Just as humans have homes that protect us from the elements, sea creatures need shelter as well! In this studio, students will explore 3 vital underwater habitats and the aquatic animals that depend on them for food and security.
Overview
In this studio, students will investigate a variety of marine animals (e.g., fish, lobsters, octopuses, sea turtles, sea otters, and more!) and their respective habitats (e.g., coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and kelp forests).
In class 1, students will learn about 3 distinct marine habitats and the animals that depend on them to survive. By the end of class 1, students will draw their chosen sea animal on cardstock and cut it out.
In class 2, students will start designing their sea animal's habitat using air-dry clay, focusing on shapes and textures.
In class 3, students will decorate and refine their animal's habitat. Finally, they will take their animal cut-out (from class 1) and place it in their designed habitat. Pictures of these final pieces can be taken in the dry aquarium, if time permits.
Master Materials List:
Class 1
- Cardstock and drawing materials
Class 2
- Part 1: pencils, markers, paper
- Part 2: Air Dry Clay, Clay Tools (or whatever is available), Garlic Press, Wooden or Cardboard Board, Wire, Scissors
Class 3
- Acrylic Paints (neon colours are encouraged) OR markers, brushes, water bowl
In this class, students will decorate their aquatic habitats using paints or markers. At the end of class, they should place their sea creature drawing (from class 1) within their habitats to demonstrate it providing shelter!
Class 3: Paint and decorate the coral reefs!
Students can start class by watching a live coral reef camera for colour and texture inspiration. Then students will decorate their aquatic habitats for the remainder of the class. If there is time, consider taking pictures of the habitats and animal cut-outs in the dry aquarium.
Live Coral Camera: https://www.coralcitycamera.com/
Materials Needed: Acrylic Paints (neon colours are encouraged) OR markers, brushes, water bowl
In today's class, students will be introduced to 3 underwater habitats (coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and kelp forests) and the animals that need them to survive (material found in Resources folder above)!
In this session, students should select one underwater habitat and an animal that lives within it (e.g., seagrass meadows and sea turtles). By the end of class, students should sketch their chosen sea creature on cardstock and cut it out. Make sure to save these. This cut-out will be placed within the habitat the student makes in the final class.
Materials List:
Note: While students settle down or work on their sketches, you can put on this live coral camera.
Overview
We live in a watery world. Earth received its nickname the “Blue Planet” because water covers almost three-quarters of its surface. The ocean is the largest of all the biomes on earth. A biome is a large area with a distinctive climate, geology and oceanography. Each biome has its own unique biodiversity and subset of ecosystems. Within each ecosystem there are habitats or places in the ocean where plants and animals have adapted to survive.
Some habitats are shallow, sunny and warm. Others are deep, dark and cold. Plant and animal species are able to adapt to certain habitat conditions, including movement of water, amount of light, temperature, water pressure, nutrients, availability of food, and saltiness of water. Ocean habitats can be divided into two: coastal and open ocean habitats. Most ocean life can be found in coastal habitats on the continental shelf, even if this area occupies only 7% of the total ocean area. Most of the open ocean habitats are found in the deep ocean beyond the edge of the continental shelf.
In today's session, students will be reintroduced to the 3 habitats they learned about in session 1. They will take then design their own take on the habitat for their chosen animal out of air-dry clay.
Part 1: Quickly sketch your animal's habitat
Students will first explore images of coral, seagrass, and kelp to note the kinds of shapes and patterns they see. These images are located in the Resources folder. Have students quickly (3 min) sketch their animal's habitat's shapes and pattern. Ask students to reflect on how these habitats and their shapes help could provide shelter for their sea creature from Class 1.
- Materials Needed: pencils, markers, paper
Class 2: Make coral with air-dry clay
Have students work on a small plinth of cardboard/wood to create a sea habitat using a variety of shapes and patterns; they can use their sketch as a blueprint. Encourage students to use a variety of materials to create patterns on the clay
- Materials Needed: Air Dry Clay, Clay Tools (or whatever is available), Garlic Press, Wooden or Cardboard Board, Wire, Scissors
Kelp looks like a tree, but it is a large brown algae. Kelp is known for its size, it can grow up from the ocean floor and reach about 262 feet in length and grow as fast as 1.5 feet a day. Kelp does not have roots. Instead, it secured by holdfasts to a rocky seafloor. It will grow as deep as light is available for photosynthesis. Some kelp will grow vertically due to air-filled bladders known as pneumatocysts. This gives kelp the forest-like look.
Kelp forests are home to many different ocean species because of the canopy it creates. Fish, sea urchins and other marine animals, such as snails and sea otters like to call this home. Mammals like the sea lion and whale also like to dwell underneath the canopy of kelp.
Learn more about Kelp Forests here.
Seagrass Meadows
Seagrasses are aquatic plants found all over our world’s oceans and estuaries on every continent except Antarctica. There are over 70 species identified by scientists. Some species are adapted to cold climates, while others prefer the warm waters of the tropics. They are the only flowering plants living in the seas.
Seagrasses attract many species of fish and shellfish, some of which are only found in seagrass meadows. Many fish species use seagrass meadows as nursery areas to grow and mature. Seagrass plants are important food sources for animal grazers including manatees, green sea turtles and aquatic birds. Seagrasses also filter water and produce oxygen.
Learn more about seagrass meadows here.
Watch this short video to learn about Coral Reefs! https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/corals-1
Overview
Corals reefs are formed over a process of thousands of years. Each coral reef is made up of colonies of tiny animals called polyps. Each polyp produces calcium carbonate, which makes up their skeleton and protects corals internal bodies; similar to how our skeleton protects our organs. Polyps on their own are colorless, however, each polyp attracts large amounts of algae, called zooxanthellae. These algae live inside the cells of the polyp and gives corals their vibrant colors.
Corals, and the algae inside their polyps, rely on sunlight to produce the energy needed for them to survive and grow. That’s why most coral reefs can be found in shallow, clear water along the coast. Corals crave the marine conditions found in the warm waters of the tropics and sub-tropics.
Benefits of Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are vital for a healthy ecosystem!
Learn more about Coral Reefs here.
:rotate(0)/g9pb2u9md4nlshm22nftwq5l70xk)