Between the Tides- Sea Anemones, Sea Stars and Hermit Crabs

During this class we will visit the the intertidal zone, an amazing ecosystem that exists between the ocean and the land and examine some of the fascinating creatures that live there. As tides come in and go out they bring with them some of the most unusual animals. We will discuss what makes these animals special and how they interact with their unique environment. 

On the first day we will begin our exploration of the tidal pool.  Using videos and photographs we will observe how tide pools are formed.  Students will be guided to make observations and inferences about the tide pool. the first creature we will focus on is the sea anemone. We will look at videos that show the animal in its natural habitat. We will review the needs of all living things and then make a model of the sea anemone. We will use the model to demonstrate how the sea anemone fills its needs.

On the second class we will use Google Earth and other videos and websites to see where tide pools are located. We will compare the characteristics of the different tide pools based on their location. Next we will make a model of a hermit crab.  Before students finish decorating their hermit crabs, we will look at different species of hermit crabs.  We will use the model to demonstrate how the hermit crab can get its needs met in the tide pool.

For the last class we will review characteristics of tide pools. We will make a model of a sea star and discuss the structure of the animal lets it live in the tide pool.  We will use video and photographs to look at the many different varieties of sea stars.  Students will make a drawing of a tidal pool and position their models in the tidal pool.