Download Ocean Discovery for Grade 6 - Huntsman Marine Science Centre

Presented by the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, St. Andrews, NB
Excellence in Education, Research and Science since 1969
ISSUE 1: Spring 2009
Ocean Discovery for Grade 6 The Ocean Discovery program for Grade 6 stu‐
dents from School District 10 in New Brunswick resumed in March. Students visit the centre for two days, staying in Huntsman accommodation and learning about local marine life through hands‐on activities. Here, Baylee Stanley, from Campobello Island, is in‐
volved in a behaviour experiment with sea urchins. Who we are...
This is the first in a new series of newsletters to be
published by the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, a not-for-profit facility in St. Andrews, NB,
dedicated to education, research and applied science. Thousands of students come to our campus
each year, from elementary school to university
level.
We’ll be publishing this newsletter three times a
year. If you have any marine biology questions,
ideas for features, or things you’d like to see us
cover, please write to us at:
[email protected] and visit us online
at www.huntsmanmarine.ca
After a successful pilot project of the
Grade 6 Ocean Discovery Program at
the Huntsman in 2007-2008, undertaken in conjunction with the Government of New Brunswick, this year,
schools from New Brunswick’s District
10 took part. Schools from other districts, and as far as Montreal, are also
planning to attend.
All Grade 6 classes in the district visited
the centre for the two-day program,
which was developed by Huntsman
education staff, with guidance from the
NB Department of Education, to meet
the curriculum outcomes of the Grade 6
Science–Diversity of Life Unit.
The program is an overnight lab and
field trip experience, with students
having an opportunity to perform some
basic scientific experiments, see marine
life first-hand, participate in labs and
field trips, and in a lobster presentation.
For some students, not only was this an
educational trip, but it was also their
first stay away from home.
According to one of the teachers who
accompanied students from Lou
McNarin School, from Dieppe, N.B., the
program met the science unit needs
well, and covers a large number of curriculum outcomes from the new Social
Studies program: ‘Studying the interdependent relationship of people and their
environment and the implications for a
sustainable future.’
Student Bianca Gruenewald said, “My
favourite part out of the whole experience was going to Brandy’s Cove. We
got to explore all of the amazing sea
creatures and actually hold them in our
hands! At the cove, there were beautiful
waterfalls and a wonderful view.”
Jessica Bohnet added, “When we looked
at the amazing plankton in the powerful microscopes it was educational and
very fun! W had groups of two students
and we each had a slide with different
plankton types: zooplankton and
phytoplankton. The phytoplankton
types are always simple shapes and the
zooplankton types are weird shapes.”
Teacher Annette White stated that this
will be a lasting experience for these
students.
“Thank you again for the best-ever class
outing!” she concluded.
For more information on
the program, or to have
your school attend, call
Tracey Dean at (506) 5291220.
Students explore the intertidal zone at Brandy Cove, at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre. Online… some cool sites to visit www.nationalgeographic.com (resources, information, photography)
www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/23536 (cool and amazing sea
creatures)
www.gettoknow.ca (contest, information on animals, wildlife)
www.marine-ed.org/bridge/ (teacher resource centre)
www.gmwsrs.org/main.htm (all about whales)
www.teachersdomain.org/collection/tdce/collsci.bio.course.mar/
(classroom activities, videos, facts)
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Activity: The Life and Death of an Iceberg Icebergs and global warming are big news. •
While they are amazing to look at, icebergs
can be very dangerous. They originate on
land, produce fresh water when they melt,
and extend up to seven times the depth that
is visible above the surface.
Most icebergs in Canadian waters originate
in Greenland. It is estimated that the glaciers
of western Greenland create about 25,000
icebergs a year.
•
Before adding the icebergs, mark the
water level and take the temperature
of the water.
•
Fill the cartons with water and freeze •
overnight.
Remove the paper from around the
frozen icebergs and place them in the
cold “ocean” water.
•
Add some pebbles to the cartons
when partially frozen (to demonstrate Have each group record the following information on a chart and answer the folhow they pick up rocks from land).
lowing questions:
Refrigerate several litres of salt water How much of the iceberg floats above the
to use as the ocean so that the iceberg water?
will last longer and the water will be How long does it take for the iceberg to
melt?
truer to the region.
Did the water level rise? How much?
Why?
Pour the chilled salt water into a large
Did the temperature of the water change?
basin or tub.
•
Here’s an activity for a class to demonstrate how icebergs form, and their “life
cycle.”
Materials: Paper milk cartons (one or two
litre), small tub or large basin, blue food
colouring, thermometer, crayons, pebbles,
salt, paper towels.
Procedure: Divide the class into small
groups, each will make their own iceberg.
