Grade 6 – Grade 12
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California Coast Educator Guide Grade 6 –Grade 12 What’s Inside: A. Exhibit Overview B. Exhibit Map c. Key Concepts d. Vocabulary E. museum connections f. Resources A. exhibit overview The mix of sunshine, wind, water and geology has created one of the world’s richest temperate marine communities. Come see why it’s special and protected. Welcome to the Northern California Coast, home to some of the world’s Use this guide to: richest temperate marine ecosystems. In this exhibit, students can learn » Plan your field trip to about the coastal ecosystems of the Northern California Coast on both the California Academy of Sciences’ Northern Level 1 and the Lower Level. California Coast exhibit. Upstairs on Level 1, students can follow a walkway along a transect of » Learn about exhibit themes, key concepts the coast from the San Francisco Bay estuary to the rocky coastline. and behind–the–scenes Downstairs on the Lower Level, students will have several underwater information to enhance views into the rocky coast tank, modeled on the habitats of the Gulf of and guide your students’ experience. the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, including a dramatic floor–to– » Link to exhibit–related ceiling window. Students will walk through a gallery of medium–size and activities you can smaller tanks displaying characteristic habitats of the California coast, download. including rocky coast, rocky reef and sandy bottom. » Connect your field trip to the classroom. Through interactive stations, students can learn more about the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and California marine life. Students can also interact with docents and use magnifiers to explore a variety of marine organisms at the Tidepool. Understanding the variety of animals and habitats on our California coast, our coastal resources, and how marine sanctuaries can play a role in protecting those resources sets the stage for fostering conservation awareness and environmental stewardship. Students will encounter two major themes throughout the exhibit: » California coastal habitats » Conservation efforts 02 Northern California Coast Educator Guide California Academy of Sciences a Observation Living Roof deck Planetarium exit b Upper Gallery Classroom c Naturalist B.Level exhibit 3 map Center California Academy of Sciences Map d Forum Level 2 Sta Entrance Northern g j Swamp Early California Explorers Cove Coast Aquarium Project View into Store stairs Lab Collections l h Planetarium Northern pass pick-up California East Coast l Earthquake Garden e Islands of Evolution k Rainforests Piazza of the World West f Science (Exits in Garden in Action Aquarium) Reef Lagoon m Garden n Moss Room Cafe Restaurant Penguins i African Hall Information m Academy Cafe Store Entrance Level 1 N Level 1 Swamp Store Level 1 stairs o Philippine Coral Reef p Water r Northern t Amazon Planet California Flooded Lower Level Coast Forest N (Aquarium) s Discovery q Animal Tidepool Lower Level Attraction (Aquarium) Northern California Coast California Academy of Sciences Northern California Coast Educator Guide 03 B. exhibit map Aquarium Map Level 1 Lower Level Rocky Coast Rocky Coast Rocky Reef Sanctuaries & Conservation Estuarine Habitats Tidepool Sandy N Bottom N Northern Northern California California Coast Coast Found on Level 1 and the Lower Level of the Aquarium, the Northern California Coast exhibit focuses on two main themes: California coastal habitats and conservation. Your students will encounter an abundance of organisms, as well as interactive stations, video presentations and information panels. Spend some time viewing the information on the Academy’s website at www.calacademy.org to begin planning your visit. 04 Northern California Coast Educator Guide California Academy of Sciences c. key concepts Estuarine Habitats Level 1 Estuaries include many types of habitats such as salt marsh and Rocky mudflats. Coast Main ideas: » San Francisco Bay is an estuary, a mixture of fresh water from rivers and salt water from the ocean. Estuarine Habitats » San Francisco estuary is vitally important to us, and to the health of the Pacific Ocean and onshore ecosystems. » Protection and restoration of San Francisco Bay benefits inland and marine ecosystems as well as the Bay itself and enriches our lives. Take a closer look! These animals call the San Francisco Bay home. Bay pipefish Dwarf surfpurch Syngnathus leptorhynchus Micrometrus minimus Look closely among the Adults and young dwarf blades of eelgrass to spot the surfperch live in shallow bay pipefish. They blend right waters throughout San in. Similar to their seahorse Francisco Bay. Like their other relatives, it is the male pipefishes that tend the surfperch cousins, these little fish give