This Way to Barnegat Bay!

THIS WAY TO BARNEGAT BAY!

Adapted by Kimberly Belfer Education & Outreach Coordinator Save Barnegat Bay

Partially funded by The Watershed Institute Stony Brook – Millstone Watershed Association

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FOREWORD

Thank you for assisting us with this program and supporting what we hope and strive to achieve: a working partnership between Ocean County schools and Save Barnegat Bay. We would also like to thank you for your ongoing commitment to nature education, hands-on learning, and lifelong stewardship. Your students depend on these partnerships to grow and learn and become the next wave of Barnegat Bay experts.

This Way to Barnegat Bay! has been reestablishing itself over the years, since its inception in 2006. Now, with your continued support, it will grow and prosper into a fully functioning outreach education program. Each lesson helps Ocean County students understand the marine ecosystems right in their backyard and cultivates conservation for the Barnegat Bay Watershed.

With the development of this K-8 curriculum supplement, we are able to present a wider array of information to area students and invest them in their future as environmental stewards. The continuation of this program lies in the dedication and support Save Barnegat Bay receives from the general public in the form of volunteers, donations, and supporters.

The lessons set forth in this manual are separated into eight units, designated by individual earmark symbols. For example, the unit on Terrapins and Turtles is earmarked with a terrapin hatchling, and the unit on the Water Cycle is earmarked with a water droplet. From watersheds to water pollution, resident marine species to migrating species, your students learn everything there is to know about the life of an estuary, a salt marsh, a barrier island, and the Atlantic coastline. It is our pleasure to present these lessons to your students. Now, with a generous grant from the Watershed Institute, we can provide you with this teacher’s guide and a starter kit of supplies for free, to continue your students’ Barnegat Bay education.

As the Education and Outreach Coordinator, I am humbled by your dedication and passion to teaching the young minds of today and tomorrow. It is because of you that these guides are created and published and it is because of you that our outreach programs are made possible. You dedicate your time, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love for the natural world so that generations after you can appreciate the world around them. We truly are a culture where we believe in “No Child Left Inside!”

Kimberly Belfer Education & Outreach Coordinator Save Barnegat Bay [email protected]

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Table of Contents

Unit One: Shifting Sands

Lesson 1: Tunnel Vision ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9 Lesson 2: My Sand is Fine, How About Yours? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12 Lesson 3: Where Did My Beach Go? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 14

Unit Two: Water Cycle and Watersheds

Lesson 4: We Are All Connected ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 19 Lesson 5: “Incredible Journey” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 21 Lesson 6: Watershed Walkabout ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 23

Unit Three: Shore Migrations

Lesson 7: Mapping My Migration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 27 Lesson 8: Sealed with Blubber ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 30 Lesson 9: Mighty Migrations ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 33

Unit Four: Food Webs

Lesson 10: Food Web on a String ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 45 Lesson 11: “Web of Life” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 50 Lesson 12: Food Webs – Egyptian Style ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 53

Unit Five: Marine Species

Lesson 13: Sea Jellies Among Us ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 59 Lesson 14: No Crabbing Around ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 63 Lesson 15: One Shell or Two ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 68 Lesson 16: Turtles, Turtles, Everywhere ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 73 Lesson 17: Dichotomous Dilemma ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 76 Lesson 18: Elasmo-Craze ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 82

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Unit Six: Terrapins and Turtles

Lesson 19: The Great Terrapin Race ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 92 Lesson 20: We Eat it Too ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 96 Lesson 21: Terrapin Bingo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 99

Unit Seven: People Pollution

Lesson 22: Storm Drain Maze ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 107 Lesson 23: Share and Share Alike ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 113 Lesson 24: “Sum of the Parts” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 115

Unit Eight: Outdoor Investigations

Lesson 25: Catch of the Day ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 118

Bibliography ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 121

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UNIT ONE: SHIFTING SANDS

Shifting Sands is presented in three lessons. These lessons explore the life of a barrier island ecosystem and how it has been impacted by human development over time. Students will have the opportunity to inspect species found on a barrier island as well as the natural contours of a barrier island ecosystem.

Tunnel Vision (K-2) explores the elaborate network of burrows and tunnels underneath the beach sand we stand on. Students will understand why wet sand is preferred over dry sand for species to construct their barrier island homes. NGSS: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms (survival needs); Biogeology (changing the environment) K-ESS 2-2; Natural Resources (food webs) K-ESS 3-1; Biodiversity and Humans (habitats and species diversity) 2-LS 4-1

My Sand is Fine, How About Yours? (3-5) describes the different types of sand based on particle size, shape, and texture. Students will have the opportunity to differentiate where on the beach the sand came from based on these characteristics. If a field trip is possible, this lesson could be conducted outdoors on an actual beach. NGSS: Earth Materials and Systems (weathering and erosion, interacting systems) 4-ESS 2-1, 5-ESS 2-1

Where Did My Beach Go? (6-8) helps students understand erosion and explain why it is an important factor in shaping the Atlantic coast. This activity can be used as a demonstration or as a hands-on activity to show students how erosion can alter a coastline. It is designed for younger students but can be adapted and expanded for older students. NGSS: Biodiversity and Humans (effects of habitat change) 3-LS 4-4; Natural Hazards (reduction of impacts) 3-ESS 3-1, 4-ESS 3-2; Earth Materials and Systems (weathering and erosion) 4-ESS 2-1; Human Impacts on Earth Systems (conservation efforts) 5-ESS 3-1

Background Information: Barrier island beaches line many coastal states, including New Jersey. The beaches themselves can be divided into zones based on the size, texture, and components of its sand. Beginning with the dunes, the sand found here is finer in texture and is lighter in color. This zone is called the backshore because it is located farthest from the ocean. There are two reasons for its texture and color: the fine grains are easily picked up by wind and the sun warms the grains until they are dry and faded in color. The sand particles are smaller in size and because they are not weighed down by water, they are easily moved around the beach. This type of sand can give you sand-burn if the winds blow too fierce during a storm. Most species of animals cannot live in this zone because they would have to tunnel very deep in order to access water for food and nutrients.

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The sand upon which we throw our beach blankets, chairs, and umbrellas is located in a zone called the foreshore. It is directly located before the ocean reaches the normal high water mark. The sand particles here are slightly more coarse and larger in size. Because the sun heats this zone throughout the day, the top layer tends to be a shade lighter than underneath because the water table is closer to the surface. It is because of this moisture that small organisms such as worms, crabs, and sand fleas can live in this zone and tend to be nocturnal to avoid the heat from direct sunlight.

The sand nearest to the ocean is located in a zone called the nearshore. These sands are exposed during low tides and inundated with water during high tides. In relation to the other zones, these sands are much coarser and the particles are larger in size. With water being the key factor to its coloration, the sand particles tend to be much darker. Iron and copper in the water can also contribute to the coloration, mixing a red or charcoal pigment in with the usual browns and tans. There are few organisms that can tolerate the extremes of being exposed to the sun and inundated with water throughout the daily tidal cycles, but various species of mollusks can burry themselves in the moist sand when the surface area is exposed.

As with all barrier island formations, New Jersey’s is not without its erosion issues. Erosion is the process of sand being pulled from a shoreline and deposited offshore on shoals or sandbars or further down the coast. During the summer months in the northern hemisphere, both wind and water chisel away what become scarps – areas of sharp slopes at the edge of the foreshore. During the winter, those same areas are flattened by winter storms and the sand is more uniform across the beach.

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Tunnel Vision

Grades: K-2 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To match barrier island organisms with their underground habitats.

Objectives: Students will be able to: describe the differences between rocky and sandy intertidal zones; differentiate species that use beaches for their homes; and understand the adaptations needed to survive.

Materials: Shallow baking trays Sand Small rocks Sticks Water Toy beach critters (burrow in the sand, attach to rocks, found in dunes, etc.) Paper towels

Preparation: Prepare three different containers for each group of students. One will contain dry sand, one will contain wet sand, and one will contain sand mixed with rocks. Place toy beach critters in appropriate sand samples and ensure that they are buried completely.

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin by asking the students if they’ve ever been to a beach and dug through the sand. How did it feel? Was some of the sand softer? Was some of the sand wetter or dryer? When they dug through the sand, did they find any animals that lived there? Discuss with the students the adaptations these animals have to living under the sand. You can describe their legs for digging, their mouth parts for taking in nutrients from the water, and their size.

2. Activity: Explain to the students that they will be demonstrating the best location for animals to live based on the type of substrate they are burrowing into or attaching themselves to. Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students and pass out each of the containers to each group. Explain that each container represents a different habitat that can be found along the coastline and different animals have adapted to live in different habitats. For the first 5-10 minutes, have the students use the sticks to poke the sand and attempt to make burrows. Ask them to describe which container makes the best burrows and why?

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Once they have created burrows, ask them to gently blow on the sand. What happens to their burrows? Explain that this is what happens when heavy winds from storms blow sand around the beach. Which burrows would survive during a wind storm such as a hurricane and why? Finally, have the students add a little water (not too much) to their burrows. What happens to the sand? What happens to their burrows? Explain that this is what happens when tides come in or when storms bring in a lot more water than normal. Which burrows would survive during these wet conditions and why?

3. Post-Activity (review): Discuss with the class which types of animals might be found in each substrate. Have each group then dig through their sand to find out if their hypotheses were correct. Describe the adaptations of each species and how they can live in these different habitats on the beach.

Key Words: Habitat Adaptation Dunes Intertidal zone Sessile Mobile

Background Information: *Adapted from Beaches and Dunes* Animals have adapted themselves to living not only underground, but very close to the water table on barrier islands. Because the habitat is always shifting, these organisms must be able to cope with water, salinity, temperature, and sand variation. They are also susceptible to beach erosion, storm surges, and large storms such as hurricanes.

These species live in and among the sand grains, burrowing deep and creating complex cavities under the surface of the sand. They are small, relative to species that live above ground, and rely on the water table for their food, usually in the form of planktonic species and nutrients. Their bodies are equipped with small digging legs as well as mouthparts used for sifting through sand grains and water for prey.

These invertebrates will most likely be found nearer to the water’s edge in the intertidal zone. Beach hoppers, mole crabs, and sand fleas dig holes in the sand to escape the midday heat and when the sand has dried up during low tide. They come closer to the surface during high tide and in the evenings when the sands are cooler.

Tubeworms and coquina clams are ideal intertidal zone inhabitants because they have outer protective encasings to keep them from drying up in the summer heat. Like their larger counterparts, coquina clams are much smaller and will burrow underground right at the water’s edge so they maximize their feeding times. Tubeworms create calcium carbonate tubes and will stretch their featherlike tentacles out into the water to capture microscopic prey. When the tide is low or the sand hot, they will retreat into their tubes to await the next tide. Birds with long beaks, such as sanderlings, will usually probe the mud for them.

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SAND FLEA MOLE CRAB

GHOST CRAB

TUBEWORMS COQUINA CLAMS

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My Sand is Fine, How About Yours?

*Adapted from NJ Sea Grant Consortium*

Grades: 3-5 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To understand that sand feels and looks different across a beach and to differentiate the zones found on a barrier island.

Objectives: Students will be able to: identify sand from different zones of a local beach based on particle size, shape, and texture; compare these samples to beach sands from different parts of the country and world; and create a sand wheel representing these specific zones.

Materials: Sand samples from dunes, backshore, foreshore, and nearshore Dissecting microscopes Petri dishes (or other divided dish) Glue Permanent markers White paper Pens/colored pencils Laminated photos of sands from other locations

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin with an overview of a local beach: describe the zones and the sand found at each of them. Explain that you can see more of what sand is actually made up of by exploring the grains under a microscope. Emphasize that many factors shape sand particles and include water/wave action, wind, animals, and people. You can even give examples of being on a beach during a wind storm and getting pelted by sand as it is blown around.

2. Activity: Divide the class into teams of “microbiologists” and instruct them that they are going to explore the microscopic world of sand. Using their glue, they are to take small samples of sand from each of the zones of the beach and glue them into their petri dishes, making sure they label each zone with the permanent markers. If there are enough dishes, students can create one wheel for each zone instead of dividing their dish. Under the lens of the microscopes, have the students examine their sand samples, drawing and describing what they see on their white paper.

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3. Post-Activity (review): Instruct the students to describe what they have seen under the microscope and write their descriptive words on the board. Differentiate between local sand and sand found in different areas of the country and world. Provide photos of examples from Florida (coral/shell deposits), Hawaii (black and volcanic), Maine (coarser from boulders), England (“white cliffs of Dover” and limestone), or Australia (finer from cyclone activity).

Key Words: Dunes Backshore Foreshore Nearshore Erosion Quartz Coralline Volcanic Limestone

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Where Did My Beach Go?

Grades: 6-8 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To describe the zones of a local barrier island beach and to demonstrate how erosion shapes the Atlantic coastline.

Objectives: Students will be able to: describe the zones of a barrier island beach; define erosion; and explain why it is an important factor in shaping the Atlantic coast.

Materials: Oven baking pans Sand Toy animals, such as clams, crabs, and snails Laminated before/after photos of erosion (provided) Paper towels

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin by exploring the zones of a beach and the characteristics of the sand found at each of them. Ask the students to define beach erosion, and explain its significance to barrier islands and the Atlantic coast in terms of protection of the mainland. Elaborate on how erosion can affect species that live under the surface of the sand.

2. Activity: Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students. Pass out the materials to each group and instruct them to fill their oven pans with sand to about half way, building up a beach slope on one side of the pan. As they build their beach, scatter the toy animals in between the layers of sand. Add water to the empty side of the pan until it is level with their slope. Have the students gently rock their pans back and forth, creating small waves to demonstrate normal tides and wave breaks. Making sure they are careful with the water, have each group create larger waves and explain that this simulates what happens during storms. As an optional component, use fine and coarse sand and have the students compare the erosion of each.

3. Post-Activity (review): Review with the students what happened to the sand both at normal wave action and during their simulated storm surges. Explain what happens when a barrier island is breached by the ocean during violent storms like hurricanes and nor’easters. As an optional extension to this lesson, take the students to a local beach at two times of the year, or right after a storm, so they can see how the erosion affects the layout of the beach.

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Key Words: Backshore Foreshore Nearshore Erosion Storm surge Hurricanes Nor’easters

Photos of Winter and Summer beaches on the following page.

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WINTER BEACH

SUMMER BEACH

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UNIT TWO: WATER CYCLE AND WATERSHEDS

Water Cycle and Watersheds is presented in three lessons. Students will begin to understand simple watershed dynamics and more complex functions such as the water cycle and water pollution prevention. They will explore the impact pollution has on whole ecosystems, not just individual organisms.

