Making a Marine Animal
Focus / Marine AnimalsGrade Level / 9th-12th grade (Biology)
Focus Question / What adaptations do marine animals need to have in order to successfully survive in the marine biome?
Learning Objectives: / NC State Objective and Goal Being Addressed:
Goal 4: The learner will develop an understanding of the unity and diversity of life (4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 4.05)
Learner Objective(s): At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
Analyze the classification of organisms according to their evolutionary relationships
Classify organisms using keys
Analyze the processes by which organisms accomplish essential life functions
Assess, describe, and explain adaptations affecting survival and reproductive success
Analyze the broad patterns of animal behavior as adaptations to the environment.
Materials / Computers or laptops with internet access
Poster board or butcher paper
Markers/Colored Pencils/Crayons
Audio/Visual Materials / Tour The NOAA Aquarius Underwater Laboratory Video
Teaching Time / Two-three 1.5 block-scheduled class periods
Seat Arrangement / Groups of 2-3 people
Maximum Number of Students / Average Classroom Size (25-30 people)
Key Words / Biome
Ecosystem
Adaptation
Biological Classification
Kingdom
Phylum/Division
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Essential Life Functions
Respiration
Regulation
Synthesis
Background Information (Prior Knowledge) / Overview of Aquarius
A basic understanding of ecology, biological classification systems, and essential life functions
Opening Activity / Show the Tour the NOAA Aquarius Underwater Laboratory Video to the class. After watching the video, ask the students what information they recall about the marine biome, the largest biome in the world.
Learning Procedure ( Activity) / 1) Explain to students that they are to create a fictional marine animal that could successfully survive in the marine biome, in particular the Florida Keys ecosystem, in which the aquanauts of Aquarius might see swimming around their underwater laboratory.
2) Students will find their assigned partner(s) and begin brainstorming ideas for their marine animal that they will create. They will need to think about particular adaptations their animal will need in order to survive successfully in the marine biome, particularly in the Florida Keys ecosystem. Their creation must include at least ten adaptations that help them survive. These include physiological adaptations, reproductive adaptations, and behavioral adaptations. They will also need to be able to explain how their animal carries out essential life functions.
3) Students will go online to find further information on the marine biome, the Florida Keys, Aquarius, and adaptations that marine animals have.
4) Students will draw a picture of their creation on a large piece of butcher paper or poster board, using color with either crayons or markers. Adaptations must be labeled clearly. They must also create a fictional common name for the animal along with their animal’s correct biological classification (kingdom, phylum/division, class, order,
family, genus, species).
5)Students must write down DESCRIPTIVE details of their animal’s ten adaptations and why they are advantageous to living in the Florida Keys. They must also write a description of how their animal accomplishes essential life functions (transport, excretion, respiration, regulation, nutrition, synthesis, reproduction, and growth and development).
6) Students must then create a PowerPoint presentation explaining the animal’s biological classification, adaptations, and how they accomplish essential life functions, which will then be presented to the class, along with the labeled picture of the animal.
Connections to Other Subjects / Computer Applications, Visual Art
Closing Activity and Assignment / At the end of all of the presentations, the teacher will draw a concept map on the board and ask the class to help build the concept map with adaptations that real marine animals have along with the ways that they carry out their essential life functions.
Assessment / Group presentation to the class, along with the paper copy of the description of the animal and labeled picture. A brief discussion will also be done with the class after each individual presentation to talk about particular adaptations and essential life functions that the class thought was successful in the imaginary marine animal and what real-life marine animalspossess these adaptations.
Other Links and Resources / - the Aquarius project website
- Florida keys information
- Animal information
- Characteristics of Marine Life