[ABCDE] VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 Plankton—The Drifters NASA/GSFC AND ORBIMAGE NOAA/DR. NEIL SULLIVAN Phytoplankton can be identified by satellite Marine diatoms are seen through their chlorophyll (light green). through a microscope. INSIDE Crossword: Meet the Plankton World’s Biggest A Microscopic Energy Observation Fish is a 9 Aggregate 11 Correspondent 16 19 Delicate Feeder October 10, 2007 © 2007 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program A Word About Plankton — The Drifters Lesson: Plankton, at the bottom of the From the oxygen we breathe to the food that we consume, we food chain, has emerged as an important live on this planet at the courtesy of tiny drifting organisms component in scientific, technologic and called plankton. Fueled by the sun’s energy, microscopic floating economic efforts to slow climate change plants called phytoplankton convert inorganic compounds such and confront global warming. Through lab reports, research papers, editorials, as carbon dioxide into high-energy organic compounds that are displays and debates, students explore the consumed by drifting animals —the zooplankton. These in turn different modes of presenting their findings form the basis of the food chain from the smallest krill to the and perspectives to different audiences for largest whale. different purposes. Whether it is the barnacle perched as sentinel on a rocky coast, Level: Middle to high the oyster cemented to a reef, millions of beautiful coral polyps, Subjects: Science, Economics or the commercially important tuna, these denizens of the water Related Activity: Art, Careers, Geography world spend a portion of their life cycle drifting as plankton before settling to the bottom or swimming freely through the ocean. These tiny organisms can be studied to learn more about the environment, global warming, greenhouse gases, and business NIE Online Guide ventures. Included in this guide is an article, written by Editor — Carol Lange Washington Post writer Steven Mufson, that focuses on a small Art Editor — Carol Porter California company that proposes a venture involving plankton, Contributing to this guide: Lisa Lyle Wu business, and carbon credits in the world of emissions trading. currently teaches marine biology and is the lab director for the oceanography/ The following activities are designed to address science as geophysical systems lab at the Thomas inquiry, as well as science in personal and social perspectives. Jefferson High School for Science and By encouraging students to conduct research on issues and pose Technology (Alexandria, Va.). As a problems, they communicate their discoveries in ways that suit freelance science writer, she has developed their purpose and audience. curricular materials for Discovery Channel and worked on exhibit development for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. She was a volunteer diver at the National Aquarium in Baltimore for ten years and served as Teacher at Sea for NOAA. Each year she takes students to study in, on, or under the sea surrounding Maryland’s eastern shore, the Bahamas, Florida Keys, Galapagos Islands or Bermuda. She lives in Arlington, Va., with her husband and son. Send comments about this guide to: Margaret Kaplow, Educational Services Manager, [email protected] 2 October 10, 2007 © 2007 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Plankton — The Drifters In the Know Although the majority of activities Although the presentation can Bloom: A sudden increase in a plankton suggested in this guide are designed be used by itself, it can also be population for a science class, others are cross- followed by a lab using microscopes disciplinary approaches. Science to view preserved or live specimens Carbon footprint: The measure of and Economics classes are a natural of plankton. Preserved plankton can environmental impact you have on the blend. be ordered from biological supply world as a result of your actions such as catalogs. For example, a vial that driving a car or heating a home Observe Plankton would be sufficient for 30 students “Plankton — An Introduction (I have actually stretched this for Emissions trading: An approach to to the Drifters,” a PowerPoint all my classes) costs approximately controlling pollution by providing economic presentation is provided for use $12 and includes collections from incentives with students. Teachers may surface water with diatoms and download it from the Newspaper zooplankton. Fe: Chemical symbol of the element iron In Education site (http://www. Just using droppers, microscope used to stimulate plankton blooms washpost.com/nie/200710.ppt). slides, microscopes and references, After a brief students can Holoplankton: Organisms that remain as overview to sketch, estimate plankton throughout their life cycles plankton, students size, classify, and are presented varied identify specimens. Meroplankton: Organisms that spend a part examples to sketch. Prepared slides of their lives as plankton and then live as The third section of individual free-swimming or crawling organisms of the PowerPoint organisms can also presentation be purchased and Nutrients: Chemicals required for organisms provides information used. to live and grow, such as nitrogen and about each of the If your school is phosphorus examples. “Plankton near the water, you Observations,” may wish to use Ozone: Gas present in the upper a student activity sheet resources in this atmosphere which helps prevent harmful in this guide, may be guide that provide Ultraviolet radiation from reaching the used for the second information on Earth’s surface step of this activity. how to make your own plankton The sidebars of this guide provide net. Students can have a “hands- Photic: Sunlit zone of the ocean where additional resources to introduce on” “feet wet” experience as photosynthesis occurs students to plankton. they do their own field work to collect samples for your lab. The Planktivores: Animals that feed on plankton Teachers, Take Note experience doesn’t need to be A note from Lisa Wu, creator of limited to the marine environment. Trace elements: Those elements required in the PowerPoint presentation: Plankton can be collected in very small amounts; for example, iron “Plankton: An Introduction to the freshwater as well! Drifters” was created to supplement Upwelling: The rise of nutrient rich bottom Steven Mufson’s article and to help Prepare a Science Lab Report water to mix with surface water students visualize the world of Conduct a plankton lab. Preserved plankton. It provides a sample of plankton samples can be ordered common organisms from different from scientific supply companies. oceans and at different depths. Well or depression slides with The slide show can be used to help coverslips and microscopes are students make observations about the special adaptations of these organisms. continUED ON paGE 4 3 October 10, 2007 © 2007 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continUED FROM paGE 3 zooplankton and phytoplankton, Images on the Web meroplankton and holoplankton …). used to observe and identify mixed www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/ plankton specimens. Do a Crossword Puzzle Environmental Protection Agency Kids Site Draw the specimens (See Many of the terms in “ A Explore the Climate Change Kids Site and reproducible, “Plankton Microscopic Aggregate” crossword watch Climate Animations that bring to life Observations” for this activity.) to puzzle are related to plankton and the science and impact of climate change. scale. Record magnification and marine science. The answer grid is Provides games that help students, parents estimate the size of each organism. found at the end of this section of and teachers learn about both the science of Go to the Internet and classify the guide. climate change and what actions they can each based on its characteristics take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. as phytoplankton or zooplankton, Read About Marine Life holoplankton (organisms spending Two Washington Post news www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjTbPtv88sI their entire life cycle as plankton) articles written by Juliet Eilperin Cruise Cruise Baby or meroplankton (organisms that are provided in this guide to give A three-minute You Tube broadcast related become crawlers or swimmers). background before reading “Iron Note any special adaptations to Plankton To Carbon Credits: to plankton tows and research at sea — (transparency, projections, feeding Firm’s Emission Plans Have Critics complete with rap music. Students love it. appendages, small size). Aplenty.” They may also be read on Prior to making observations, their own to give students a sense www.imagequest3d.com/pages/plankton/ teachers may prepare a PowerPoint of the interdependency of marine plankton.htm slide show or print out pictures life and to illustrate the importance Image Quest 3-D and discuss the following of plankton in providing the Site director has had more than 30 years specimens concentrating on primary food source in the marine of experience observing, collecting, their adaptations and ecologic food chain. photographing and writing about plankton. importance. Include examples of “World’s Biggest Fish Is a Delicate Includes “Picture of the Week,” “3-D phytoplankton such as diatoms, Feeder” (Sept. 3, 2007) presents Plankton Imagery,” “Ctenophore