We Are All Connected (K-2) elaborates on the idea that water resources connect us to every plant and animal on the planet. In this activity, students will demonstrate their knowledge of their own water use as well as what other organisms need water to survive by creating a collage of water uses and water needs. NGSS: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms (survival needs) K-LS 1-1; Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (plant needs) 2-LS 2-1; Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes (different water ecosystems) 2-ESS 2-3

“Incredible Journey” (3-5) is a fun and interactive game, where students act as water droplets moving through the water cycle and watershed. They will be journeying to different stations designated by where water goes throughout its cycle. Students will also create a visual to demonstrate how pollution can affect the entire water cycle. NGSS: Biodiversity and Humans (effects of Habitat Change) 3-LS 4-4; Earth Materials and Systems (interacting systems) 5-ESS 2-1; Human Impacts on Earth Systems (conservation efforts) 5-ESS 3-1

Watershed Walkabout (6-8) allows students to identify and describe their own individual connection to their watershed. It uses the EnviroScape® Watershed Model but can be created using homemade materials if the model is not available. Students will be able to identify key components to the watershed as well as how these components contribute to the water cycle and pollution within the cycle. NGSS: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience (changes over time) MS-LS 2-4; Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes (water cycle) MS-ESS 2-4; Human Impacts on Earth’s Systems (altered ecosystems) MS-ESS 3-3

Background Information: Water moves in a complex cycle over earth every day. We tend to look at the movement of water as cyclic and there are certain components that are significant – condensation, evaporation, precipitation, infiltration (percolation), and transpiration. Each of these terms is defined below.

Condensation is when water vapor expands in the earth’s atmosphere and forms clouds. When the clouds become too heavy, precipitation falls from the sky, usually in the form of rain or snow, but sometimes as sleet or hail. Infiltration or percolation occurs when water from rain seeps into the ground and forms underground pools or aquifers. Transpiration occurs when water ascends out of the leaves of many plants. Evaporation is the form of water as a gas as it rises from land and sea back to the atmosphere.

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This cycle is not just one large loop, though. It can be considered the hydrologic web rather than the hydrologic cycle. There are other components of the water cycle that contribute to the flow of water over the earth. Animals, as well as plants, take in water as they drink and give off water in their urine. Groundwater flows undetected until it reaches a major waterway such as a river, stream, lake, pond, or ocean.

Because water within a watershed always flows downstream, all water from inland and upstream containing point- and non-point source pollution has a detrimental effect on the entire water cycle. Debris, fertilizers, pesticides, oil, detergents, etc. that find their way to roadside storm drains will be lead downstream through underground pipelines into local waterways. In Ocean County, there are now round discs placed on every storm drain, to indicate that it leads to the Barnegat Bay, deterring people pollution.

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We Are All Connected

Grades: K-2 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To understand what organisms need water to survive and how we use water.

Objectives: Students will be able to: describe water uses in our everyday lives; identify other organisms that use water; identify ecosystems and habitats where these water sources can be found; and create a collage of the uses of water.

Materials: Magazines (travel, animals, etc.) Safety scissors Construction paper Markers Glue sticks

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin the lesson by asking students how they use water. You can generate a list on the board. Prompt them by asking them where they use water in their homes, at school, or at the park. Once you have enough answers, ask them if they know what else uses water besides humans. You can generate another list on the board. Elaborate on organisms using water and being connected to each other and introduce the term watershed. Inform the students that in the activity, they are going to be representing a watershed, by finding all the ways that water is used and creating a collage.

2. Activity: Pass out the materials to each student. They may share magazines. Instruct them to carefully cut out pictures that represent the uses of water as well as organisms besides humans that may use water. If you can, steer their watersheds towards local places or have them consider ecosystems close to their home before creating collages with organisms from other countries. Once they cut out their pictures, have them paste them onto colored construction paper, completing their collage.

3. Post-Activity (review): Elaborate more on watersheds and water cycles. For the older students, this might be a good lesson to introduce how water flows through a watershed. For the younger students, you can discuss how water falls onto earth from the sky and how it is used by plants and animals to survive.

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Key Words: Watershed Water cycle Water use Ecosystem Habitat Precipitation Condensation Evaporation Groundwater Estuaries Freshwater Saltwater

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“Incredible Journey”

*Adapted from Project WET®*

Grades: 3-5 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To demonstrate the movement of water through the water cycle and how easily pollution is added to it.

Objectives: Students will be able to: describe the water cycle in terms of its components; identify the states of water as it moves through the cycle; understand how detrimental pollution is to the water cycle; and describe how we can help keep pollution out of the hydrosphere.

Materials: Station labels – plants, animals, river, ocean, clouds, underground/aquifer, soils, and roads 8 spinners with pictures of each station (pre-made) Black paper tabs for “pollution” White paper Colored pencils

Preparation: Create station spinners for each of the 8 stations. These can be made using paper plates, pre- printed pie pictures, and brass fasteners. Glue the pie pictures to the underside of the paper plate and place the fastener in the center. Use either pre-cut spinners or a paper clip attached to the fastener (looks like a Twister® spinner).

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin the lesson by asking students what they know about watersheds and the water cycle. If they have already learned the water cycle, this should be a review; if this is a new concept you are presenting, draw the cycle out on the board as a visual aid. Ensure they use the correct key words, so they can associate the components of the cycle with evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, infiltration and condensation.

2. Activity: Set up the stations and spinners around the room, with one spinner and one station label at each. Pair the students to act as “water droplets” as they move through the water cycle. Hand out a piece of white paper and a pencil to each pair to record their own personal water cycle because it will be different for each pair. Explain that each station has a spinner and a label. When they get to a new station, they are to spin the spinner and go to the station they land on. Write down the name of that station on their papers. If they land on the road station, each pair takes a black tab and brings it with them to drop at the next station.

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3. Post-Activity (review): After approximately 20 minutes, and making sure they have gone through all of the stations at least twice, direct the students to their seats. Discuss as a class where their water drop pairs went during their water cycle and explain that because of these different paths, it is like a web that weaves through many different components. Direct them to look around the room and view what happens to the water cycle when pollution is added from the roads. Discuss with them what types of pollution would enter into the water cycle in this way and ways to prevent it from happening. Write the types of pollution and types of prevention on the board as a visual aid. As an extension to this lesson, have the students create their own version of the water cycle based on where they live.

Key Words: Water cycle Condensation Evaporation Precipitation Infiltration Transpiration Groundwater Storm drain Point-source pollution Non-point source pollution Water vapor Watershed

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Watershed Walkabout

*Adapted from EnviroScape® Model*

Grades: 6-8 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To demonstrate a watershed model and describe our own individual connection to the estuarine watershed.

Objectives: Students will be able to: identify and describe the link between the bay ecosystem and their homes, schools, and communities; describe the movement of water through the watershed within the water cycle; and identify forms of point- and non-point source pollution within their community and how it can be added to the water cycle.

Materials: EnviroScape® Model (if available) Large oven pan Colored clay Spray bottle with water Toy models of cars, trees, houses, farms Brown jimmies (animal waste) Cocoa powder (soil/erosion) Green sprinkles (fertilizer) Red drink mix (chemicals) Soy sauce (oils)

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Introduce the students to the concept of a watershed by asking them to describe the waterways that are closest to them. Ask them if they’ve ever followed a river as it flowed and what direction it was going. Explain that in a watershed, all water flows downstream, so anything that enters a waterway upstream will eventually make its way down the river and into the ocean. If the EnviroScape® model is not available, the students will create their own models using the large oven pans. The colored clay can be used to show the contours of a watershed and should be shaped with hills and valleys and slope down towards the other end of the oven pan. The toys demonstrate how each component is incorporated into the watershed. As students describe the watershed and water cycle, place the key words on the board.

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2. Activity: Divide the class into pairs and have them build their watershed models. As they build, explain that normal rainstorms will move water through the watershed at a normal rate. When they first spray water over their models, have them begin at the headwaters and allow the water to flow downstream. They can adjust their models as they go. Since all water flows towards the estuary and ocean, have the students add water to the other end of their pans, halfway up their clay slope. Instruct students to spread the “pollution” around the watershed, using the sprinkles and mixes and describe which pollution is represented by each. Explain what happens to the pollution when it combines with the water cycle and have them demonstrate by spraying the watershed models again.

3. Post-Activity (review): Discuss as a class how heavy rainfall, overdevelopment, and overuse of the land can add more pollution to the watershed. Ask the students to describe where the pollution went and how to prevent it from it happening.

Key Words: Water cycle Condensation Evaporation Precipitation Infiltration Transpiration Groundwater Storm drain Point-source pollution Non-point source pollution Water vapor Watershed

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UNIT THREE: SHORE MIGRATIONS

Shore Migrations is presented in two lessons. From whales and dolphins to seals and birds, species migrate along the eastern coast of the United States throughout their life time and for different reasons. Students will explore the migratory paths of some local species as well as examine the human impacts we have had not only on the species individuals but on their migration routes and habitats as well.

Mapping My Migration (K-2) demonstrates the migration patterns of known species along the Atlantic coastal waterway. Students will learn what could happen to these species if their migration patterns were interrupted by an increase in predators or human interactions. NGSS: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms (survival needs) K-LS 1-1; Natural Resources (food webs) K-ESS 3-1; Structure and Function (morphology) 1-LS 1-1; Biodiversity and Humans (habitats and species diversity) 2-LS 2-1; Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes (different water ecosystems) 2-ESS 2-3

Sealed With Blubber (3-5) introduces students to the role blubber has in insulating seals and other marine mammals in colder climates. During the winter months, as we in the mid-Atlantic bundle up to keep warm from the cold air, other animals need to rely on their own body fat to keep warm in cold water. This activity demonstrates how that fatty layer is used by these species. NGSS: Adaptation (habitat survival) 3-LS 4-3; Structure and Function (internal and external features) 4-LS 1-1

Mighty Migrations (6-8) allows students to explain and demonstrate the migration patterns of birds that utilize the Great Atlantic Flyway, which passes through New Jersey, as well as whale species that migrate along our waters. Students will also be able to observe obstacles that these organisms face seasonally as they migrate along our coastline. NGSS: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (organism and resource interactions) MS-LS 2-1; Human Impacts of Earth’s Systems (altered ecosystems) MS-ESS 3-3

Background Information: Most migratory shorebirds and other migrant species come to the New Jersey coastline momentarily for a brief stopover on their long voyage spanning two hemispheres. On this stopover, they are tired, weary, thinner, and hungry from their long journey. Knowing they must endure the second half of their migration, they literally gorge themselves on food. For migrating shorebirds, eggs of many animals, mainly Limulus polyphemus (horseshoe crabs), are very high in protein, much higher than some of the other food sources they would normally eat such as fruit, seeds, or insects.

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Several endangered or threatened species make these migrations every year, including piping plovers, terns, hawks, humpback whales, and sea turtles. Some of them will come to nest before continuing on their journey and their favorite nesting spots seem to be in and around the dune grasses or marshlands of our local shores. Others, such as the whales and turtles, will come close to shore to feed or rest.

During the course of their journey, these species must face many obstacles. Some of them are natural while others are man-made or anthropogenic. Because they are coming to the same coastline annually and are not year-round residents, they do not know whether there will be enough food for them when they return, whether the same nesting area will still be there, or whether a strong wind or current will move them off-course. There are also predators they would not normally have to avoid in their natural environments.

The anthropogenic obstacles are a lot more harmful because the ability to adapt to them is more difficult in such short time spans. Such obstacles can include habitat loss, people pollution, feral predators, and urban sprawl. For nesting birds, habitat loss and construction are the two most detrimental. For those species stopping to feed, a combination of habitat loss, pollution, and hunting could pose the most threats.

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Mapping My Migration

Grades: K-2 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goal: To demonstrate where and why certain species migrate along the Atlantic coastline.

Objectives: Students will be able to: follow migration patterns of shorebirds, marine mammals, and other migrating wildlife; and explain why these patterns occur and what could happen if these patterns were interrupted by an increase in predators or human interaction.

Materials: Floor-sized atlas map (if available) Individual migration maps of various species (some provided) Laminated photos of common migrating species (some provided)

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin with the basic definition of migration. Give examples of several different types of migration patterns: for food, to find a mate, shelter from predators, etc. Describe some local migration patterns found in shorebirds and marine mammals as well as juvenile and adult species found in the estuarine watershed (any of your choice). Students can even discuss migrations they are more aware of, such as the monarch butterfly or hawk species.

2. Activity: This activity should be conducted in a large playing area, but you can also have the students move their desks inside the classroom. If the large floor map is not available, you can use smaller migration maps and tape them around the room. Explain that most birds and marine mammals migrate in flocks or pods, so more than one person will be migrating at the same time. Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students to form their flock/pod. Explain that some migrations are long, spanning two hemispheres, while others are much shorter. Students representing marine mammals will migrate at a much slower pace because of their immense body size. Following the migration pattern of their designated species, the students will follow a normal route without any obstacles. Sometimes they will meet up with more flocks/pods and then migrate along together.

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After one round of migration is completed, place chairs or desks in the migration routes of the species (outdoor equipment can be used if outside), so that students can see what happens when anthropogenic obstacles are added. Designate some students to be predators that might be looking for food along the migration routes. Have the flocks and pods attempt to migrate again and demonstrate that it will take longer for them to go around these obstacles and avoid these unexpected predators.

3. Post-Activity (review): Once their desks and chairs are put back in place (or you have returned to the classroom), discuss with the students the types of migration patterns they demonstrated. Ask them to explain what happened when certain obstacles were placed in their way and what could happen if something were to hinder their migrations. Have them brainstorm different examples of obstacles such as oil spills, whale hunting, loss of feeding/breeding habitat, loss of food supply, etc. and how they can be avoided.

Key Words: Migration Habitat loss Predators Point-source pollution Non-point source Pollution Anthropogenic (older students)

COMMON MIGRATING SPECIES

Ospreys – Spring Migrants

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Red Knots – Summer Migrants

Humpback Whales – Fall Migrants

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Sealed With Blubber

*Adapted from the common “Blubber Glove” activity and New Wave of Learning*

Grades: 3-5 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goal: To understand how blubber is used as a form of insulation in marine mammals in cold climates.

Objectives: Students will be able to: explore the use of blubber for insulation and warmth in marine mammals; and identify pinneped species found during the winter months around the New England and Mid-Atlantic states.

Materials: Ziplock bags Crisco or shortening Duct tape Cooler of ice Large bowls of cold water Towels Diagram of blubber cross-section (provided)

Preparation: Prepare the blubber glove prior to the activity. Take one ziplock bag and fill it with Crisco or any type of shortening such as lard. Take the second ziplock bag and turn it inside out and place it inside the Crisco-filled bag. Attach the ziplock bags together and use the duct tape to tape around the top edges, making sure there are no leaks. Place your hand inside the open bag and move the Crisco around so that it is even around all sides. Make several so you can have multiple stations. Set up the bowls of ice water prior to beginning the lesson so they are cold enough by the time you are ready to do the activity.