•
•
Crush in the sides of the paper milk
cartons to make ‘natural’ looking iceberg shapes.
Further study can include shipwrecks,
Add several drops of blue food colour- exploration and the dangers of icebergs,
ing to make the icebergs distinguish- marine life on icebergs, and global warmable.
ing/climate change.
Facts: Sea stars
Sea stars are often called starfish, but they aren’t fish at all!
There are many different kinds of sea stars, ranging from the
intertidal zone down to below 6,000 metres depth.
The sea star uses a hydraulic water vascular system to feed,
transport waste, and move. On the ventral face of the arm of a
sea star, there are small projections. These are its “tube feet.”
When the sea star contracts certain muscles, it forces water into
a tube foot, which makes it protrude from the body. The sea star
controls its many tube feet using different muscles, thus making
it possible to move around by alternately contracting or relaxing
the tube feet.
There are about 2,000 different kinds of sea star.
While the common image of a sea star is of a creature with five
“arms,” there are species that have up to 40 arms!
Spiny sunstar (Crossaster papposus)
This colourful creature can be found from the Arctic to
the Gulf of Maine, Alaska to Puget Sound. It swallows
smaller sea stars whole!
Sea stars are famous for being able to regenerate parts of their
bodies. They can do this by having most of their vital organs in
their arms. Some sea stars require the central part of the body to
be intact, but there are species that can regenerate from a portion of an arm.
Most sea stars eat their prey outside of their bodies! They pry open shells with their tube feet and send their stomach out of
their mouth into the shell to eat, before bringing their stomach back inside the sea star!
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Seal quiz
Psst! The answers are on the next page! SeaWords is published three times a year by the Huntsman Marine Science Centre. Supported by
For more information, or to contribute information, contact: Huntsman Marine Science Centre 1 Lower Campus Road St. Andrews by‐the‐Sea, NB E5B 2L7 Canada 506.529‐1200 [email protected] Visit us online at www.huntsmanmarine.ca 3
Studying at the Huntsman What is it?!
Studying at the Huntsman is both educational and fun. We have
programs to suit all age groups, and schools from across the continent
have discovered the benefits of hands-on learning in marine biology.
We’ve had schools visit from, among others, Missouri, Vermont,
Ontario, Quebec in the past year, to study in the lab, on the beach, and
on the research vessel, the Fundy Spray.
Call Tracey Dean at (506) 529-1220 for more information on how your
school students can join the growing list of Huntsman Alumni!
Guess what this creature is and win a Hunts‐
man travel mug! Email your answer (or best guess!) to: [email protected] by May 15, and you have the chance to win a free Huntsman travel mug. First answer drawn from all the correct entries received will win the prize—please include your mailing ad‐
dress in case you’re the winner! Summary of upcoming events
April 18—Earth Day beach clean‐up. Schools/universities visiting in April: St. Stephen Middle School, St. Stephen, New Brunswick Royal West, Montreal, Quebec Crestwood, Toronto, Ontario Lindsay Place, Pointe Claire, Quebec Kuper Academy, Kirkland, Quebec University of New Brunswick May 9—International Migratory Bird Day May 16—Huntsman Aquarium opens Schools visiting in May: MacDonald School, Sainte Anne‐de‐
Bellevue, Quebec Saint John High School, Saint John, NB Sedbergh School, Montebello, Quebec Eastview School, Barrie, Ontario Beechwood, Montreal, Quebec Cabot School, Cabot, Vermont Seal quiz answers 1. False (others include whales, dolphins and manatees); 2. False—
walruses can eat up to 3,000 clams a day, but seldom swallow the shells; 3. False—seals can see well under water! 4. False—certain species can eat shrimp, crab, krill, mussels, clams, sea cucumbers, marine worms and plankton; 5. True—seals can sleep under water for short periods of time (about 15 minutes); 6. False—the smallest seal is the ringed seal; 7. False—
female seals rarely have twins; 8. False—earless means that they lack external ear flaps. Hearing in seals is acute in and out of water; 9. True—
this applies to the family Phocidae. The family Otariidae (sea lions) evolved from a bear‐like animal; 10. True—by reducing their heart beat, they conserve energy by pumping blood only to vital organs such as the heart and brain. Summer courses offered
Outside of the school year, the Huntsman
runs several summer courses, some for students, others for adults and teachers.
This year, there are six such courses.
July 12—17 Introduction to Marine Biology
(students)
July 19—24 The Art of Marine Biology
(students)
July 26—31 Marine Vertebrates (students)
July 6—11 Adventures in Marine Biodiversity
(adults/teachers)
August 4—8 Art and Marine Connections
(adults/teachers)
August 9—14 Marine
Photography and Photoshop
(adults/teachers)
Full details
can be found
at www.huntsmanmarine.ca
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