W K I R Y K T K A H C W V C C F U N J

1. Mammals such as seals and whales are commonly found in ______, the largest state in the USA. 2. Many marine mammals use ______to maintain their internal body temperature. 3. Unlike its close relative the seal, ______do have external ear flaps. 4. People need to wear a wetsuit in order to swim in ______water. 5. Hair, lungs, and live birth are things that all ______have in common. 6. All animals have ______in order to help them survive. Some that a human has are skin and thumbs. 7. All mammals, even marine mammals, breathe ______. 8. Seals and Sea lions use their ______and ______in order to swim. 9. The ______Pacific is a diverse area where many animals live and the water is very cold. 10. An ______seal has flippers, blubber, and a large trunk like nose.

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 Palau O L E R F H U O Z I L W R O E A I R L X D U G A G F W T L O N E E L A B Z M W I O F O N M I O D D Q H L O P V F H G U I S Q E Y B L W N W B W C I A G R R R Y I U F T H O A Q V L R E N T R L T O P L X X C V A A P H K M O O Y B D V H X K P T P Y O X T Y P E C T O R A L E I J U H V K T N B P L Z R D W L P E C I O E W V S Z X R N N F D M N O H Y X G X J E Z H Q

1. Whales use their ______to swim. 2. Gray whales ______from Alaska to Baja ever year. That's 12,000-14,000 miles every winter! 3. ______whales such as blue whales, gray whales, and humpback whales eat small invertebrates such as krill. 4. Since all whales are mammals, they breathe ______. 5. When they come up to the surface, whales breathe through their ______on the top of their head. 6. The blue ______is the largest animal that ever lived. It can grow over 100 ft and over 300,000 lbs! 7. Sperm whales, dolphins, and orca whales are ____ whales that eat fish and larger animals. 8. ______is an island in Mirconesia where many amazing animals can be found. 9. Humpback whales eat ______by sucking ocean water in through their baleen plates. 10. Like the wings of an airplane, a whale's ______flippers give lift and help the whale to steer. 11. A ______whale is a large baleen whale often seen in Palau and Hawaii.

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 SouthernSout hCaliforniaern Ca l/if Bajaornia

E K D S A P O V T L C B W Y D C C F A I U E A B V Q C Q N W O A L J N J Y N N H W X U A A E L U O L R S W J V S O Q T Y X I U D I A G D L O S M G D U M F R W A X W Y T O I L E T G D O R S A L H E U R E T L K N U R M O G T R T R A A B A I Q G N D R E E H P E R U O F K G H I S Y R E P C R I H N A U K L A C I R T C E L E A L E T U Z Y F N D H S T Q P Y Y T O G

1. Great white and bull sharks have ______teeth that help them rip through their prey. 2. All fish, including sharks, have ______that allow them to breathe water. 3. ______California is a place where great whites, horn sharks, and leopard sharks are common. 4. The ______fin helps the shark propel itself through the water. 5. Sharks can lose up to 30,000 ______in their life time. 6. Sharks are excellent predators, they use six different senses to hunt their ______. 7. There are little pores by the shark's nose that can sense ______impulses in the water. 8. You are more likely to be killed on the ______than by a shark! 9. Most people quickly recognize the ______fin of a shark. It allows the fish to swim well through the water. 10. The shark's strongest sense is its sense of ______. They can hear things over a mile away! 11. The water temperature in ______is considered temperate, but it is still pretty cold.

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 Fact or Fiction?

Background: There are an estimated 40 to 80 million different species of plants and animals on the planet. These organisms can be found in all types of diverse habitats. Over millions of years of environmental changes, animals have developed adaptations in order to survive in their environments. This activity will focus the student’s view of plants, animals and themselves.

Materials: Animal stories Copies of “Fact or Fiction” handout

Procedure: 1. Pass out a copy of the “Fact or Fiction” handout to each student. 2. Review the definition of the words fact and fiction if necessary. Give examples such as fiction/non-fiction books, movies etc. 3. Tell the students they will hear descriptions of six animals. They must decide if they believe the information is fact or fiction. Explain that all the stories may be fact, all of them may be fiction, or there may be a mix. 4. After reading the stories, take a vote as to how many students believe each story is fact or fiction. Ask the students to support their answer. 5. After final voting is complete, tell the students that each story is in fact true.