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin the lesson by introducing the family of pinnipeds – seals, sea lions, and walruses. Explain that certain species of seals can be found in New England and the Mid-Atlantic during the winter months. Ask the students to elaborate on other marine mammals and explore what physical adaptations make them mammals. Discuss the similarities between humans and marine mammals and how we stay warm in winter – coats, hats, and scarves versus blubber.

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2. Activity: Break the students into several groups and have them each take turns becoming “seals”, sticking one hand directly into the cold water and one hand into the blubber glove. They will see how blubber works as they are able to keep the hand surrounded by insulation in the water longer than the hand placed directly in water. Make sure they dry their hands with the hand towels when they are done with the activity.

3. Post-Activity (review): Once the activity is complete, have the students take their seats and collect all the bowls and blubber gloves to get them out of the way. Explain that directly under the skin of seals, about 12 inches thick, is a layer of fat to keep them warm exactly like the fat in the glove. Have the students discuss what might happen to their bodies if seal fur was coated with oil. Since the fatty layer is produced by what they eat, have the students discuss what might happen if they ingested something from the water that interfered with the production of this fat.

Key Words: Pinnipeds Marine mammals Blubber Insulation Endothermic Epidermis Dermis

Background Information: *Adapted from New Wave of Learning* Seals, sea lions and walruses all belong to the family of marine mammals known as Pinnipeds. The word “pinneped” means “fin-footed” and this species all have specially adapted feet to resembled fish fins known as flippers. From November through April, seals can be found in and around the bays and estuaries of New Jersey and other New England states. The most abundant species is the harbor seal, followed by the gray seal, harp seal, and hooded seal.

All species have teeth to bite down on their prey, usually fish species or crustaceans. Their snouts are equipped with whiskers to help them feel around the bottom sandy areas for food that might be hiding under the sand. Their eyes are able to see perfect 20/20 underwater but may be blurry above water. During the day, they are staying warm and away from predators by hauling themselves out of water onto islands of land within the bay.

Their fatty blubber layer helps keep them warm and insulated not only from the biting cold air but also from the cold water. Colder water is usually found at greater depths so in order to reach their food, they must dive down deeper. The fatty layer allows them to stay down longer in search of food and aids in warming their extremities quicker when they are hauled out of water.

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Major threats to these mammals include being hit by boats in the water, entanglement in fishing gear, oil spills that stop their fur and insulation from keeping them warm, and pollutants they may accidentally ingest from contaminated fish species or debris. They are also very sensitive to disturbances while they are hauled out of water, so any harassment is illegal.

DIAGRAM OF BLUBBER IN CROSS-SECTION

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Mighty Migrations

*Adapted from NJ Audubon Society*

Grades: 6-8 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To explore the concept of the Great Atlantic Flyway for migrating birds and investigate possible obstacles migrating marine mammals may encounter along their journey across two hemispheres.

Objectives: Students will be able to: understand the concept of migration and how seasonal migrations have been altered specifically along the Atlantic coastline; and describe the human-induced obstacles migrating birds and marine mammals encounter.

Materials: 24 migration cards (provided) – 1-12 for birds and 13-24 for mammals 10 risk cards (provided) – 5 for birds and 5 for mammals 4 sticky labels marked with an “X” (mortality cards) – 2 for birds and 2 for mammals Laminated photos of represented migrant species (provided) Large playing area such as a gymnasium or field

Preparation: Print the 24 migration cards and 10 risk cards out on card stock paper. Make sure you have approximately 100 feet of clear paths for the students to follow. Place the sticky labels at the end of the paths (these will be placed on the students’ shirts).

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin with the basic definition of migration. Give examples of several different types of migration patterns – for food, to find a mate, shelter from predators, etc. Describe some local migration patterns found in shorebirds and marine mammals as well as juvenile and adult species found in the estuarine watershed. Begin a discussion about some species students might be familiar with before introducing the activity. Explain that they are going to pretend to be migrating species and that most of them form flocks or pods to migrate together. Divide the class into groups of three or four students to represent these flocks/pods. Position the cards face down on several different pathways, representing the different paths migrants will take.

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2. Activity: Further divide these flocks or pods into four distinct groups – February migrants, April migrants, June migrants, and September migrants – and hand them a picture of their species. Start all the February migrants at the first cards, having the students turn them over, follow the instructions, then replace them face down again. As these cards are vacated by the February migrants, the April migrants begin the same way. Continue the pattern with the June migrants and the September migrants. If a flock or pod needs to proceed to a card that is being used by another flock or pod, they must choose a risk card and follow the instructions.

3. Post-Activity (review): Discuss the types of obstacles they dealt with on their journey and explain which ones were considered anthropogenic. Ask them to give examples of ways they were helped along during their journey. Discuss what happens when migration pathways overlap.

Key Words: Migration Habitat loss Anthropogenic (older students) Point-source pollution Non-point source pollution Predators

February Migrants: April Migrants: Northern harrier Least tern (endangered) Red-tailed hawk Eastern kingbird American robin Osprey Red-winged blackbird Yellow warbler Eastern bluebird Field sparrow

June Migrants: September Migrants: Red knot Snow geese Glossy ibis Bufflehead Willet Humpback whale Clapper rail Harbor porpoise

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Migration Cards

1 2

There are many good things to eat as you enter an WATCH OUT!!! You’re coming into a populated overgrown field in the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge in area of Stafford Township and there are power lines Barnegat. Smack your lips together four times ahead! Crawl ahead two spaces on your hands and while you gorge on berries and insects, then move knees to avoid them. ahead three spaces.

3 4

While flying at night, even your best night vision Strong winds from the northeast keep you from doesn’t help you avoid being confused by the bright migrating through the Barnegat Bay. Go back two light coming from Barnegat Lighthouse. Sit down, spaces. count to 40 and move ahead one space.

5 6

You find a birdfeeder in someone’s backyard in There’s a heavy rain that came up from the south Forked River. Spend a few days enjoying the free and you don’t want to chance flying across the bay food. Chew 20 times and move ahead four spaces. in the thunderstorm. Count to 50 while you wait for the storm to stop, the move ahead two spaces.

7 8

Someone in Waretown has shot you with a BB gun. Oops! An unexpected freeze kills off all the insects The game is OVER for you. You’re dead! DON’T you love to eat. Go back four spaces and try to find TELL ANYONE. Take this care with you to the more food. finish line and place a sticky “X” on your shirt. Sit down and wait for the others.

9 10

A good easterly wind help you soar above the calm Watch out for that Sharp-shinned hawk that has Barnegat Bay. Move ahead four spaces. been eyeing you from its perch on a pine tree in the forests of Wells Mills County Park! Freeze, count to 40, then move ahead two spaces.

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11 12 While feeding in the Toms River, you swallow something you shouldn’t have. Although you have You have eaten enough berries and insects in the been rescued, you do not make it. The game is Barnegat Bay watershed to make it to your final OVER for you. You died! DON’T TELL destination. Proceed to the finish line! ANYONE. Take this card with you to the finish line and place a sticky “X” on your shirt

13 14

The sounds of boat traffic as you enter shipping The Gulf Stream Current is moving in your lanes along Cape May inlet throw you off course. direction! This helps to lessen the amount of Move to your left five paces, then come back to the energy you will use to swim great distances. Move path and move ahead one space. ahead four spaces.

15 16 A large ocean-going vessel doesn’t see you as it There has been a plankton bloom off the coast of comes into open water from the Delaware River. It Barnegat. Engulf them with your arms ten times, slams into you and injures your organs! The game then move ahead three spaces. is OVER for you. You died! DON’T TELL ANYONE. Take this card with you to the finish line and place a sticky “X” on your shirt.

17 18

A pod of cousins, the bottlenose dolphins, has WATCH OUT!!! You narrowly miss being decided to tag along and they engage you in a scooped up in a trawl net as it is being hauled playful game of pass the seaweed. High-five aboard a fishing vessel. Crawl ahead one space to everyone in your group, then proceed two spaces. swim under the net.

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19 20

As you stop to rest near the coast of Forked River, You meet up with a whale-watching vessel. They you are greeted by several species of fish who wish are friendly and will not harm you. Slap your arms to groom the parasites off your skin. Spread your down several times to display for their cameras. arms wide and slowly spin in three circles. Then Then move ahead three spaces. move ahead one space.

21 22

A group of scientists from Stockton College are A hurricane is blowing across the Atlantic Ocean. trying to identify you by taking photos of your You need to dive down deep and move quickly. fluke (tail). Take three gulps of air before you dive Move your arms like giant paddles five times to underwater. Then move ahead one space. pull you along and move ahead two spaces.

23 24

OUCH! You’ve been attacked by a great white The water has cooled down and there is plenty of shark! The game is OVER for you. You died! food to eat when you make it past New England. DON’T TELL ANYONE. Take this card with you Rest for a count of 50 and then proceed to the finish to the finish line and a sticky “X” on your shirt. line!

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Risk Cards

GO TO CARD #5 GO TO CARD # 12

GO TO CARD # 22 GO TO CARD # 15

GO TO CARD # 2 GO TO CARD # 17

GO TO CARD # 9 GO TO CARD # 6

GO TO CARD # 14 GO TO CARD #24

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FEBRUARY MIGRANTS

NORTHERN HARRIER RED-TAILED HAWK

AMERICAN ROBIN

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD EASTERN BLUEBIRD

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APRIL MIGRANTS

LEAST TERN (endangered) EASTERN KINGBIRD

OSPREY

YELLOW WARBLER FIELD SPARROW

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JUNE MIGRANTS

RED KNOT GLOSSY IBIS

WILLET CLAPPER RAIL

SEPTEMBER MIGRANTS

SNOW GEESE BUFFLEHEAD

HUMPBACK WHALE HARBOR PORPOISE

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UNIT FOUR: FOOD WEBS

Food Webs is presented in three lessons. Each lesson delves into coastal ecosystems, in terms of trophic levels and species interactions within simple and complex food webs. This unit discusses what it takes to survive in a food web and how much work it takes to avoid being eaten while still finding sufficient food. Students will begin to understand not only how to categorize species by their characteristics but also how to organize them by their interactions with each other. If live animals are available, it is recommended they be used to broaden these lessons.

Food Web on a String (K-2) begins the comprehension of food chains and food webs. This craft activity allows young students the opportunity to explore their creative side while incorporating the understanding that everything needs to eat to survive. There is an extension for this activity to do with older students as well, explaining how natural and human-related causes can disrupt the food web. NGSS: Natural Resources (food webs) K-ESS 3-1; Structure and Function (morphology) 1-LS 1-1; Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (plant needs) 2-LS 2-1; Biodiversity and Humans (habitats and species diversity) 2-LS 4-1

“Web of Life” (3-5) explores the salt marsh ecosystem from microscopic phyto- and zooplankton to birds of prey such as osprey and great blue herons. This game builds on the concept of a food web while alerting the students to the effects of humans within the ecosystem. NGSS: Adaptation (habitat survival) 3-LS 4-3; Biodiversity and Humans (effects of habitat change) 3-LS 4-4; Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (food webs) 5-LS 2-1

Food Web – Egyptian Style (6-8) introduces students to the concepts of producers and consumers within a food web and discusses trophic levels in terms of energy flow. Students will have the opportunity to create their own pyramids of local species. They will also differentiate between factors that can cause a food pyramid to become inverted. NGSS: Structure and Function (unicellular and multicellular) MS-LS 1-1; Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms MS-LS 1-6; Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems MS-LS 2-1; Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems MS-LS 2-3; Biodiversity and Humans MS-LS 2-5; Human Impacts on Earth Systems MS-ESS 3-3

Background Information: Food webs are found in every ecosystem on the planet and can be as simple as one producer and one consumer or as complex as multiple consumers, scavengers, and producers. The reason we used the concept of the food web instead of a simple food chain, is to show that one prey species can be consumed by multiple predators and how many different animals interact with each other throughout the entire ecosystem.

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As a unique ecosystem, the Barnegat Bay is a primary nursery for most of the species that inhabit it. There are several natural factors that are important to their growth and survival including temperature, salinity, tides, and seasonal changes. Some species have a very narrow range of temperature and salinity that they can survive in, which means any extreme changes could be detrimental to the species. Tides can be beneficial to smaller prey species avoiding larger predators and they also bring in valuable nutrients from the ocean.

For the purpose of these lessons, the food web in the Barnegat Bay begins with the sun, giving light and energy to plants such as eel grass, seaweed and phytoplankton. As you move through the food web, it becomes more complex as you add in multiple primary consumers, such as clams, mussels, shrimp and pipefish. Secondary consumers are going to be juveniles of fish like Atlantic silversides, mummichog, and striped bass. The top consumers, predators such as ospreys, herons, bluefish, and humans, control the food web from the top down.

People pollution in the Barnega Bay ecosystem can also affect this unique food web. An oil slick from a boat can block out the sun’s energy. This would alter the web from the bottom or the producers. Marine debris can become detrimental to top predators when they ingest the particles or when their extremities such as feet, flippers, wings, or heads become entangled. If humans harvest out too many primary consumers from clamming, crabbing, or fishing, it upsets that natural order of prey-predator relationships within the web. In the Barnegat Bay, eel grass has been compromised due to constant boat activity, affecting the web at its primary production site. All of these anthropogenic factors can be avoided, treated, or halted but it begins with an understanding of how the food web works.

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Food Web on a String

Grades: K-2 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To demonstrate who eats whom in the estuarine ecosystem using a fun and easy mobile craft.

Objectives: Students will be able to: define a food chain; define a food web; identify local marine species in the estuarine watershed as producer and consumer; and describe some of the more common food chains in the bay.

Materials: Paper plates (cut to look like suns) Blue string Pre-cut pictures of salt marsh species (provided on pages) Hole punch Crayons, markers or colored pencils

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin by explaining food chains and food webs. Use examples from the students’ everyday life (for example: sun  grass  cows  milk  humans). Define each component of the simple food chain in terms of producers and consumers and explain what they mean. For the older students, you can use the terms primary and secondary consumers. Explain that in the estuarine ecosystem, there are several food chains that make up a large food web and give examples of these (for example: sun  seaweed  ducks). Hand out the pre-cut pictures and allow them enough time to color before they create their mobiles.

2. Activity: After they are done coloring their pictures, ask them to think about where the food web mobile begins. To give the younger students hints, you can write numbers on the backs of the pictures and they can use that as a guide. For the older students, you can have them arrange their food chains before attaching them and then use thinking skills to determine how they can create a web out of the multiple chains. Have them describe all the possible animals that might consume plants and all the possible larger species that might consume the smaller ones. With the younger students, they will have single chains on their mobile, but with the older students, their strings should be connected several different ways to create the web.

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3. Post-Activity (review): Use the key words to ensure they understand that a producer is something that makes its own food from the sun. They are usually very small and sometimes can’t be seen with just our eyes; we’d need a microscope. A species that gets eaten is called prey and a species that eats another is called a predator. Live species are a great tool to demonstrate the food web further, if they are available. For the older students, ask them what would happen to these connections in their webs if something were to happen to a key species. Explain that sometimes natural factors cause breaks in the food webs, such as an increase or decrease in dissolved salts or temperature, but sometimes humans can cause these breaks because of pollution or overfishing.