birth eggs in a brood pouch until they hatch. to live young rather than laying eggs! Diet: small crustaceans Diet: algae and small invertebrates Distribution: eastern Pacific Ocean, Alaska to Distribution: eastern Pacific Ocean, Bodega Bay to southern Baja California central Baja California Photo: Ron DeCloux © California Academy of Sciences Photo: Ron DeCloux © California Academy of Sciences California Academy of Sciences Northern California Coast Educator Guide 05 c. key concepts Rocky Coast Habitat Lower Level Life on Northern California’s rocky Rocky coast is shaped by waves and tides. Coast Main ideas: » The biodiversity of Northern California’s rocky coast is rich and diverse. Rocky Reef Sanctuaries & » The daily tidal cycle creates a harsh, changing Conservation intertidal environment to which species have adapted. » Organisms that live in tidepools face extreme Tidepool Sandy fluctuations in environmental conditions including Bottom UV light, oxygen levels, temperature and wave action. » Organisms that live on the rocky shore are exposed to waves every day and have adaptations for hanging on and for deflecting waves. Take a closer look! These animals can be found in rocky tidepools. Green Sea Anemone Bat Star Anthopleura xanthogrammica Patiria miniata The green sea anemone has This common sea star lives built–in chemicals that prevent from the rocky shore down to sunburn during low tide. Its 300 meters (984 ft) and can short body may reduce stress be orange, red, yellow, purple from waves and surge, while the large ring of or other colors. tentacles increases the chance of capturing prey Diet: dead animals, algae that happen by. Distribution: eastern Pacific Ocean, Alaska to Diet: mussels, crabs, small fishes Baja California Distribution: eastern Pacific Ocean, Alaska to Panama Photo: Ron DeCloux © California Academy of Sciences Photo: Ron DeCloux © California Academy of Sciences 06 Northern California Coast Educator Guide California Academy of Sciences c. key concepts Rocky Reef Habitat Lower Level Rocky reefs are like underwater Rocky islands. The rocky substrate Coast provides habitat for a variety of marine organisms. Rocky Reef Sanctuaries & Main ideas: Conservation » Rocky reefs provide habitat for a high diversity of marine invertebrates, algae and fish. Tidepool » The Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Sandy Bottom just north of and contiguous with the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, contains submerged rocky reefs. Take a closer look! These animals make their homes on rocky reefs. Cup coral Spiny Brittle Star Balanophyllia elegans Ophiothrix spiculata Cup corals in cold California This sea star relative raises waters don’t build huge reefs its long arms to catch small like their tropical cousins do. animals floating by in the Instead, these animals build currents. They use the small individual limestone homes, or “cups,” to live in. spines along their arms to move food down to their Diet: tiny drifting life (plankton) mouth on the central disc. Distribution: eastern Pacific Ocean, British Diet: organic particles, small plankton, small animals Columbia to Baja California Distribution: Eastern Pacific Ocean, Northern California to Peru; also Galápagos Islands Photo: Ron DeCloux © California Academy of Sciences Photo: Ron DeCloux © California Academy of Sciences California Academy of Sciences Northern California Coast Educator Guide 07 c. key concepts Sandy Bottom Habitat Lower Level Many animals make their homes Rocky in the shifting sands. Coast Main idea: » Many species live in and on the sandy bottom. Some of them are of commercial value. Rocky Reef Sanctuaries & » Trawling for bottom–dwelling fish can harm sandy Conservation bottom habitat and bottom–dwelling species. » Protection of habitat and sustainable fishing Tidepool Sandy practices are needed to ensure the long–term health Bottom of sandy bottom and other ocean ecosystems. Take a closer look! These animals make their homes in the shifting sands. Sand dollar Speckled sanddab Dendraster excentricus Cytharichthys stigmaeus Sand dollars are well suited Blending in with the sandy for sandy seafloors. They’re seafloor helps this small covered with small spines for fish avoid predators, but not burrowing into the sand and trawler’s nets. Too many end have tiny tube feet for collecting food. up in nets as part of unwanted bycatch. Diet: tiny drifting life (plankton) Diet: small invertebrates Distribution: eastern Pacific Ocean, Alaska to Distribution: eastern Pacific Ocean, southeast Baja California Alaska to Baja California Photo: Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences Photo: Gerald and Buff Corsi © California Academy of Sciences 08 Northern California Coast Educator Guide California Academy of Sciences c. key concepts Sanctuaries & Conservation