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 Red Sea Hare These jello-like animals are relatives of squid, snails, and slugs. They are hermaphroditic, meaning they are both male and female at the same time! While they can not mate with themselves, they produce both sperm and eggs, resulting in fertilized eggs that resemble Ramen noodles. Each cluster of eggs can generate millions of sea hares, though only 1-2 usually survive. As sea hares move along, they leave a slime trail behind them, which predators use to hunt them down.

Anemone This animal is like an upside-down sea jelly. It has stinging cells all along its tentacles that it uses to catch and stun its prey. Don't worry, it won't hurt you; it only feels sticky to our thick skin. This simple animal only has one opening in its body, meaning it eats, and releases waste through the same place. Gross!

Sea Star These relatives of sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars are the most ravenous predators in the tidepool. They are able to pull apart mussel and clam shells using the tube feet lining their arms. Once the shell is slightly opened, they spit out their stomachs, and begin the digestion process within the shell. The predatory sea star populations in the tidepools are responsible for maintaining the diversity of the community.

Sea Lion These marine mammals have sharp, pointy teeth, perfect for catching slippery slimy fish. Sometimes, sea lions do not even bother to chew up the fish they catch, and they have even been seen preying on sharks. From time to time, these pinnipeds have been known to eat rocks, to weigh themselves down like a scuba diver uses weights

Great White Shark These sharks are tremendous predators. Not only do they use the same five senses we use, they also have a sixth sense that lets them feel electrical impulses in the water. Great white sharks can lose up to 30,000 teeth throughout their lifetime. The eight fins of the great white shark allow it to be an excellent swimmer. In fact, these sharks do need to swim constantly in order to breathe. They are not found in captivity, because they require so much space to swim. Despite their bad reputation, great white sharks are not responsible for the majority of reported shark attacks.

Blue Whale The blue whale is the Earth's largest animal. They are bigger than any dinosaur that ever lived. Blue whales can reach lengths over 100ft., and weigh over 300,000 lbs. The heart of a blue whale is the size of a Honda Civic, the tongue weighs as much as an African elephant, and the aorta is wide enough for a human to crawl through. Despite their size, these large animals feed on some of the planet's smallest animals. Instead of teeth, they have baleen plates that are made of the same material as your hair and fingernails. They use these baleen plates to eat krill and other plankton. Blue whales can consume up to 8,000 pounds of food per day.

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 Fact or Fiction? After hearing each story, mark if you believe it is fact or fiction!

Fact Fiction Fact Fiction

Sea Anemone Blue Whale

Fact Fiction Fact Fiction

Sea Hare Sea Lion

Fact Fiction Fact Fiction

Sea Star Great White Shark

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 Sm ‘Em Big or all.. Measure All! Objective: To compare the length of different sharks in order to learn more about these mysterious creatures and dispel common myths.

Background: Many people believe sharks are large ferocious animals that hunt humans. Nothing could be further from the truth. Over 50% of sharks are less than 6ft long. To give students a visual aid, and to begin dispelling common shark myths, students will learn the names and sizes of 7 sharks, some of which are found at the aquarium.

Materials:

Tape measure 60 ft long rope or a large area such as a playground. Laminated Shark cards Sidewalk Chalk

Procedure: 1. On the rope or playground, mark the following distances: 50 ft, 20 ft, 11 ft, 10 ft, 5 ft, 3.5 ft, 3 ft 2.Lay the cards on the ground. Explain that one card corresponds to one mark on the ground or on the rope. The lengths represent the largest the shark can reach, and no two sharks are the same length. 3. Have the students work in teams to match the shark card with the appropriate length. Encourage the students to use the information from the back to learn more about the shark. 4. Give each team multiple chances to match the correct shark to its length. Whale Shark 50 ft Great White Shark 20 ft Zebra Shark - 11 ft Sand Tiger Shark 10 ft Leopard Shark 5 ft Horn Shark 3.5 ft Bamboo Shark - 3 ft 5. Once cards are placed correctly, have students share the new facts they have learned. 6. Optional: If a blacktop or sidewalk is available, have students draw and label life size sharks using sidewalk chalk. Make sure to include 5 gills and all the fins!