Key Words: Food chain Food web Producers Consumers Phytoplankton Zooplankton Predator Prey Pollution

BARNEGAT BAY SPECIES

ZOOPLANKTON

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CLAMS SHRIMP

PIPEFISH

MOON SNAILS

BLUE CRABS

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MUMMICHOG PUFFERFISH

ATLANTIC SILVERSIDE

TAUTOG FLOUNDER

HERRING GULL

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OSPREY

GREAT BLUE HERON

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“Web of Life”

*Adapted from NJ Sea Grant Consortium*

Grades: 3-5 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To demonstrate how animals are interrelated to what they eat and what eats them.

Objectives: Students will be able to: understand that marine species in the salt marsh are interrelated by the food they consume; explain what happens when there is a break in the food web due to natural or anthropogenic effects; and identify the effects of humans in a saltmarsh ecosystem and demonstrate how to prevent these effects in the future.

Materials: Laminated salt marsh species cards (provided on pg. 46 – 49) Several feet of blue yarn (rolled in a ball already)

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin with a brief overview of food chains and food webs. Ask them to define the terms producer, consumer, scavenger, predator and prey and give examples of each. Have them use terms that define primary and secondary consumers and explain why they differentiate between the two. Explain that in the salt marsh ecosystem, there are also food chains that make up a large food web and give examples of these (i.e. sun  seaweed  ducks). Explain that the game they will be playing is going to demonstrate why we consider it a food web rather than a simple food chain and that the salt marsh comprises many different food chains that overlap with each other.

2. Activity: This activity is better done outdoors or in a large open space; if that is not available, have the students move their desks so that a large circle can be formed in the middle of the room. Have the students form a complete circle spread out so that just their fingertips are touching. Choose one student to play the sun and move him/her to the center of the circle, explaining that the food web always begins with the sun as the primary energy source. Hand out the species cards to every student (there should be enough for each student; it is okay if there are extra).

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Students will have the opportunity to pass the yarn back and forth to each other, across the circle as you go through the food web. Begin with the sun and explain that plankton take energy from the sun and make their own food, so they are at the bottom of the food web. Make sure that the cards you give out to students are at opposite ends of circle from each other so that as they pass the yarn around, it begins to take on a web-like shape. From plankton, continue on to several species of primary consumers, secondary consumers and finally top predators of the salt marsh ecosystem.

When every student has a piece of the yarn in their hands, instruct them to pull tight. This will show them that everyone involved in the web keeps the strands taught by eating and feeding upon each other. Explain that now you are going to demonstrate what happens when there are weak links in the food web. Begin with plankton. Discuss what types of people pollution could affect plankton such as oil spills on the surface of the water or too many chemicals being absorbed in the water. Instruct the students holding the plankton cards to drop their yarn. Once the yarn has dropped, the students should be able to feel less tension and anyone who directly consumes plankton has now been affected by the loss. They too must drop their yarn. Instruct the students to continue this trend until everyone in the circle has dropped their yarn and all that remains is the sun.

Quickly roll up the yarn and tell the students to exchange the cards with each other, so that they are a different species than before. Make sure if they were a top predator, they become a producer, primary or secondary consumer, or plankton. Every student should be in a different category than they were before. Choose another student to play the sun and have him/her stand in the center again, taking the end of the string. Begin the second round of the game, following the same instructions above until everyone has a piece of the yarn and the web is complete.

This time, inform the students that a human-related overfishing incident has taken place and has affected the web. Begin with a secondary fish species of your choice and have those students drop their yarn. Since there are several top predatory species that consume that species, instruct them to drop their yarn as well. Even though it does not directly affect the plankton, once the plankton have no predators, they will overpopulate and die off as well. Explain that this may not happen as quickly as the first scenario, but over time, their overabundance in the ecosystem, without predatory checks and balances, will cause them to die.

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3. Post-Activity (review): Instruct the students to place all their species cards into one pile. Review the concept of the food web and have the students give examples from the game of each of the categories (producer, consumer, predator, prey, etc.). Explain that since a salt marsh is considered a nursery, it is very high in biodiversity and that is a key reason for the elaborate food web. Ask them to describe what happened in the first scenario, then the second, and define what the human-related incidents that caused a disruption to the food web were. Conclude by having them elaborate on ways to prevent these effects from occurring.

Key Words: Food chain Food web Producers Primary consumers Secondary consumers Phytoplankton Zooplankton Predator Prey Pollution

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Food Webs – Egyptian Style

*Adapted from Discovering Barnegat Bay*

Grades: 6-8 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goal: To demonstrate and represent the marine food web of the saltmarsh ecosystem using a food pyramid example.

Objectives: Students will be able to: identify and define a food web; describe producers and consumers of the estuarine watershed; and determine what could happen if natural and unnatural factors hindered productivity in the bay.

Materials: Pre-cut pictures of salt marsh species (provided on pages 46-49) Copies of a blank food pyramid (provided) Crayons, markers or colored pencils Glue sticks

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin with a brief overview of food chains and food webs. Have the students describe food chains and food webs with the food they eat every day to allow them to become familiar with these trophic levels. Define each component of the simple food chain in terms of producers and consumers and explain that each producer and consumer needs enough energy to survive, including finding food, building nests, finding a mate, producing eggs or live young. Explain that in the bay ecosystem, there are several food chains that make up a large food web and give examples of these. Discuss different species they might have encountered while out on the bay and categorize them as part of the food chain. These will then be used to organize them on the food pyramid.

2. Activity: The students will be given each a copy of the blank pyramid. Have them label each tier of the pyramid with the appropriate term (producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, etc.). Instruct them to take the examples of bay species and color them before attaching them to the tier they belong. Inform them that they will have multiple species in each tier and that is why it’s considered a food web instead of a simple food chain. If they’d like to add lines and arrows, they can show who eats whom as well. If you have live animals to demonstrate further, you can use them at this time.

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3. Post-Activity (review): Discuss with the students why it is considered a food web instead of a food chain and review with them the importance of categorizing the species according to what they eat. Explain that energy resources are especially important to the makeup of the pyramid and those species at the bottom of the pyramid are found in greater abundance for this reason. Species at the top of the pyramid must eat a lot more of the smaller species at the bottom in order to gain the proper amount of energy to function. Discuss with the students the importance of keeping the food web intact and ask them to describe different situations where people pollution could upset the balance of the pyramid.

Key Words: Food chain Food web Producers Primary consumers Secondary consumers Phytoplankton Zooplankton Predator Prey Pollution

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Marine Food Pyramid

1 unit

10 units

100 units

1000 units

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- - 56 - -

UNIT FIVE: MARINE SPECIES

Marine Species is presented in seven lessons. Students will be able to identify specific species known to the Barnegat Bay ecosystem and surrounding barrier islands. From mollusks to fish, from sea jellies to sharks, students will get a first-hand glimpse of the underwater species most commonly found near their homes. If live species can be obtained, it is recommended in order to broaden these lessons.

Sea Jellies Among Us (K-2) allows students to get up close and personal with sea jellies without getting stung. Through this craft activity, they will create their own sea jellies and learn different species that may inhabit the waters of the estuary. NGSS: Natural Resources (food webs) K-ESS 3-1; Structure and Function (morphology) 1-LS 1-1; Variation of Traits (similarities and differences) 1-LS 3-1; Biodiversity and Humans (habitats and species diversity) 2-LS 4-1

No Crabbing Around (K-2) presents students to the horseshoe crab and how it is used as a source of sustenance for many migrating birds along the Great Atlantic Flyway, harvested for eel bait, and caught and released for its unique blue blood. Students will have the opportunity to compare Limmulus polyphemus with true crabs and spiders to recognize the morphological similarities and differences. NGSS: Natural Selection (differences in characteristics among individuals) 3-LS 4-2; Structure and Function (internal and external features) 4-LS 1-1; Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (food webs) 5-LS 2-1

One Shell or Two (3-5) familiarizes students with the Phylum Mollusca. Students will be able to differentiate between univalve and bivalve invertebrates and learn how these shell homes are made. Some examples of shells belonging to common species that are found on the beaches will be discussed and identified using key characteristics and a dichotomous key. NGSS: Natural Selection (differences in characteristics among individuals) 3-LS 4-2; Adaptation (habitat survival) 3-LS 4-3; Structure and Function (internal and external features) 4-LS 1-1

Turtles, Turtles Everywhere (3-5) demonstrates that different traits of the same species are exhibited in different habitats. Students are grouped together to discover which turtle species they have based on nesting habitat, food source, predator species, and home range. They differentiate between three species of turtle using inferences from what they already know about habitats and predator-prey relationships. NGSS: Growth and Development of Organisms (life cycles) 3-LS 1-1; Natural Selection (differences in characteristics among individuals) 3-LS 4-2; Adaptation (habitat survival) 3-LS 4-3; Structure and Function (internal and external features) 4-LS 1-1; Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (food webs) 5-LS 2-1; Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes (fresh vs. saltwater systems) 5-ESS 2-2

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Dichotomous Dilemma (6-8) delves into the use of a dichotomous key to identify species. Examples of local species will be examined and students will have the opportunity to create their own dichotomous keys using characteristics they would identify as field biologists when unknown species are found. NGSS: Structure and Function (body function) MS-LS 1-3; Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity (anatomical comparison) MS-LS 4-2

Elasmo-Craze (6-8) presents students with information on sharks, skates and rays. They will have the opportunity to learn what makes them similar to each other and what makes them different. Several common species will be represented in this lesson including sand tiger sharks, bull sharks, white sharks, stingrays, and common skates. There is a dissection component to this lesson. NGSS: Structure and Function (body function) MS-LS 1-3; Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity (anatomical comparison) MS-LS 4-2

Background Information: From invertebrates, to bony and scaly fish, to cartilaginous carnivores, to mammals just like us, the Barnegat Bay watershed is complete in its roster of species. Whether you want to dig in the sand for worms, mole crabs, or sand fleas, or you want to pick up a pair of binoculars and try scouting the horizon for seals, dolphins or whales, there are so many species right in our backyard. The reason for this overabundance is the uniqueness of the barrier island formations – the created lagoons, salt marshes, and tidal pools.

Inside the bay community, species have adapted to withstand not only the influx of the daily tides, but the changes in temperature throughout the year as well as the changes in salinity with storm surges or river floods. The Barnegat Bay, at roughly 15-20 parts per thousand salinity, is what is considered a brackish water community (or estuarine). Only particular species can live there, so it makes our watershed extremely valuable.

Some species are migratory, like the sea jellies and the seals, while others are resident all year round, like the clams and pufferfish. Each lesson describes what makes the Barnegat Bay watershed very important to their survival as well as what could happen to their species if something happened to the bay. Live organisms are always helpful to enhance any of these lessons but make sure you are aware of the proper NJ Department of Fish and Wildlife protocol concerning handling and using species for educational purposes. This applies especially to horseshoe crabs and certain fish species like pufferfish.

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Sea Jellies Among Us

Grades: K-2 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To describe the morphological features of sea jellies and why they sting us.

Objectives: Students will be able to: recognize and name the important morphological features of a sea jelly; differentiate between different species of sea jellies that can be found in an estuary; and create their own sea jelly species.

Materials: Laminated photos of sea jelly species (provided) Paper plates Yarn Streamers or cellophane Glue sticks Crayons, markers, colored pencils Live species, if available (comb jellies and moon jellies only)

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Inquire if the students they have ever been to the beach and seen a sea jelly on the sand or been stung by one before. How did they get rid of the sting? Do they know what part of the animal stung them? First, explain that as aquatic species, they have no backbone, so they are not fish. The proper term to use is sea jelly because they are jelly-like invertebrates. Discuss the different species of sea jellies and the parts of their bodies, making note of their stinging tentacles and how they sting. If you have life species, you can use them as well. Inform them that they are going to create their own sea jellies that won’t be able to sting them.

2. Activity: Correlate the morphological features to the craft materials, so they understand how they are going to craft their sea jellies. The paper plate represents the bell: have them fold their plates in half and then fold them again to make quarters. The streamers are the tentacles. For the older students, use the term nematocysts to describe how they sting; for the younger students, use stinging cells. For the older students, they can fold the streamers or cellophane to make retractable tentacles.

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3. Post-Activity (review): Review the different species of sea jellies, emphasizing which ones are more poisonous than others. Make sure they understand that even if they wash up on our beaches, their nematocysts or stinging cells can still fire, so use precaution around them. Reiterate to them that they are not fish, so they should not be called “jellyfish” but sea jellies instead. Discuss how they become more frequent during the late spring and early summer in the estuary due to the blooming of phytoplankton and the small fish that eat it.

Key Words: Sea jelly Comb jelly Sea nettle Lion’s mane jelly Portuguese man-of-war Moon jelly Nematocysts Tentacles Cnidarians Ctenophores

Background Information: Every year thousands of sea jellies “bloom” in and around the estuaries of the eastern Atlantic due to the increase in their food supply (planktonic fish) during the spring months. Several species are found in this area including comb jellies, moon jellies, sea nettles, Lion’s mane jellies, and Portuguese man-of-war. Four of these species belong to the family Cnidarian and the fifth, the comb jellies, belong to the family Ctenophores, as they are not true jellies. Comb jellies are also unique in that they do not carry stinging cells (or nematocysts).

Every true sea jelly has the same basic body shape: a bell on top with tentacles hanging down from the bell, each containing thousands of nematocysts. The bell is primarily (90 percent) water and contains the nerve cells of the organism. The tentacles not only stun their prey, but also can retract up into the bell to bring the food into the body of the organism.

Depending on the length of the tentacles, the sting can be mild to severe. A basic rule of thumb is the shorter the tentacles, the more mild, and the longer the tentacles, the more severe. A sea nettle, for instance, has tentacles that reach no more than six to eight feet, whereas the tentacles of a Portuguese man-of-war can reach over forty feet in length! A tentacle that has attached itself will be able to automatically trigger the nematocysts even if it not attached to the accompanying sea jelly body. By rubbing the tentacle or pouring water on it, it will trigger any nematocysts that have not already been fired off. Use a vinegar based substance on the sting to neutralize the nematocysts.

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SEA JELLY SPECIES

Sea nettles Moon Jelly

Lion’s mane jelly

Comb Jelly (Ctenophore)

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Portuguese Man-of-War

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No Crabbing Around

*Adapted from Discovering Barnegat Bay*

Grades: K-2 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To explore the morphology and life history of Limulus polyphemus, the horseshoe crab.

Objectives: Students will be able to: identify and describe the morphological features of a horseshoe crab and explain their function; describe the Great Atlantic Flyway and the horseshoe crab’s biological importance; and discuss why the horseshoe crab is important to humans.

