Students learn the adaptations of organisms to analyze and provide evidence of survivability in the different open ocean zones.
By representing an organism and assessing its ability to survive in three different ocean zones, students connect specific adaptations with their organisms’ relative survival success in each zone.
Students learn that organisms have adaptations that allow them to survive better in some environments than others.
The activity below draws from the content in the page Survival in the Open Ocean. |
A jellyfish washed up on the beach will not survive well out of the water (Fig. 1).
Inquiry:
Why can some animals survive better than others in a specific habitat?
Explore the abilities of different organisms to survive in three open ocean zones. Learn how some organisms survive well, others less well, and some not at all in a given habitat.
Materials:
This teacher guide follows the procedure written here and in the student worksheet with additional instructions and guidelines. We highly recommend starting this activity by introducing the Phenomenon, Inquiry, and Guiding Questions from the top of this webpage. |
Teacher Recommendations:
|
INTRODUCTION |
---|
"Close your eyes and imagine that you are standing at the edge of the beach looking out to sea—beyond the horizon. You can see past the shoreline, past the coastal waters to the open ocean. The open ocean covers more than half our planet Earth and is home to a variety of plants and animals that have adapted to survive from the surface to the very deep sea. You have been given a new identity on your creature ID card and I have a new identity also! I am Dr. Open Ocean. I study life in the open sea and I am about to head out on my underwater submersible, the Pisces IV. I am going to journey through the open ocean zones in my submersible to explore some of the adaptations that help different organisms survive in their part of the ocean. Are you ready to come with me on this journey? Let’s go investigate how well your organism might do if you were forced to live somewhere else!" |
Conclusion |
---|
"We are approaching the limit of our dive time and need to head back up to the surface. Before our submarine leaves the midnight zone, let’s say goodbye to the creatures who are adapted to living in the deepest part of the ocean. Creatures that are standing, do your creature dance and then tell us about the adaptations that help you thrive in the midnight zone.
All other creatures — come with me as our Pices IV rises up to twilight zone. If this is your ideal habitat, do your creature dance and then tell us about the adaptations that help you thrive in the twilight zone.
All remaining creatures — come with me as our Pices IV continues rising to the surface zone. If this is your ideal habitat, do your creature dance and then tell us about the adaptations that help you thrive in the surface zone."Look around and observe the types of creatures adapted to each zone. |
Optional concluding activity:
Group Habitat Discussions: Talk with the other organisms adapted to your zone and discuss what sorts of adaptations help the creatures survive well in your zone. (Each group can also write their key ideas on the board for the whole class to discuss and compare.)
Record Your Creature Zone: Create a model of the ocean zones on the board. Write the name of your creature in the zone where it was best adapted.