Exploring the Ocean's Habitats

 

Science                                                                                               Grade 6

 

Lesson Summary:

Students will research sea animals and various ocean habitats using information from the Monterey Bay Aquarium's web site.

 

Objectives:

·        Students will learn to independently navigate through a web site.

·        Students will read through information to find answers to specific questions about sea animals and ocean habitats.

·        Students will learn about sea life.

 

Materials:

Computers with Internet access

Attached worksheet

Procedures:

1.      Students will log on to a computer and go in to the Internet.  They will then go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium web site:  http://www.mbayaq.org

2.    When students are into the web site, they will go to the area entitled Habitats Path Tour.  After reading the introduction to the tour, they will click on the first stop:  Kelp Forest. 

3.    Students will answer the 15 questions on the attached worksheet. The questions will prompt them to go to different stops on the tour.

 

Additional Activities

·        tudents could work in groups to create PowerPoint presentations.  Each group would choose one of the stops on the tour of the aquarium and make a presentation about the sea life or habitat.  They could use the internet or multimedia encyclopedias to research for additional information about their topic.

 

·        Students could choose one animal they read about on their tour of the aquarium and do a research report or PowerPoint presentation about it.  They could do additional research on the internet or with a multimedia encyclopedia.

 

 

Name: _____________________________    Date: _____________________

 

Exploring the Ocean's Habitats

Worksheet

1.      How are natural currents generated in the Kelp Forest habitat?

 

 

 

 

 

2.    Describe at least five of the animals that make their home in the ever changing Kelp Forest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.    Explain how the various habitats blend together in the Monterey Bay Habitats exhibit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.    Visit the Deep Reefs and describe some of the survival behaviors of the sea animals.

 

 

5.    Describe how three sea animals capture food in the Sandy Seafloor exhibit.

 

 

 

 

 

6.    Why are the tunnels in the Shale Reefs so important for a wide variety of animals?

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.    Identify three birds and three types of fish that can be found in the Life along the Shores exhibit.

 

 

 

 

 

8.    Describe the three zones that can be found in the Rocky Shores exhibit and give examples of the types of animals that live in each.

 

 

 

 

 

9.    What are some of the challenges faced by the sea animals who live in the Tide Pools exhibit?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.            Explain how the creatures in the Outer Bay differ from those in other exhibits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Who are the Drifters and why is their existence so important to other sea life?

 

 

 

 

 

12.            Describe the migration patterns for at least three animals located in the Swimmers exhibit.

 

 

 

 

 

13.            Identify at least five sea Mammals that live in the Monterey Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

14.            What are three interesting facts about Sea Otters mentioned in the Sea Otter exhibit?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15.            Upon leaving the Habitat Tour, what are identified as the six most important beliefs the Monterey Bay Aquarium has about humans coexisting with the ocean?

 

a)                    

 

 

b)                   

 

 

c)                    

 

 

d)                   

 

 

e)                    

 

 

 

f)