Materials: Horseshoe crab model (pre-purchased) Live species, if available (horseshoe crab, spider, and true crab) Horseshoe crab body cut-outs (provided) Scotch tape Glue sticks Paper fasteners Craft eyes Scissors

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Using the model or a live specimen of the horseshoe crab, describe the morphological features and explain what they are used for. Ask the students to count the number of legs on the horseshoe crab and think about an animal that has that many legs as well. When they have concluded that it is a spider, explain that even though we call it a crab, it is more closely related to spiders and scorpions. Discuss how the horseshoe crab is considered a “living fossil” because it has survived unchanged for 500 million years. Point out any distinctive features, such as the difference between male and female, as well as the book gills and the telson, which is not used for defense.

2. Activity: In this activity, students will be creating their own “living fossils” by putting together each of its different body parts. Pass out each of the cut-outs and correlate them to the parts on the model or the live species. Have them draw in the other morphological features including book gills, walking legs, and chewing mouth. While their body parts are upside down, use the tape to connect the prosoma with the abdomen, so that the body can bend, and use the paper fasteners to attach the telson to the abdomen. They can color their horseshoe crabs and add eyes using the craft supplies.

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3. Post-Activity (review): Once their horseshoe crabs are completed, explain the reasons why they are so important to other wildlife: migrating birds feed on their eggs, true crabs and gulls feed on their fatty tissue, and humans use their unique blue blood for disease control. As you describe their importance, instruct the students to write one unique fact about horseshoe crab species on their models.

Key Words: Horseshoe crab Arachnid Crustacean Exoskeleton Prosoma Abdomen Telson Book gills Compound eyes “Living Fossil”

Background Information: There are three major external features to a horseshoe crab: the prosoma (or top end), the abdomen (or middle), and the telson (or tail). The prosoma is made of a hard exoskeleton to aid in the protection of the soft interior from predators. The abdomen houses the book gills and is hinged with a very strong muscle to allow the horseshoe crab to curl up and protect its gills from predators. The telson does not contain a stinger (like a stingray tail) but is used for both protection and to flip its body over when it is turned upside down onto its back. They are harmless to humans.

There are other important body parts to note including the walking legs, a chewing mouth, and compound eyes. It is not a true crab because it has eight legs instead of six, making it more closely related to the family of Arachnids (spiders and scorpions). The walking legs are not only used for movement on the bottom of the sand, but to push particles of food (usually dead and decaying animals) into its chewing mouth, located in the center of its legs. There are ten eyes sitting on top of the exoskeleton: two compound eyes and eight light sensory eyes. The book gills look like the pages of a book and are fanned to keep water flowing over them. The main differences between a male and female are that the male is much smaller and has two club-like appendages with claws on them to hook onto the female during mating.

The horseshoe crab is considered a “living fossil” because its lineage dates back 500 million years. They have become valuable to both humans and other animals. During their migratory stopover along the Great Atlantic Flyway from South America to North America, many species of birds will feed on their green, protein-rich eggs. Since they’ve been around for millennia without having to adapt to earthly changes, their blue blood is now being tested for certain types of human disease control and cures.

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HORSESHOE CRAB DIAGRAM

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HORSESHOE CRAB MORPHOLOGY

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One Shell or Two

*Adapted from the NJ Sea Grant Consortium*

Grades: 3-5 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To demonstrate the differences between univalve and bivalve mollusks and compare them to other invertebrates.

Objectives: Students will be able to: distinguish between univalve and bivalve mollusks and give examples of each; use a dichotomous key to identify specific species common to the estuarine ecosystem; and compare them to other invertebrate species.

Materials: Box of shells (put together prior to the lesson – divide each by species) Dichotomous key (provided) Live species, if available (clams, mussels, jingle shells, moon snails) Shell pictures (provided if shells are not available)

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin by introducing students to the Phylum Mollusca. They are already familiar with the species they might find on the beach. If the activity is outdoors at the bay or beach, you can have them collect their own shells first before continuing with the lesson. Ask students how they think scientists might classify seashells they find on a beach, such as by color, by shape, or by one shell or two. Ask them to identify common species they are familiar with and use those species to differentiate between univalve and bivalve characteristics. Discuss how shells are produced. Give them the opportunity to brainstorm ideas before explaining how these invertebrates take in dissolved calcium from the water to grow their shells around their bodies.

2. Activity: As you allow the students to familiarize themselves with the shells you provided, giving them a few minutes to arrange them into their own grouping, give an example of a fun fact about each species. For example, clams and mussels move by jet propulsion, opening and closing their shells to move from place to place on the sea floor; jingle shells got their name from the sound they make when you have a few of them in your hand; you can count the spirals on a moon snail or whelk to tell how old it is, similar to the rings on a tree.

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Pass out the dichotomous keys and have them attempt to identify specific species based on the information on the key. The simple key is provided and should be copied for each student. Double check their identification and explore why they may not have gotten the answers correct.

3. Post-Activity (review): Discuss with the class the differences between univalve and bivalve mollusks. As an extension, you can begin exploring how their shell homes might be damaged by human-related effects, such as boating, overfishing of these species, or pollution. Because many of these species are filter feeders, when pollution enters a water system such as the estuary, their bodies often become polluted as well, making them poisonous to other animals and humans that eat them.

Key Words: Univalve Bivalve Mollusk Hinge (umbo) Cilia (hair-like projections to aid in feeding) Exoskeleton Operculum (for moon snails and whelks)

Background Information: Most seashells come in two varieties, one-shelled or two-shelled. One-shelled species are called univalves and two-shelled species are called bivalves. All seashells are made by species from the phylum Mollusca. Examples of common univalves found in a New Jersey estuarine watershed are slipper snails, moon snails, whelks, mud snails and periwinkles. The knobbed whelk is the New Jersey state shell. Examples of common bivalves are clams, mussels, oysters, jingle shells, and scallops. These species have a hinge, or an umbo, to holds the two shells together.

Most species are considered filter feeders, filtering the water using their cilia for microscopic organisms such as phyto- and zooplankton. Some mollusks are exceptions to this rule and are carnivorous, feeding on other mollusks, or are scavengers, feeding on dead and decaying carcasses of fish. Any seashell with a perfectly round hole in it was created by another mollusk, most likely an oyster drill or a moon snail. These species are equipped with a specialized tooth-like tongue called a radula that drills into the shell.

Seashells are created when these species absorb calcium carbonate that has dissolved in the surrounding water. Some species, such as whelks, moon snails, and clams, will add a new layer yearly and you can count how old the species is by counting the spirals or lines on their shells. Other shelled species, such as crustaceans, do not grow an extra layer, but will molt their exoskeleton, grow, and then harden their shells around their soft bodies. Examples of these are spider crabs, blue crabs, green crabs, and calico crabs.

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MOLLUSK DICHOTOMOUS KEY

1. a. Univalve ______go to 2 b. Bivalve ______go to 8

2. a. Shell body not spiraled with lip on underside ______Slipper Snail b. Shell body spiraled ______go to 3

3. a. Shell round and flat with few spirals ______go to 4 b. Shell elongated with many spirals ______go to 5

4. a. Umbilicus open ______Northern Moon Snail b. Umbilicus closed over ______Shark’s Eye Moon Snail

5. a. Shell under 3 inches in length ______go to 6 b. Shell over 3 inches in length ______go to 7

6. a. Shell smooth with dark lines ______Common Periwinkle b. Shell with grooves and gray ______Mud Snail c. Shell rough with deep channels ______Oyster Drill

7. a. Shell spirals have knobs or points ______Knobbed Whelk b. Shell spirals have deep channels ______Channeled Whelk

8. a. Shell elongated from umbo to tip ______go to 9 b. Shell equidistant on either side of umbo ______go to 11

9. a. Shell thick, rough, and grayish in color ______Common Oyster b. Shell thin ______go to 10

10. a. Shell smooth and bluish in color ______Blue Mussel b. Shell has vertical ribbing and brownish is color ______Ribbed Mussel

11. a. Shell thin with vertical ribbing from umbo to tip ______Scallop b. Shell thin with and brittle ______Jingle Shell c. Shell thick with horizontal lines ______go to 12

12. a. Shell approximately as long as it is wide, purplish on inside of shell ______Quahog Clam b. Shell wider than it is long, usually all white ______Surf Clam c. Shell longer than it is wide, with a brittle, brownish layer covering shell ______Razor Clam

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GASTROPODS (UNIVALVES)

Slipper Snails Northern Moon Snails Shark’s Eye Moon Snails

Common Periwinkle

Mud Snails Knobbed Whelks Channeled Whelks Oyster Drills

BIVALVES

Blue Mussels Oysters Ribbed Mussels

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Scallops Jingle Shells

Quahog Clams

Surf Clams Razor Clams

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Turtles, Turtles, Everywhere

Grades: 3-5 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goal: To determine whether an organism is a box turtle, terrapin, or sea turtle based on certain key characteristics and life history.

Objectives: Students will be able to: distinguish between three different species of turtle; describe species variation in morphology, habitat, and behavior, and use inferences to make decisions about species identification.

Materials: Several medium sized bins Photos of an uplands forest (maritime forest) Photos of a salt marsh Photos of the Atlantic Ocean/barrier island coastline Plastic toy fruits and vegetables Stuffed animals: crabs, snails, squid, fox, raccoon, and shark Leaves in plastic baggies Coarse sand in plastic baggies Fine sand in plastic baggies

Preparation: Prepare each bin prior to the start of the lesson. Each bin will be designated (but not labeled) as either a box turtle, terrapin, or sea turtle. In the box turtle bins, place the photo of the forest, the toy fruits and vegetables, stuffed animal fox, and the bag of leaves. In the terrapin bins, place the photo of the salt marsh, the toy crabs and snails, stuffed animal raccoon, and the bag of coarse sand. In the sea turtle bins, place the photo of the beach, the toy squid and extra toy crabs, stuffed animal shark, and the bag of fine sand. You should have enough bins so that your students can work in teams.

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Introduce the concept of classifying and identifying species based on morphological and physiological characteristics (that is, what they look like and how they behave). Students will use this concept to identify three different types of turtles found in three different habitats. Explain that when scientists discover new species, they often will use other species to help them identify the new one. Begin with a brief discussion about reptiles and write out on the board what characteristics all reptiles share. Ask the students to identify known species of reptiles based on these characteristics and what makes them different from each other.

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2. Activity: Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students, depending on how many bins you have for each group. Students will take a look inside their bins and piece all the information together to properly identify whether their species is a box turtle, a terrapin, or sea turtle. Explain that in each bin there is a photo of their nesting habitat, what the species eats, and what eats it. They are to use what they know about the other species to figure out which species belongs in their bins. Once they have properly identified their species, they are to write it down on a piece of paper, but do not share it with any other group.

3. Post-Activity (review): As a class, go through each of the bins to discuss which species each one represents. Box turtles live in uplands forests, feeding on a mixture of fruits and vegetables, and can be preyed on by foxes. Terrapins live in estuaries and salt marshes, feed on crabs and snails, and are preyed on by raccoons. Sea turtles live in the ocean and use the beaches to nest, some feed on crabs and squid, and are preyed on by sharks. Discuss with the students how marine biologists can take what they know from other species and classify new species they discover, based on certain key characteristics like nesting location, prey species, and predators.

Key Words: Turtle Tortoise Terrapin Classification Habitat Nesting Predator Prey Morphology Physiology Ecosystem Maritime forest Estuary Ocean

Background Information: *Adapted from New Wave of Learning* All turtles, whether land, estuarine or marine, all have the same basic body plan. The top shell, called the carapace, is covered by many overlapping plates called scutes. Scutes are made of keratin, the same material that our hair and fingernails are made from. The rings on each scute are just like the rings of a tree and can tell you how old the turtle is. The bottom shell, called the plastron, is fused in such a way in land and estuarine turtles that the species can tuck its head and limbs inside its shell. The tail helps to provide balance and is used in distinguishing between male and female – a thicker, longer tail belongs to the males and a thinner, smaller tail belongs to the females

As reptiles, all forms of turtles, including terrapins and sea turtles, lay a clutch of eggs on dry land. The eggs are soft, leathery and porous and easily susceptible to the elements, which is why they dig nests in the sand to protect them. Using her back feet as scoops, the females will dig a hole anywhere from six inches (terrapins) to three feet (Leatherback sea turtles). The eggs will remain in the nest incubating for up to 60 days. Most hatchlings will be no more than a quarter in size at birth.

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Box turtles are known as tortoises. Their thick stocky legs and dome shaped shell provide them with the means and protection to walk about the forest floor and hide easily from predators, such as foxes. Their plastron is fully equipped with a hinge, which closes them up completely inside their shell until the threat of danger is gone. They are omnivores, mostly feeding on berries and vegetation and the occasional earthworm or insect. They will only venture into water to drink, not to swim, as their feet are not equipped for swimming.

Northern Diamondback terrapins are turtles that live in an estuarine environment and it is the only turtle to do so. They feed in water and will hold their breath for up to ten minutes in order to reach the bottom where their prey species – primarily crabs, worms, and snails – live. They have “swimming feet” – webbing between their toes and claws on their feet – instead of stocky flat feet of box turtles.

There are seven species of sea turtles worldwide, most of them living, breeding, and feeding in tropical and sub-tropical areas. Aside from the Australian flatback turtle and the Olive Ridley turtle, the remaining five (Loggerhead, Green, Leatherback, Kemp’s Ridley, and Hawksbill) can all be found in Atlantic waters. Two species of sea turtles, the Loggerhead and Kemp’s Ridley have been known to migrate great distances in search of food and have been spotted along the coast of New Jersey during their fall and spring migrations.

All sea turtles have shells made of hard bony plates fitted together. Their lungs are their largest organs and they can hold their breath for up to forty-five minutes at a time. Because the space between their shells contains their organs, there is no room for them to pull their flippers, head, and tail inside. Their flippers are the most powerful organs and they are quite fast underwater, yet cumbersome on land.

Females will typically lay nests on beaches from southern Virginia down to the Florida Keys from late May until late August, but there have been exceptions to this rule (one Green found its way up to Delaware in recent years). Hatchlings are the size of a quarter when born and are susceptible to ghost crabs and birds. They will prey on planktonic larval fish until they can handle larger prey. Loggerhead sea turtles will eat blue crabs, Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles will eat clams and other shellfish, and Green sea turtles will eat sea grass as adults. They are most susceptible to predation from sharks, which have the ability to crush through their hard plated shells with their sharp teeth.

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Dichotomous Dilemma

Grades: 6-8 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goal: To identify local species of fish by creating a dichotomous key.

Objectives: Students will be able to: identify and define key characteristics of local fish species; use a sample dichotomous key to create their own; and use their dichotomous key to identify each other’s species.