Pre/Post Materials 6-8 Whale Shark Whale Shark

- The largest fish in the ocean! - Feeds on small krill and plankton - Very gentle, and not aggressive to humans

Horn Shark Horn Shark

- Corkscrew shaped egg cases - Named for the horns found next to each dorsal fins. - Horns can appear purple due to a diet of purple urchins! Zebra Shark Zebra Shark - Found in the touch tanks and large pool of Shark Lagoon at the Aquarium of the Pacific - As juveniles, zebra sharks have dark stripes that give the shark its name - Have very small teeth

Bamboo Shark Bamboo Shark

- Develop in egg cases for 4-6 months - Commonly found resting on sandy bottoms - Juveniles colored with dark bars and spots on their bodies Great White Shark Great White Shark

- Serrated teeth allow the shark to rip and tear through food - Difficult to keep in captivity due to the length of their daily migrations -One of only 4 sharks considered potentially threatening to humans

Leopard Shark Leopard Shark

- Females tend to be larger than the males - Leopard sharks can give birth up to 24 live pups - Hand fed by divers at the aquarium Sand Tiger Shark Sand Tiger Shark

- Commonly exhibited in public aquariums - Can be seen resting motionless the bottom - Believed to swallow air in order to achieve neutral buoyancy

Bull Shark Bull Shark - Has the ability to swim into freshwater - Can birth up to 13 shark pups. - One of only 4 sharks considered potentially threatening to humans - Many shark attacks that have been blamed on great white sharks have actually been caused by bull sharks.

Spud Sharks

Objective: To learn the form and function of a shark's body shape and fins.

Background: A shark's distinct body shape and recognizable fins allow the fish to move easily through the water. Each fin has a function that aids the shark in order to efficiently swim through the water. The tail or caudal fin propels the shark through the water, while the pectoral fins provide lift and steering. The dorsal fin, anal fin, and pelvic fins provide stability for the shark.

Materials: Potatoes Toothpicks Construction paper Glue Googlie eyes Plastic knives or pottery tools

Procedure: 1. Distribute materials to the students and have them build a spud shark. 2. Cut a mouth at one end of the potato using a knife or similar tool. 3. Cut out 6 pairs of shapes, to be the fins using construction paper. Be sure to make a dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic fin, along with two pectoral fins. 4. Glue the fins to toothpicks by sandwiching the toothpick and glue between the pair of fins. 5. Poke the fins into the potato in the correct shark fin position. 6. Glue on googlie eyes 7. Discuss the student's sharks and the functions of each fin. 8. Optional: Allow the students to create other adaptations on the sharks such as gills (make sure there are 5) or a lateral line (to feel vibrations in the water).

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 Super Shark Search C R A E X X N T E W K H U V S

A O S G A X Y C E S R C J E Q

R T M P K L A G I E Q S Y C S

T A E F L L L X T M T H P B V

I D L U P A S U H A T H Z D C

L E L E S E T D P C L Q C R G

A R R I N G P E I M H F F Y Z

G P G S G J O R R A A J H E I

E H E L S K D S M A L L L V O

T S H X J N G G Z P L L J Y A

O Y M V O P R A H S E L F L T

E K V H E I W X Q E W R I J B

B Q C S H A R K L A G O O N F

P Q S T D E T A R R E S Z Q E

K T B K H T I I U X E W Y H R Word Bank:

Ampullae Serrated Smell Chondricthyes Sharp Shark Lagoon Flat Small Sight Lateral Line Teeth Predator Six Senses Replace Cartilage

