CoastWatch Curriculum

Intertidal Discovery Hike Objective: wide open - exploring every nook and cranny on To explore the beach and become familiar with the the beach, searching under rocks and beneath plants and in the marine intertidal habitat algae, and looking for plants and animals in every while collecting some basic observational data. tide zone.

Concept: As a class you should decide on one of the follow- Students need time to "discover" the beach. An ing activities to do while you are at the beach as initial Discovery Hike can provide a hands-on a way to structure your field experience. At the learning environment by familiarizing the students very least you should do the Biodiversity Check- with common abundant organisms and an intro- list, which will provide data on the organisms duction to tide zones. that can be found at your beach and can provide the beginnings for further inquiry activities if you Materials: choose to do them. Timed counts can be a very exciting way to focus your search for animals and � Handout: Biodiversity Checklist are highly recommended. � Clipboards � Marine guides or ID charts Biodiversity Checklist: � Stopwatch Use this list to check off all of the organisms you Preparation: observe on the beach while on your Discovery Hike. Make copies of the Biodiversity Checklist. Divide your class into tide zones and have groups All classes should participate in a beach discovery of students exploring tidal bands on the beach or walk as an initial filed trip to observe local organ- you can have different groups walk a vertical band isms, check out the various types of organisms to by beginning at the water's edge and working their be found at the different tidal heights and to do an way up to the highest level on the beach where an initial species biodiversity checklist. This will help organism can be found. classes who are participating in the Coastwalk and/ or Intertidal Sampling projects pick their species Positively identify the organisms by checking to monitor and get the students excited about their with your identification guide and matching the field work. scientific name if possible.

Make sure you have done the pre-trip activities Once done, the class data can be combined to get relevant to this field trip. Students should be a final comprehensive species diversity list. dressed warmly and have an idea of what they will be looking for on their beach walk. Timed Counts:

Activities & Procedures Timed counts are a beach scavenger hunt! Groups will count one species (or group) of inter- Tell the students that they are going on a Discovery tidal organism at a time for a 10 minute period. Hike which means they should walk with eyes

1 © Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, 2014 CoastWatch Curriculum

Intertidal Discovery Hike Continued

Following at least 15 minutes of initial beach explo- ences in observation techniques and scientific ration, ask the class to choose the animal groups to monitoring methodology, and learn from their count based on what they saw in their explorations. peers.

Divide students into pairs. Gather the group together and have a scientific convention. Ask each student group to report their Work as a class to assign each group an animal (or findings to the rest of their scientist peers. animal group) to count. Act as a convention reporter, asking key questions Each group should search for animals in a limited of the scientists and audience: “How did you come area where the category of animal is known to oc- about these findings?” and “How would you have cur. For example, if you are searching for seastars, gone about answering this question?” go to where you know seastars occur, then start your 10 minutes of counting. In particular, it is key to prod students to ask and answer their own questions about the data they If you have a large class, pairs of students can count are collecting and the merits of their methodology. the same animals but search in different areas of the beach. The numbers can then be combined for Make a list of all of the students' questions, group data analysis. them in categories and discuss what makes a good "inquiry" or testable question. The goal is to count as many of the organisms as possible to give you an idea of the overall abun- Stress that scientists are just everyday people who dance of the organism on your beach. have questions and attempt to answer to them. Sometimes you can begin with one hypothesis Instruct students that they should only count those but over time it can change with more observation organisms they can see on the surface and should or knowledge. Discuss the mportance of sharing not turn over rocks or search under seaweed. scientific knowledge within not only the scientific community, but the entire community at large as A student or the teacher should give the signal well. for starting and stopping the counts. Each group should count only one category of animal at time. Extensions & Lesson Connections:

At the end of 10 minutes, gather students together This lesson works as a great introduction to to share observations. student-designed inquiries or more involved monitoring projects. Do another timed count with other animals, if you have time. Evaluation:

Wrap-up: Assess data sheets for completeness and accuracy. Evaluate student participation and cooperation Hold a scientific convention to give students a during group work, and observe student chance to share their findings, talk about differ- contributions during the scientific convention.

© Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, 2014 2 Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies INTERTIDAL BIODIVERSITY CHECKLIST Molluscs: Bivalves p Butter Clam p Acorn p Steamer/Pacific Littleneck Clam p p Thatched Barnacle Nuttall’s Cockle Amphipods p Truncated Mya p p Beach Hopper Northwest Ugly Clam p Pink Beach Hopper p Arctic Rock Borer p p Skeleton Shrimp Baltic Macoma Isopods p Stained Macoma p p Pillbug Isopod Pacific Surf Clam p Rockweed Isopod p Pacific Blue Mussel p Crabs Horse Mussel p Black-clawed Cancer/Pygmy Rock Crab p Pink Scallop p p Helmet/Horse Crab Rock Jingle p Decorator Crab Snails p Graceful Kelp Crab p Sitka Periwinkle p Carapace/Hairy Crab p Helicina/Spiral Margarite p Red Hermit Crab p Puppet Margarite p Bering Hermit Crab p Hairy Triton p Hairy Hermit Crab p p Arctic Moonsnail Greenmark Hermit Crab p Channelled Dogwinkle p Widehand Hermit Crab p Emarginate Dogwinkle p Heart Crab p Frilled Dogwinkle p Umbrella Crab p File Dogwinkle p ______p Big Mouth/Paper Whelk p ______p Amphissa Snail Cnidarians: Limpets Anemones p Dunce Cap Limpet p Burrowing Green Anemone p Plate Limpet p Orange Colonial Anemone p Shield Limpet p Frilled/Plumose Anemone p Christmas Anemone Chitons p Scarlet Anemone p Black Katy/Leather Chiton/Bidarki p Sea Jellies Lined Chiton p Moon Jelly p Mossy Chiton p p Many-Ribbed Hydromedusa Tiger Chiton p Sea Nettle p Gumboot Chiton p p Lion’s Mane Jelly Dwarf Chiton p ______Nudibranchs Echinoderms: p Maned/Shaggy Nudibranch p Sea Stars False Sea Lemon/False Lemon Peel p True Star p Opalescent Nudibranch p p Little Six-rayed Star Barnacle-Eating Nudibranch p Leather Star Pulmonates p Sunflower Star p Leather Limpet p Ochre Star p False Limpet p Red-banded/Rainbow Star p Morning Sun Star Cephalopods p Stimpson’s Sun Star p Pacific Octopus p Rose Star p p ______Blood Star p ______Brittle Stars p p ______Daisy Brittle Star p p ______Serpent Star Sea Urchins p Arthropods: Green Sea Urchin p Purple Sea Urchin Shrimp p Red Sea Urchin p Broken-back Shrimp Sea Cucumbers p Coonstripe Shrimp p p Red/Orange Sea Cucumber Sand Shrimp p Silky Sea Cucumber p Black/Tar Spot Sea Cucumber p ______Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies INTERTIDAL BIODIVERSITY CHECKLIST (Page 2)

Worms and Worm-like Organisms: Sponges: Annelids p Breadcrumb Sponge p Mussel/Clam Worm p Purple Encrusting Sponge p Northern Feather Duster/Carpet Worm p Orange Sponge p Cone Worm p Wandering Sponge p Free Swimming Scale Worm p Commensal Scaleworm Brachiopods: p Calcareous Tube Worm p Transverse Lampshell p Spiral Tube Worm p Terebellid/Spaghetti Worm Ctenophores: p Blood Worm p Gooseberry p Slime-Tube Worm p Comb Jelly Flatworms p Bryozoans: Giant Flatworm p Encrusting Bryozoan Nemerteans p Staghorn Bryozoan p Amphiporous Worm p Red Ribbon Worm : p Black/Green Ribbon Worm Tunicates p Colonial Tunicate/Sea Pork Echiurans p Sea Peach p Fat Innkeeper/Alaskan Spoonworm Sipunculids Fish p p Peanut Worm Tidepool p Gunnel Fish p Pacific Sand Lance p ______p Northern Clingfish p______Other: p ______p ______p ______

Total Intertidal Biodiversity Count: ______

Other Observations: Landscape Changes Mammals and Birds ______

Abnormalities in animals Human Impact ______Location of Survey: ______Date: ______School/Group: ______Weather: ______Low Tide: ______Wind: ______Air Temp: ______Water Temp: ______Other Notes: ______