Materials: Fish species (provided on page 78) Sample dichotomous key (provided on page 70) Fish morphology word bank (provided) White paper Pencils or pens

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Introduce the students to the concept of using dichotomous keys as marine biologists out in the field. Use the mollusk dichotomous key in this manual as a sample for the students and explain the guidelines to creating a dichotomous key. Have the students brainstorm why dichotomous keys, as well as corresponding photos, are important when conducting sample collections in the field and identification in the laboratory. Explore dichotomous keys further by creating a simple example as a class and writing it on the board.

2. Activity: Divide the class into groups of 4 or 5 students each and pass out the materials needed to create a dichotomous key. Write the word bank of fish morphology terms on the board so students can as scientific as possible. Give the students approximately twenty minutes to create, as groups, their own dichotomous keys.

3. Post-Activity (review): Once the groups have created their dichotomous keys, have each group exchange them with each other and use them to identify the fish in the pictures. As time allows, have them exchange dichotomous keys one or two more times to show that they can identify fish using different keys. As a group discuss the types of field guides available to use out in the field and in the laboratory and how much research goes into producing them. This can then be branched into a discussion on marine careers as well.

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Key Words: Dichotomous Morphology Dorsal fin Pectoral fin Pelvic fin Anal fin Caudal fin Elongate Torpedo Dorso-ventrally flattened Anterior-posteriorly flattened

Background Information: Fish come in all shapes and sizes and the species found in the estuarine watershed are no different. Their external features have been adapted for specialized depth, feeding, mating, and predator/prey response. Most fish are equipped with five distinct fins: dorsal (top), pectoral (front sides), pelvic (back sides), anal, and caudal (tails). The dorsal fins can be either spiny, smooth, or a combination of both. Pectoral fins are located behind the gills and are both smooth. The caudal fin can be either rounded or forked and assists the fish with steering through the water column.

There are four major body shapes to fish: elongate, torpedo, and either dorsal-ventral or anterior-posterior flattened. Elongate fish are also known as eel-like fish because their bodies are longer in length and resemble snakes. They usually have very small dorsal fins and their anal fins connect to the caudal fin to make it appear they have one continuous back fin. They may or may not have pectoral fins but if they do, the fins are small and translucent. The American eel can be found in small tributaries that feed into the bay and falls into this category.

Torpedo fish have very stocky bodies and pointed snouts. They are usually about as wide as they are long and depending on the species, will have all five fins present. Mouths of these types of fish are specially placed depending on their choice of prey. Examples of these can be striped bass, which have an upturned mouth to gather insects and small prey at the surface.

Dorso-ventrally flattened fish are also known as flatfish because they are flattened from top to bottom. These fish have mouths that have migrated to the bottom of their bodies and both eyes migrated to the top of the bodies during development. Their fins have attached and are located around the edges of their bodies. Examples of these fish are flounder, fluke, hogfish, and sole. Their teeth are adapted for crushing crustaceans, much like human molars.

Anterior-posteriorly flattened fish are those that are flattened from side to side. They also have all five types of fins. Examples of these fish are not known in the bays on New Jersey throughout the year, but occasionally during the summer months, several species of butterflyfish, angelfish, and surgeonfish will migrate from warmer waters in southern states.

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There are also exceptions to these general body types. One example is the pufferfish. Their fins are very short and some species do not have pectoral or anal fins. Their bodies can expand into a ball shape when agitated by predators and some species have spines to act as a form of defense. Another example is the seahorse. This species is shaped like no other, with a rounded snout to suck in small prey like brine shrimp. Their tails are curled to assist in anchoring them to fronds of eel grass.

The external shape of a fish helps with feeding and predator/prey response. The elongate fish as well as anterior-posteriorly flattened fish can hide more easily and can find prey in the cracks and crevices of rocks and corals. Fish with forked tails tend to swim faster than those with rounded tails, so they use speed to be better predators. Flatfish feed on the bottom and can bury themselves in the sand, using ambush as their predatory tactic.

Fish Species of the Estuary

Mummichog Striped Killifish

Atlantic Silverside

Pipefish Tautog

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Pufferfish

Flounder

FISH BODY TYPES

Elongate

Torpedo

Anterior-posteriorly flattened

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DORSAL FINS

Spiny Smooth

Elongate

PECTORAL FINS

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PELVIC FINS

CAUDAL FINS

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Elasmo-Craze

Grades: 6-8 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To understand what makes the elasmobranchs different from bony fish.

Objectives: Students will be able to: describe the morphological characteristics that make elasmobranch species different from bony fish and why there are no fossils other than teeth; understand the differences between sharks, skates, and rays based on body shape, feeding practices, and reproduction; and use a dissection to explore the internal morphology of a common species.

Materials: Laminated pictures of common Atlantic species (provided) Laminated pictures of shark jaws or teeth (real jaws if available) Skate egg cases Spiny dogfish or smooth dogfish (for dissection) Dissection trays and kits Non-latex gloves Dogfish anatomy sheet (provided) Large black garbage bag Paper towels

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin with the description of the family of sharks, skates, and rays, detailing the characteristics that make them different to bony fish. Pass around the pictures of common species to the Atlantic and explain the misconception that they are man-eaters. Detail their cartilage body plan as well as the difference in their teeth (used for tearing, ripping, and crushing). Ask them to compare their own teeth with those of the elasmobranchs. Ask them if they’ve ever been able to touch a shark or ray at an aquarium and how did it feel (sandpaper versus smooth). Discuss elasmobranch reproduction by pointing out the skate egg case versus live birth.

2. Activity: Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students and pass out the dissection kits and equipment before passing out the sharks. Students must wear protective gear while dissecting. Begin by pointing out all the external features of the shark (fins, eyes, nares, etc.). Refer to the Dissection Inspection lesson in this manual for the procedures to dissect the shark. Have the students follow along as you point out each organ and explain what it is used for. You can compare the organs to those in our own bodies, so they get a better understanding.

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3. Post-Activity (review): After you have identified all of the organs, have the students clean up from the dissection and return to their seats. Review with the students what makes elasmobranchs so unique as a fish species. Discuss the human-related impacts to these species and what can be done to prevent their decline.

Key Words: Elasmobranch Cartilaginous Countershading Dorsal Ventral Anterior Posterior Lateral line Gills Dermal denticles Finning Bycatch

Background Information: The term “Elasmobranch” is a collective name for the sharks, skates and rays. Elasmobranchs have a skeleton made of cartilage, no swim bladders, five to seven pairs of gills, rigid dorsal fins, and rough skin made up of small dermal denticles. The upper jaw of elasmobranchs is not fused to the skull and they have several rows of teeth which are continually replaced. Most sharks have a torpedo-like streamlined body whereas skates and rays have flattened bodies. In Atlantic waters the name skate typically refers to the long-nosed larger species such as the common skate and the term ray refers to wider species such as the Southern stingray. The main difference between skates and rays is that skates lay eggs (oviparous) and rays give birth to live young (viviparous). Another difference is that skates do not carry the deadly barb on the tail that rays all do.

Elasmobranchs have many extra special adaptations for living and hunting in the sea. The rough skin which is characteristic of the group is due to a covering of hard tooth-like scales called dermal denticles. These vary in shape and size between species and help reduce drag and resistance in the water. Shark teeth are highly adapted for the type of prey that the particular species eats. For example, the common nurse shark is a specialist and feeds on crustaceans; therefore it doesn’t need sharp teeth and has flat crushing type teeth instead. The mako shark only eats fish, therefore it has long sharp pointed teeth that are ideal for piercing and catching fish. A tiger shark uses its jagged-edged teeth to rip through the layers of blubber of seals, sea lions, and whales.

There are several human-related causes of shark decline. One major cause is the shark-finning industry of the orient. In Asia, shark-fin soup is highly sought after and so are the prize sharks that sacrifice their fins. Finning is an inhumane practice that involves capturing sharks on longlines, cutting off their dorsal and pectoral fins, and releasing the sharks back into the water, bleeding and sinking to the bottom to die.

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Another catastrophic human-induced effect on the shark population is in bycatch. Bycatch is any species that is caught on a line or in a net that is not the intended species to catch. For example, if a fishing vessel is netting yellow-finned tuna, anything in that net, including other fish species, sharks, sea turtles, and sometimes dolphins, become bycatch. Sharks also are attracted to longline fishing hooks – thousands of hooks stretched out over miles of ocean – and often drown on the lines because they need to swim constantly to pump water over their gills. These practices still go on today and still have not reduced the number of sharks taken and killed.

ATLANTIC OCEAN ELASMOBRANCHS

Sand Tiger Shark

Sandbar Shark

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Bull Shark

Great White Shark

Little Skate

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Clearnose Skate

Bluntnose Stingray

FEMALE MALE

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Southern Stingray

Cownose Ray

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DISSECTION WORKSHEET

DOGFISH

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UNIT SIX: TERRAPINS AND TURTLES

Terrapins and Turtles is presented in three lessons. Students will differentiate between terrapins and turtles, understand what makes these reptiles unique to New Jersey’s waters, and why some of these species are considered threatened or endangered. Students will also learn the importance of the Barnegat Bay ecosystem to the Northern Diamondback terrapin.

The Great Terrapin Race (K-2) allows students to learn common adaptations of predators and prey of the Northern Diamondback terrapin while living in the salt marsh ecosystem. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about terrapin conservation and how humans have impacted the species through habitat alteration, unintentional bycatch, and the pet trade. NGSS: Natural Resources (food webs) K-ESS 3-1; Human Impacts on Earth Systems (conservation efforts) K-ESS 3-3; Structure and Function (morphology) 1-LS 1-1; Biodiversity and Humans (habitats and species diversity) 2-LS 4-1

We Eat it Too (3-5) explores two of the seven species of endangered sea turtles that migrate along Atlantic coastline: the Loggerhead and the Kemp’s Ridley. Students will learn how these two species share food resources with humans and investigate ways humans can conserve these prey species for both themselves and sea turtles to consume. NGSS: Natural Selection (differences in characteristics among individuals) 3-LS 4-2; Adaptation (habitat survival) 4-ESS 3-1; Biodiversity and Humans (effects of habitat change) 3-LS 4-4; Natural Resources (human uses) 4-ESS 3-1; Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (food webs) 5-LS 2-1; Human Impacts on Earth Systems (conservation efforts) 5-ESS 3-1

Terrapin Bingo (6-8) explores the salt marsh ecosystem of the Northern Diamondback terrapin using a fun bingo game. Students will learn about the habitat, the prey, and the predators of the terrapin species found in and around the estuary. Students will also discuss certain human-related impacts on terrapin habitat, population, and reproduction. NGSS: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (predator-prey interactions) MS-LS 2-2; Cycle of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems (food webs) MS-LS 2-3

Background Information: Northern Diamondback terrapins are turtles that live in an estuarine environment, including the Barnegat Bay, and it is the only turtle to do so. Because they are reptiles, like their relatives the snakes, lizards, and alligators, their body temperature is regulated by the surrounding air and water, so they must come out on dry land during the day to keep warm. They feed in water and will hold their breath for up to ten minutes in order to reach the bottom where their prey species – primarily crabs, worms, and snails – live.

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Terrapins are different from land turtles in that they have “swimming feet” – webbing between their toes and claws on their feet – instead of stocky flat feet that species such as giant tortoises have. They are different from sea turtles in that the latter have flippers and only one claw on each. Tortoises tend to feed on fruits and vegetables such as berries and grasses and sea turtles will eat a variety of oceanic prey such as fish, squid, and crabs.

All turtles, whether land, estuarine or marine, all have the same basic body plan. The top shell, called the carapace, is covered by many overlapping plates called scutes. Scutes are made of keratin, the same material that our hair and fingernails are made from. The rings on each scute are just like the rings of a tree and can tell you how old the turtle is. The bottom shell, called the plastron, is fused in such a way in land and estuarine turtles that the species can tuck its head and limbs inside its shell. The tail helps to provide balance and is used in distinguishing between male and female – a thicker, longer tail belongs to the males and a thinner, smaller tail belongs to the females.

Terrapins have powerful jaws that crush the shells of their prey easily. They feed during the warmer months of spring and summer and then go through a period called brumation in fall and winter. Brumation is similar to hibernation but instead of sleeping for months, their metabolism slows down so that their organs do not work as hard, creating a relaxed state in their bodies. They can hold their breath underwater for much longer during this period, since respiration rates have slowed.

Terrapin habitat is highly important for both food sources and nesting areas. Humans can affect these areas by destroying eel grass beds, where their prey species live, as well as building along marshland areas. Many terrapin females are killed every year trying to cross major roads along marshes trying to find the right place to nest. Males are small enough to be trapped in crab pots and will drown if they are left unattended for more than twenty minutes at a time. It is not mandatory in New Jersey yet, but turtle excluder devices can be placed over the openings in crab pots to keep males from getting in.

There are seven species of sea turtles worldwide, most of them living, breeding, and feeding in tropical and sub-tropical areas. Aside from the Australian flatback turtle and the Olive Ridley turtle, the remainder can all be found in Atlantic waters. Two species of sea turtles, the loggerhead and Kemp’s Ridley have been known to migrate great distances in search of food and have been spotted along the coast of New Jersey during their fall and spring migrations.

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Loggerhead sea turtles are the third largest, right after the Leatherback and Green, weighing over 250 pounds and encompassing a length of about three to four feet. They are called loggerheads because of their giant skull and crushing jaws. Because of this feature, their main prey species is horseshoe crabs, blue crabs, and fish. Since New Jersey boasts one of the largest blue crab populations on the east coast, it is no wonder these giants have been seen around our waters. Females will lay nests from southern Virginia down to the Florida Keys from late May until late August. When hatchlings are born, they race to the sea and swim out until they reach the Sargasso Sea in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. They will stay there for up to ten years before heading back to the coast.

Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are the smallest of the species, weighing only about 100 pounds and encompassing about two feet in length. They are grayer in color to match their main prey species’ habitat – mud – which is where they dig out clams and other mollusks. They have been known to migrate from southern waters all the way to New England just to find the best clam beds. On their migration, they have stopped along New Jersey’s coast. This particular species is the most critically endangered of all the other species because their breeding grounds are not widespread. In fact, their main nesting beach is on Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, although they have smaller pocket nesting areas within the Gulf of Mexico, such as Texas, Louisiana, and Florida.

Both Loggerhead and Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are susceptible to human-related effects such as marine debris, oil spills, entanglement in fishing gear, swallowing baited hooks, and being hit by boats. Marine debris is the worst culprit of sea turtle death but it is the easiest to control. Plastics can be ingested or get stuck around their throats and other limbs. Oil can be ingested as well, but once it gets onto their scales, it is difficult for them to absorb the sun’s warmth through their skin cells. Fishing gear that is left in the ocean, whether it is a ghost net or tangled fishing line, can wrap around any body part or can be ingested. Baited hooks can be snagged on their flippers or they can be ingested and have to be surgically removed. Boat propellers have the power to slice completely through a three-inch thick shell and if the spinal column is severed, the turtle can become paralyzed. After being struck by a boat, they become incapacitated and the wounds become quickly infected by parasites and bacteria.