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 Answer Sheets ALASKA Answer Key C J I E A M Q F R Z N O R T H A O H Z J D L D K R N I E R W K X L O D I A C L N Z T K A A H M H D P K K P O D W F A I V D S R P T U P L T H A I R P R J Z E U G H H S A A U N U R G X R Y S N T N R G P T S U R E S Y R E P X R H E S X I T Z A L T N A H P E L E B D Z O U N A E C L R H W J I A B I X N B M Z A I Z T P Q K A C U D G S M S S O J S H S O P A K L A Y A A P N D Q A Z S A T X Q B M M Y T S I L E S Y E P W K I R Y K T K A H C W V C C F U N J

1. Mammals such as seals and whales are commonly found in Alaska, the largest states in the USA. 2. Many marine mammals use blubber to maintain their internal body temperature. 3. Unlike its close relative the seal, sea lions do have external ear flaps. 4. People need to wear a wetsuit in order to swim in cold water. 5. Hair, lungs, and live birth are things that all mammals have in common. 6. All animals have adaptations in order to help them survive. Some that a human has are skin and thumbs. 7. All mammals, even marine mammals, breathe air. 8. Seals and Sea Lions use their fins and flippers in order to swim. 9. The North Pacific is a diverse area where many animals live, and the water is very cold. 10. An Elephant seal has flippers, blubber, and a large trunk like nose.

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 Palau Answer Key O L E R F H U O Z I L W R O E A I R L X D U G A G F W T L O N E E L A B Z M W I O F O N M I O D D Q H L O P V F H G U I S Q E Y B L W N W B W C I A G R R R Y I U F T H O A Q V L R E N T R L T O P L X X C V A A P H K M O O Y B D V H X K P T P Y O X T Y P E C T O R A L E I J U H V K T N B P L Z R D W L P E C I O E W V S Z X R N N F D M N O H Y X G X J E Z H Q

1. Whales use their FLIPPERS to swim. 2. Gray whales MIGRATE from Alaska to Baja ever year. That's 12,000-14,000 miles every winter! 3. BALEEN whales such as blue whales, gray whales, and humpback whales eat small invertebrates such as krill. 4. Since all whales are mammals, they breathe AIR. 5. When they come up to the surface, whales breathe through their BLOWHOLE on top of their head. 6. The blue WHALE is the largest animal that has ever lived. It can grow over 100 ft and over 300,000 lbs! 7. Sperm whales, dolphins, and orca whales are TOOTHED whales that eat fish and larger animals. 8. PALAU is an island in Micronesia where many amazing animals can be found. 9. Humpback whales eat KRILL by sucking ocean water in through their baleen plates. 10. Like the wings of an airplane, a whale's PECTORAL flippers give lift and help the whale to steer. 11. A HUMPBACK whale is a large baleen whale often seen in Palau and Hawaii.

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8 SouthernS oCauliftohrneira n/ BCajaa lAnsweriforn Keyia

E K D S A P O V T L C B W Y D C C F A I U E A B V Q C Q N W O A L J N J Y N N H W X U A A E L U O L R S W J V S O Q T Y X I U D I A G D L O S M G D U M F R W A X W Y T O I L E T G D O R S A L H E U R E T L K N U R M O G T R T R A A B A I Q G N D R E E H P E R U O F K G H I S Y R E P C R I H N A U K L A C I R T C E L E A L E T U Z Y F N D H S T Q P Y Y T O G

1. Great white and bull sharks have SERRATED teeth that help them rip through their prey. 2. All fish, including sharks, have GILLS that allow them to breathe water. 3. SOUTHERN California is a place where great whites, horn sharks, and leopard sharks are common. 4. The CAUDAL fin helps the shark propel itself through the water. 5. Sharks can lose up to 30,000 TEETH in their life time. 6. Sharks are excellent predators, they use six different senses to hunt their PREY. 7. There are little pores by the shark's nose that can sense ELECTRIC impulses in the water. 8. You are more likely to be killed on the TOILET than by a shark! 9. Most people quickly recognize the DORSAL fin of a shark. It allows the fish to swim well through the water. 10. The shark's strongest sense is its sense of SOUND. They can hear things over a mile away! 11. The water temperature in CALIFORNIA is considered temperate, but it is still pretty cold.

Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8