Both in the bay and in the ocean, we need to be conscientious of these reptile species. Keep to the no wake zones in the marshes and be aware of turtle heads coming up for air. Throw away your trash in the proper bins instead of allowing it to reach our waters. Recycle old nets, fishing lines, and hooks – this helps to prevent entanglement, ingestion, or possible loss of limbs.

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The Great Terrapin Race

*Adapted from MATES Project Terrapin*

Grades: K-2 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To understand the concept of predator-prey relationships in the salt marsh ecosystem with relation to Northern Diamondback Terrapins.

Objectives: Students will be able to: understand the concept of predator-prey relationships and understand the necessity for terrapin conservation.

Materials: Predator and prey species cards (provided) Live species (if available) Crab pot Terrapin excluder devices Fishing nets or lines

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Define the terms predator and prey within an estuarine watershed. Explain that one particular species, the Northern Diamondback terrapin, lives in the watershed and describe its prey species and some of its predators. Explain that the game they will play is to represent these predators and prey species and what will happen to the terrapins throughout their life cycle in the bay.

2. Activity: This game is best played outdoors in a wide open space but can be adapted to the classroom. Assign predators and prey species and the remainder of the group will be terrapins; give out their species cards. Begin with hatchlings. Hatchlings will eat plankton and small juvenile fish. They can be eaten by sea gulls, and raccoons. Set boundaries for where the students can go – for hatchlings it is a race to the bay from their nest. Hatchlings will have a certain amount of time to avoid getting tagged by predators as they tag their prey on their way to the water.

For the second round, the terrapin hatchlings have grown and are now juveniles living in the bay. They are now able to eat larger fish and fiddler crabs. Their predators are going to be foxes and bald eagles, as well as river otters. Assign different predators and prey and have the terrapins race from one bank of the salt marsh to the other in search of food, while avoiding their predators.

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For the final round, the terrapins are now adults. They will be eating mostly the same prey species, but add in periwinkle snails and worms. Predators will still be bald eagles and otters but now add in the human induced predation – a crab pot drifting in the water column, fishing gear that can entangle the terrapins, and boats. Have the terrapins avoid predators and human impacts while still trying to tag their prey species.

3. Post-Activity (review): Collect the species cards and have the students come together as a group for a discussion of how difficult it was to be a terrapin. Explain that while terrapins live mostly in water, they have to avoid humans as well as natural predators. By introducing humans, they are less likely to catch their prey because they can be seriously injured in the attempt. Discuss with the students ways that humans can prevent being a part of this food web and make it easier for terrapins to survive.

Key Words: Predator Prey Anthropogenic Crab pot Ghost net Food web

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PREY SPECIES

Atlantic Silverside Periwinkle Snails

Polychaete Worms

Fiddler Crabs

PREDATOR SPECIES

Raccoons

River Otters

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Foxes

Gulls

Bald Eagles

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We Eat it Too

Grades: 3-5 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To explore clamming and crabbing as a shared resource between the human fisheries industry and sea turtle species.

Objectives: Students will be able to: identify species of sea turtle species that migrate along the Atlantic coast in search of food sources that are shared with humans; explore the fishing industries of clamming off the New England coast as well as crabbing in the mid-Atlantic; and discuss ways to share these resources with sea turtle species.

Materials: Large storage bins (about four or five) Gray sand Tan sand Large clam shells Toy blue crabs Kid rakes Kid sieves Stop watch

Preparation: Fill the bins with either gray sand or tan sand. Bury the clam shells in the gray sand and bury the crabs in the tan sand. Make sure you have enough bins for the entire class after dividing them into groups of 4-5 students.

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Inquire what species of sea turtles the students may already know. Explain that there are seven species worldwide and we have five of them along the Atlantic coast, two of which will migrate specifically for food (Loggerhead and Kemp’s Ridley). Give descriptions about both species before discussing their prey. Describe how their shells are adequately colored to not only protect them from predators like sharks but also to camouflage them for ambush predation on their prey species.

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2. Activity: Divide the class into groups of 4-5 students. Each group will get either a gray sand bin or tan sand bin. One gray bin will represent the clamming industry, using rakes to dig for as many clams as they can. One tan bin will represent the crabbing industry, using sieves to trap as many crabs as they can. The remaining bins will be either loggerhead or Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles based on their diet. Students must use their hands cupped like a turtle beak to pick up clams or crabs one by one.

Time the students for approximately 5 minutes to grab as many clams or crabs as they can either by using the human-made tools or their “turtle beaks.” When you call time, have each group count out the number of clams and crabs they caught. Students can take turns clamming and crabbing, but they will have to rebury the clams and crabs after each turn.

3. Post-Activity (review): Discuss why the industries were able to grab more and why it was more difficult for the sea turtles. Discuss ways that these industries might be able to catch less or improve on their collection in order to conserve more for the sea turtles to share the resources. If time allows, you can switch the groups around and give everyone a chance to be an industry and a sea turtle.

Key Words: Sea turtle Loggerhead Kemp’s Ridley Clamming Crabbing Trawling Crab nets

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Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle

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Terrapin Bingo

*Adapted from MATES Project Terrapin*

Grades: 6-8 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To differentiate between terrapins and other turtle species and to describe the predator-prey relationships for the Northern Diamondback terrapin.

Objectives: Students will be able to: identify morphological features of all turtles; differentiate between terrapins and other turtle species; investigate the importance of the estuarine ecosystem as a terrapin habitat; and understand the predator-prey relationships of the Northern Diamondback terrapin.

Materials: Bingo game cards (provided) Bingo chips Diamondback terrapin male/female comparison photo (provided) Live species (if available) or photos Crab pot Turtle excluder devices Bingo prizes

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Inquire what the students know about retiles and what makes them different from mammals. To explain the difference in morphological features between terrapins and other turtle species, you can use live species, if they are available, or photos of each (have a photo of a terrestrial tortoise, a terrapin, and a sea turtle). Discuss predator-prey relationships and how they relate to the Northern Diamondback terrapin within the estuary.

2. Activity: Divide the class into groups of 5-6 students and pass out the game pieces and bingo chips to each group. Use the questions/clues provided and play several rounds of bingo to get more than one group winner. You can have groups switch their game pieces with each round. Give out prizes of your choice to the winning teams.

3. Post-Activity (review): Introduce the conservation status of Northern Diamondback terrapins with relation to salt marsh ecology. Discuss the mortality of both females and males due to road trauma and crab pots. Explain the use of turtle excluder devices on crab pots as well as other ways to conserve this species and its habitat. Ask the students for ideas as to how they can help protect these species.

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Key Words: Diamondback Terrapin Reptile Scute Plastron Predator Prey Turtle excluder device Hatchling Estuary Keratin Clutch

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TERRAPIN BINGO QUESTIONS/CLUES: 1. A common prey species for Diamondback terrapins that can be found scurrying around the marsh at low tide………………….. A: Crab 2. A nocturnal predator of Diamondback terrapins that will dig up the nests looking for eggs and possibly hatchlings………………….. A: Raccoon 3. The top part of the shell is called the...... A: Carapace 4. Because they have to sit out in the sun to get warm and they can’t regulate their body temperature like we can, they are considered a…………………… A: Reptile 5. A common prey species for Diamondback terrapins that tends to be slimy and has an outer shell shaped like a spiral……………… A: Snails 6. All terrapins are considered this…………… A: Turtle 7. A group of eggs collectively is called a……………….. A: Clutch 8. A daytime predator of Diamondback terrapins that will eat hatchlings as they head for the water…………… A: Sea gull 9. The overlapping parts of a turtle’s shell are called…………… A: Scutes 10. The area that contains a mix of fresh and salt water…………… A: Estuary 11. The area that is flooded by saltwater with the tides and where Diamondback terrapins live most of the time……………. A: Marsh 12. Reptiles lay these. They are leathery, soft and porous and contain babies inside…………………. A: Eggs 13. A reptile digs one of these in the sand in order to deposit its eggs into………….. A: Nest 14. Terrapins will use this to crush down on their most common prey, the fiddler crabs…………….. A: Beak 15. Male terrapins might get stuck in one of these and drown…………….. A: Crab pot 16. People use these to catch fish and sometimes terrapins will get caught in them as well………….. A: Nets 17. The bottom shell of a turtle is a called a………………. A: Plastron 18. The hard exoskeleton that surrounds the body of the turtle is the ……………………….A: Shell 19. A baby turtle is known as a ______and is about the size of a quarter when born…………. A: Hatchling 20. Terrapins are unique turtles because of these types of feet………………. A: Webbed 21. Females terrapins have a much shorter ______than male turtles…………….. A: tail 22. All reptiles breathe using this organ…………….. A: Lungs 23. The material that makes scutes; it’s the same as our hair and fingernails………….. A: Keratin 24. Something you put on a crab pot in order to make sure terrapins don’t go inside………………… A: Excluder

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TERRAPIN BINGO CARD Estuary Lungs Keratin Plastron Hatchling

Raccoon Sea gull Reptile Beak Excluder

Shell Carapace Crab pot Eggs FREE SPACE

Clutch Nets Turtle Scutes Nest

Marsh Tail Snails Crab Webbed

TERRAPIN BINGO CARD Nest Nets Reptile Snails Turtle

Shell Tail Eggs Crab pot Crab

Raccoon Estuary Carapace Hatchling FREE SPACE

Clutch Beak Marsh Scutes Lungs

Excluder Webbed Plastron Sea gull Keratin

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TERRAPIN BINGO CARD Crab Raccoon Hatchling Shell Estuary

Excluder Nest Webbed Clutch Lungs

Tail Nets Plastron Reptile FREE SPACE

Eggs Carapace Crab pot Keratin Sea gull

Turtle Scutes Marsh Snails Beak

TERRAPIN BINGO CARD Hatchling Excluder Raccoon Webbed Scutes

Sea gull Keratin Crab Estuary Nets

Reptile Tail Beak Lungs FREE SPACE

Marsh Crab pot Eggs Plastron Shell

Turtle Carapace Nest Snails Clutch

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TERRAPIN BINGO CARD Plastron Scutes Reptile Crab Hatchling

Webbed Beak Eggs Nest Lungs

Shell Tail Turtle Crab pot FREE SPACE

Excluder Carapace Nets Estuary Keratin

Raccoon Marsh Sea gull Snails Clutch

TERRAPIN BINGO CARD Webbed Crab Beak Reptile Keratin

Clutch Turtle Estuary Excluder Tail

Crab pot Shell Eggs Nest FREE SPACE

Carapace Sea gull Lungs Nets Hatchling

Scutes Plastron Snails Marsh Raccoon

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UNIT SEVEN: PEOPLE POLLUTION

People Pollution is presented in three lessons. Each of these lessons has been adapted from the Project WET® teacher’s guide book and deals with pollution caused by humans, or anthropogenic. Students will have the opportunity to explore what happens when point- and non-point source pollution enters into the watershed. They will discover the importance of water treatments plants for drinking water, deal with too many people using the same water resource, and discover what happens when pollution flows from upstream to downstream.

Storm Drain Maze (K-2) gives young students an opportunity to see what it’s like to become water droplets as they are pushed through a storm drain on their way to the estuary. They will have the opportunity to “stick” each other with pollution and view what happens when pollution enters an aquatic ecosystem. They will then utilize this knowledge to understand the importance of a water treatment plant in cleaning water before it enters an ecosystem or even our homes.

“Sum of the Parts” (3-5) teaches students that in a watershed all water flows towards the estuary and ocean, so the headwaters are just as important as the estuary itself. This lesson will elaborate on people pollution by exploring what happens when someone else’s trash winds up in your backyard down-river.

Share and Share Alike (6-8) investigates how urban sprawl has contributed to people pollution. It also teaches students how we all share the same water and how the conservation of the resource is important to our survival. Students will understand the complexity involved in ensuring everyone within a community that shares the water resource is provided for.

Background Information: Our water usage directly affects each of these aquatic ecosystems. Pollution from our homes, our yards, our communities, can harm plant-life as well as kill animals that rely on these ecosystems to survive. Rain and storms will transport chemicals such as fertilizers and car oils into each habitat of a watershed and can enter an aquatic system from storm drains, the grates on the side of the road that collect water after a storm.

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Since the estuary has water flowing into it from both upstream rivers and the ocean, it can be exposed to pollution from both sides, causing detrimental damage to occur. Inland and upriver, most pollution enters the waterways either by passing through a storm drain on the side of the road, percolating down into the soils, or being dumped directly into a tributary or the river itself. Water in a watershed always flows downstream, and because these pollutants do not pass through a water treatment plant, they are directly emitted into the estuary. Ocean pollution, by contrast, can come from boat oil or illegal dumping of chemicals, as it is pushed into the estuary with the incoming tides and currents.

There are two main types of pollution: point- and non-point source pollution. Point-source pollution is often described by its namesake and usually consists of pipes that emit pollutants directly from a factory or plant into the water. You can literally “point” out where the pollution is coming from and “point” blame on the culprit. Non-point source pollution is much more difficult to identify the cause or where it originally came from. Pet waste, detergents and soaps from cars or homes, fertilizers and pesticides for lawns and gardens, and general garbage debris can all be considered non-point source pollution. These items can be twice as detrimental because they tend to be exponentially added to the water system.

Locally in the Barnegat Bay watershed, pollution of any kind, but especially water pollution, affects everyone and everything, from the water we drink, to the lakes and ponds we might swim in, to the rivers and bays organisms use as their home. Since we all utilize this vast water resource collectively, we are the only ones who can do something about it. Everything that enters a system upstream will eventually make it downstream so what we do will affect how someone else utilizes the water source we both share.

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Storm Drain Maze

*Adapted from Project WET®*

Grades: K-2 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goals: To understand the effect different types of pollution has on water as it flows through a watershed and introduce the concept of a water treatment plant.

Objectives: Students will be able to: define pollution; define storm drain; distinguish between different types of pollution; understand where a water drop goes once it enters a storm drain; and understand the concept of a water treatment plant.

Materials: Four different colored post-it pads or sticky notes Laminated photos of: Water treatment plant (x2) Bay (x2) Storm drain (x2) Pet waste Detergents Soaps Fertilizers/pesticides Yarn/string

Preparation: Prepare the laminated photos so that the students can wear them around their necks. After laminating, punch two holes in them and tie the string loosely so the students can use them as name tags.

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin by talking about the watershed and how each of them is a part of it. Introduce water pollution by explaining what it is, what it does and what it affects. Explain how a storm-drain can contribute to excess pollution and where it leads to when water and other things go down it. Ask the students if they’ve ever lost a toy or ball down one. Detail the activity so that the students understand they are going to play water droplets as they travel from a road-side storm drain, through the pipes, until they reach the bay.

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2. Activity: This activity has several rounds and they are described in detail as follows:

Round 1: Choose students to be the bay and pollution (no water treatment plant this round) and hand them the nametags to wear. Choose two more students to play the storm drain and have them hold their arms above their heads to form an arc. Every other student will play a water droplet. To the pollution students, hand out a pad of post-it notes or sticky pads (one color to each). Explain that the pollution will “stick” to the water droplets as they pass by. Line the pollution students up facing each other and the bay students at the far end of the line. Students designated as water droplets for this round will get “stuck” by the pollution and then pass under the storm drain arc on their way to the bay.

Round 2: Using the same students for this round, the water droplets will move faster, passing the pollution and through the storm drain arc before entering the bay. Explain that this is what happens during a storm and ask them if they’ve ever seen water rushing down the street heading towards the storm drains. What was included in the water besides just water?

Round 3: Choose new students to be the pollution, bay, and storm drain, but add the water treatment plants as well. Explain that a water treatment plant must attempt to take off all of the pollution before the water droplets make it to the bay. Line the water treatment plant students at the end of the line before the bay, facing each other. Begin the students at a normal walking pace as they get “stuck” by the pollution, pass through the storm drain, and then “cleaned” by the water treatment plant before making it to the bay. Expand on the differences between the first round and this round.

Round 4: Using the same students as the last round, move the water droplets faster as they pass the pollution, through the storm drain, and through the water treatment plant before moving to the bay. Explain that when there is heavy rainfall, the water treatment plant has a more difficult time cleaning off the water before it gets to the bay. This may become bad for the ecosystem if there’s too much pollution coupled with a heavy rainfall.

3. Post-Activity (review): Collect all the post-in notes or sticky pads and nametags from the students and have them take their seats again. Review what happened during each round with the students, making sure to elaborate on what happened when there was a heavier rainfall and more water droplets were entering into the system. Ask the students to define in their own words storm drain, pollution (and give examples), and a water treatment plant. Elaborate on ways to prevent that much pollution from getting into the water system before it enters a storm drain at all.

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Key Words: Pollution Storm drain Water treatment plant Water quality Watershed

Water Treatment Plant

Bay

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Storm Drain

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Detergents

Soaps

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Watershed

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Share and Share Alike

*Adapted from Project WET®*

Grades: 3-5 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goal: To analyze the results of what happens when a water resource is shared and not managed properly.

Objectives: Students will be able to: illustrate how multiple users of water resources can affect water quality and quantity; understand the complexity of having to provide water for all water users; and define a watershed.

Materials: Two large buckets of water (this activity might involve spilled water – take precautions) Colored sponges cut in 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4 Blue food dye Paper towels

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin with the students listing different types of water user groups in their community. Make sure they come up with at least six or seven and can be anything from household use to water treatment plants to factories or car washes. Explain that each of these groups uses water every day at the same time so it puts a lot of pressure on the system and the watershed and this activity will demonstrate that. Discuss how they would remedy so much water use if they had the power to regulate it.

2. Activity: Explain that the activity will demonstrate what happens when all those groups begin to affect not only the quality of water but the availability of useful water over time. The common water between all groups is the salt marsh and these groups all live around the bay. Fill one bucket with water and blue food dye and inform the students that it represents water stored in the bay ecosystem. Explain that some communities use groundwater as their main water supply.

The game rules: Each 30-second round represents a different time period. Each student will position themselves equidistant from the water source. When each round begins, they will have the opportunity to soak up as much water in their sponges as many times as the clock will allow, taking their sponge and emptying it into the empty bucket at their end. At the end of each round, half of their bucket will be put back into the “bay” and explain to the students that the used water will make it back to the bay in different ways over time. Ask the students about the clarity of the water – this represents sewage and runoff from urban and rural areas. Continue through each round until the game has ended.

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Round 1: Represents 200 years ago. The watershed is inhabited by a few settlers operating small farms close to the bay so their animals can drink from it. They also use the bay for drinking water, to bathe in, and to clean their clothes. Choose a few students to be these homesteaders and hand them each the smallest 1/4 sponges.

Round 2: Represents 100 years ago. A larger farm and a small town are now located on the bay, directly adjacent to the salt marsh. Choose a few students to be the “town dwellers” and hand them each the 1/4 sponges. Then choose one student to represent the farm and hand them a 1/2 sponge.

Round 3: Represents the time period just after WWII. The size of the town has increased. Many of the town residents are now employed by a local factory, which not only pulls water from the bay but also has effluent into it. Choose a student to be this factory and hand them a 1/2 sponge. Two large farming areas now supply milk and some food for the town. Choose two students to represent these farms and hand them one whole sponge each. A power company now gives electricity to the town and uses water to cool its electric turbines. Choose one student and hand them one whole sponge. Several community services (i.e. hospitals, schools, stores) are now part of this town, all pulling resource water from the bay, and they can be represented by a few students, each receiving a 1/2 sponge. Provide a few students representing individual families with 1/3 sponge each.

Round 4: Represents present day. The town has continued to grow and utilize the bay more. A new industry that makes household cleaning products has moved in on the opposite bank of the bay and any cleaning solutions it does not process get dumped into the bay. Choose a student to represent this industry and give them one whole sponge. Keep the students from round three and hand out a few more sponges to each represented occupation.

3. Post-Activity (review): After cleaning up from the game but not dumping the “bay” yet, discuss with the students the quality and the quantity of water after four rounds of the game. Discuss the proportions of the sponge pieces and whether there were groups that used too much water or not enough. Ask the students how they would have adjusted the sponge use to ensure enough clean water was available for all users. Discuss other ways of adapting a town to make it more water use friendly.

Key Words: Point-source pollution Non-point source pollution Urban sprawl Development Water use Water quality Watershed Reservoir

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“Sum of the Parts”

*Adapted from Project WET®*

Grades: 6-8 Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Goal: To demonstrate how everyone contributes to the pollution of a river as it flows through a watershed.

Objectives: Students will be able to: distinguish between point- and non-point source pollution; recognize that everyone is responsible for the pollution of the water source in their community; and identify best management practices to reduce pollution.

Materials: Pre-made “riverfront property” pieces (see sample provided) Pieces of colored paper (to represent pollution types) Crayons, markers, colored pencils

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin with defining point- and non-point source pollution and give examples of each. Create a list on the board and designate a color to each (for the purpose of the activity). Describe the estuarine watershed in terms of its tributaries, major rivers, and how water flows from upstream to downstream. Explain that the activity will explore what happens in an ecosystem when you add pollution into the watershed and it too flows from upstream to downstream.

2. Activity: Begin the activity by telling the students they have “hypothetically” won a million dollars and have been given a piece of real estate to build on, right alongside a nice, clean river. Pass out the “riverfront property” pieces and explain they can build whatever they choose to on their property. Give them approximately twenty minutes to use their imaginations and create.

After they have completed what is to go on their property, have the students line up their pieces according to the diagram provided, so they can see the layout of the river when it is connected. Beginning with property labeled number one, explain that these properties are upstream and everything else is considered downstream. Have each student explain what they created on their property and designate specific pollution examples to their property. For example, if they have a mansion with a well-manicured lawn, add fertilizers to their property. As you go to the next set of properties, designate pollution based on what they drew.

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Once you have reached the end of the river, explain that heavy rains and winds are pushing the water fast downstream. Beginning with the first pieces of property, have the students pick up their pollution pieces and hand them to the person standing next to them downstream. Property number two will take all of their pollution and add it to what they were just given all the way down the line until the end properties have everyone’s pollution.

3. Post-Activity (review): Emphasize the key fact that pollution of any type has flowed downstream without anything standing in its way. Ask the students to consider different management options the individual property owners could use as well as the community as a whole with respect to preventative measures. The students may keep their properties.

Key Words: Point-source pollution Non-point source pollution Urban sprawl Development Water quality Watershed

Sample Riverfront property cards 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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UNIT EIGHT: OUTDOOR INVESTIGATIONS

Outdoor Investigations is presented in one lesson. Getting students outside and out in the field anywhere along the Barnegat Bay is a great way to investigate ecosystem dynamics. Students will get an up-close and personal look at species that might not have been available in other lessons. All organisms collected, unless specified, will be captured and released back into the bay.

Catch of The Day (3-8) introduces students to the biological sampling technique known as seining. Students will be instructed on the proper use of a seine net and how to collect species by towing the net through shallow water. Species will be examined on site, identified using field guides, and released. NGSS: Growth and Development of Organisms (life cycles) 3-LS 1-1; Social Interactions and Group Behavior (group function) 3-LS 2-1; Natural Selection (differences in characteristics among individuals) 3-LS 4-2; Adaptation (habitat survival) 3-LS 4-3; Structure and Function (internal and external features) 4-LS 1-1; Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (food webs) 5-LS 2-1; Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes (fresh vs. saltwater systems) 5-ESS 2-2

Background Information: Seining is a technique used by many marine biologists, ecologists, and conservationists to take a sample of marine organisms. Seining can be done in virtually any water habitat, as long as the entry and exit is safe. The net used in this technique is a simple mesh tied between two wooden poles. The top of the net is lined with floats or buoys and the bottom of the net is lined with small fishing weights. This type of setup is to ensure that when the net is deployed in the water, it stretches the entire length of the water column, making the sample more efficient.

Keep the bottom of the poles as close to the sandy bottom as possible. One useful tip is to lightly tap the sand as you move along. The poles should be held at a 45 degree angle and when moving the net towards the beach, the top of the poles should be facing the interior of the bay. The net should be pulled taut and both poles should be even as you approach the beach. Once the net is safely ashore, lay it flat on the sand. The students can begin to place some of the organisms into the viewing buckets or bins. Under no circumstances should any student walk on the net. Make sure the students walk around the net and are careful not to step on anything that might have jumped out.

In the bay ecosystem, there are several common species the students are most likely to collect with this technique: Atlantic silversides, mummichog, flounder, blue crabs, tautog, striped killifish, northern pipefish, and comb jellies. Some of the more unique and rare species could be: sea bass, northern puffers, sea robins, oyster toadfish, and needlefish. Because the spring/summer months are the time of year most fish are spawning and because the bay acts as a nursery for juvenile species, most of the specimens collected will be smaller in size. It is very rare to catch a full grown adult. Advise the students to be cautious around crabs, especially blue crabs; they can be aggressive when handled and will defend themselves.

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Catch of The Day

Grades: 3-8 Time: 1 hour

Goal: To investigate some of the species of flora and fauna found in an estuarine ecosystem.

Objectives: Students will be able to: identify several abundant species within the bay; define a salt marsh; define an estuary; and learn how to take samples of wildlife using a basic seining technique.

Materials: Seine nets (50 feet and 100 feet) Small grab nets Buckets or clear bins Flora and fauna checklist (provided) Pencils Clipboards Waders (if available) or closed toed water shoes (NOT flip-flops) Laminated photos of common bay species (provided on pg. 46 – 49)

Procedures: 1. Pre-Activity (introduction): Begin the activity by explaining why seining is a common technique for marine biologists. Ask the students if they have ever been fishing and explain that this technique is a form of fishing. Make sure they understand that everything they catch, they put back in the bay. If there is a student present who has seined before, you can have them demonstrate for the other students. If you would like to give them an overview, point out the weights and the floats and what they are used for, as well as the proper way to hold the poles in the water. You can even ask to students to demonstrate for you on dry sand before heading into the water.

2. Activity: Depending on the number of students, you can have them seine two or four at a time (two at each pole). Make sure you go in the water with them and instruct them as they go; do not coach from the shoreline. The net must be taut, the poles at a 45 degree angle, and the students must keep the same pace in the water to ensure they get the maximum number of fish. At the shoreline, lay the net flat so students can see what was caught. Instruct students to watch their feet and be cautious around the net; fish and shrimp can jump out of the net. Instruct students on how to properly handle crabs, especially blue crabs, because they can be aggressive when handled. Crabs must be grabbed from behind and held either by the back of their shell or their swimmerets.

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As part of each seine attempt, make sure there isn’t an overabundance of one species in the viewing buckets/bins. You want a variety of species to identify after the seining activity is complete. Instruct every student to try seining once before allowing individual students to seine again.

3. Post-Activity (review): Once each student has had the opportunity to seine, gather the students around the viewing buckets. Since fish and invertebrates cannot breathe out of water, encourage students to view species with their eyes, not their hands, and instruct them to keep their hands out of the viewing buckets while you discuss the individual species. Fish will stress as oxygen levels decrease, so ensure that there isn’t an overabundance of fish in one viewing bucket at a time. Instruct the students to use their field guides to identify the species before you tell them what they are. Have the students use their checklist to keep track of which species they caught. Encourage them to sketch the species on the back of the checklist. Discuss the food web in relation to what they have caught and the importance of the estuary as a nursery for these species.

Have the students return all species to the water at the end of the lesson. Make sure that no students have taken hermit crabs or other small species, such as snails, sea stars, etc. home with them. Instruct volunteers to clean off the nets in the water and roll them properly before ending the lesson.

Key Words: Seining Watershed Ecosystem Fauna Flora *See checklist of species

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Seining the Estuary Species Checklist

FAUNA Invertebrates Vertebrates

______Grass shrimp ______Summer flounder

______Sand shrimp ______Winter flounder

______Mud snails ______Northern pipefish

______Hermit crabs ______Seahorse

______Horseshoe crabs ______Needlefish

______Blue crabs ______Atlantic silverside

______Green crabs ______Mummichog

______Mud crabs ______Striped killifish

______Comb jellies ______Tautog

______Moon jellies ______Northern puffer

______Sea nettles ______Searobin

______Sea bass

______Oyster toadfish

FLORA

______Rockweed ______Sea lettuce

______Redweed ______Eelgrass

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BIBLIOGRAPY

UNIT ONE: Beaches and Dunes. “Plants and Animals That Live In and Around Sandy Beaches.” 23 April 2014.

New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. “Sand Sampling.” 5 October 2012.

UNIT TWO: Project WET. “Incredible Journey.” Projectwet.org. 2010. 14 November 2012.

EnviroScape®. “Coastal Model.” Enviroscapes.com. JT&A, Inc. 2013. 5 December 2012.

UNIT THREE: New Jersey Audubon Society. “Eventful Journey.” Bridges to the Natural World: Natural History Lessons. 6 December 2012.

UNIT FOUR: New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. “Web of Life.” 2 March 2013.

Discovering Barnegat Bay Teacher Workshop. Ocean County Soil Conservation District. 2013.

UNIT FIVE: Discovering Barnegat Bay Teacher Workshop. Ocean County Soil Conservation District. 2013.

New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. “Classification and Identification.” 2 March 2013.

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UNIT SIX: Project Terrapin. “Terrapin Egg Survival Game.” Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science. 5 March 2013.

UNIT SEVEN: Project WET. “A-mazing Water.” Projectwet.org. 2010. 14 November 2012.

Project WET. “Sum of the Parts.” Projectwet.org. 2010. 4 March 2013.

Project WET®. “Common Water.” Projectwet.org. 4 March 2013.

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