6-8 PRE & POST Materials FINAL - Aquarium of the Pacific

18 Pages·2012·5.62 MB·English

Aquarium on Wheels
Pre & Post Materials

Dear Teacher,

We are looking forward to your visit with Aquarium on Wheels . Our program allows your students to
discover and explore the different areas of the Pacific Ocean. In exploring the different regions of the
Pacific Ocean, they will learn about the importance of animal adaptations during the
auditorium/classroom program. On the day of our visit, they will learn more about the animals that
reside here in the temperate waters of Southern California during the live animal interaction in our
mobile aquarium.

In addition to our visit, we have prepared pre/post materials for your students. These materials will
provide your students with fun activities that will enrich their knowledge of ocean life and challenge
what they have learned during our visit. We have placed activities in the following categories based on
standards. However, feel free to use any worksheet or activity that is appropriate for your current
curriculum.

6th Grade – 8th Grade

(cid:167) Alaska Word Search Activity Sheet Pre- or Post-
(cid:167) Palau Word Search Activity Sheet Pre- or Post-
(cid:167) Southern California Word Search Activity Sheet Pre- or Post-
(cid:167) Fact or Fiction Classroom Activity Pre- or Post-
(cid:167) Big or Small… Measure ‘Em All Activity Sheet Pre- or Post-
(cid:167) Spud Sharks Classroom Activity Pre- or Post-
(cid:167) Super Shark Search Activity Sheet Pre- or Post-
(cid:167) Answer Sheets

*Please feel free to look through other materials in other grade levels. Some materials listed in a grade
range may be used in others

The programs conducted by the Aquarium on Wheels, pre-visit materials and post-visit materials
incorporate parts or all of the following California Science Standards:

6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade
Ecology (Life Sciences) – 5a, Structure and Function in Density and Buoyancy – 8d
5b, Living
5c, 5d, 5e Systems – 5a, 5c

If you have any questions about the materials or program, please contact us at 562-951-5345. Thank you
for your interest in our program. We are excited to be visiting your school!

Thank you,

The Aquarium of the Pacific Education Staff

Pre / Post Materials Teacher Letter
ALASKA
C J I E A M Q F R Z N O R T H
A O H Z J D L D K R N I E R W
K X L O D I A C L N Z T K A A
H M H D P K K P O D W F A I V
D S R P T U P L T H A I R P R
J Z E U G H H S A A U N U R G
X R Y S N T N R G P T S U R E
S Y R E P X R H E S X I T Z A
L T N A H P E L E B D Z O U N
A E C L R H W J I A B I X N B
M Z A I Z T P Q K A C U D G S
M S S O J S H S O P A K L A Y
A A P N D Q A Z S A T X Q B M
M Y T S I L E S Y E P W K I R
Y K T K A H C W V C C F U N J
1. Mammals such as seals and whales are commonly found in ________, the largest
state in the USA.
2. Many marine mammals use _________ to maintain their internal body temperature.
3. Unlike its close relative the seal, ____________ do have external ear flaps.
4. People need to wear a wetsuit in order to swim in ______ water.
5. Hair, lungs, and live birth are things that all ________ have in common.
6. All animals have _____________ in order to help them survive. Some that a
human has are skin and thumbs.
7. All mammals, even marine mammals, breathe ________.
8. Seals and Sea lions use their _________ and _________
in order to swim.
9. The ________ Pacific is a diverse area where many animals
live and the water is very cold.
10. An __________ seal has flippers, blubber, and a
large trunk like nose.
Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8
Palau
O L E R F H U O Z I L W R O E
A I R L X D U G A G F W T L O
N E E L A B Z M W I O F O N M
I O D D Q H L O P V F H G U I
S Q E Y B L W N W B W C I A G
R R R Y I U F T H O A Q V L R
E N T R L T O P L X X C V A A
P H K M O O Y B D V H X K P T
P Y O X T Y P E C T O R A L E
I J U H V K T N B P L Z R D W
L P E C I O E W V S Z X R N N
F D M N O H Y X G X J E Z H Q
1. Whales use their ____________ to swim.
2. Gray whales ______ from Alaska to Baja ever year. That's 12,000-14,000 miles every winter!
3. ___________ whales such as blue whales, gray whales, and humpback whales eat small
invertebrates such as krill.
4. Since all whales are mammals, they breathe ________.
5. When they come up to the surface, whales breathe through their _______ on the top of their
head.
6. The blue __________ is the largest animal that ever lived. It can grow over 100 ft and
over 300,000 lbs!
7. Sperm whales, dolphins, and orca whales are ____ whales that eat fish and larger animals.
8. __________ is an island in Mirconesia where many amazing animals can be found.
9. Humpback whales eat _____________ by sucking ocean water in through their baleen plates.
10. Like the wings of an airplane, a whale's ____________ flippers give lift and help the whale to
steer.
11. A ______________ whale is a large baleen whale often seen in Palau and Hawaii.
Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8
Southern California
Southern California / Baja
E K D S A P O V T L C B W Y D
C C F A I U E A B V Q C Q N W
O A L J N J Y N N H W X U A A
E L U O L R S W J V S O Q T Y
X I U D I A G D L O S M G D U
M F R W A X W Y T O I L E T G
D O R S A L H E U R E T L K N
U R M O G T R T R A A B A I Q
G N D R E E H P E R U O F K G
H I S Y R E P C R I H N A U K
L A C I R T C E L E A L E T U
Z Y F N D H S T Q P Y Y T O G
1. Great white and bull sharks have ___________ teeth that help them rip through their prey.
2. All fish, including sharks, have _________ that allow them to breathe water.
3. ____________ California is a place where great whites, horn sharks, and leopard sharks are
common.
4. The __________ fin helps the shark propel itself through the water.
5. Sharks can lose up to 30,000 _________ in their life time.
6. Sharks are excellent predators, they use six different senses to hunt their ________.
7. There are little pores by the shark's nose that can sense _____________ impulses in the water.
8. You are more likely to be killed on the __________ than by a shark!
9. Most people quickly recognize the __________ fin of a shark. It allows the fish to swim well
through the water.
10. The shark's strongest sense is its sense of ________. They can hear things over a mile away!
11. The water temperature in ____________ is considered temperate, but it is still pretty cold.
Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8
Fact or Fiction?

Background: There are an estimated 40 to 80 million different
species of plants and animals on the planet. These organisms can
be found in all types of diverse habitats. Over millions of years
of environmental changes, animals have developed adaptations
in order to survive in their environments. This activity will focus
the student’s view of plants, animals and themselves.

Materials:
Animal stories
Copies of “Fact or Fiction” handout

Procedure:
1. Pass out a copy of the “Fact or Fiction” handout to each
student.
2. Review the definition of the words fact and fiction if
necessary. Give examples such as fiction/non-fiction
books, movies etc.
3. Tell the students they will hear descriptions of six
animals. They must decide if they believe the
information is fact or fiction. Explain that all the stories
may be fact, all of them may be fiction, or there may be
a mix.
4. After reading the stories, take a vote as to how many
students believe each story is fact or fiction. Ask the
students to support their answer.
5. After final voting is complete, tell the students that each
story is in fact true.
Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8
Red Sea Hare These jello-like animals are relatives of squid, snails, and slugs. They are
hermaphroditic, meaning they are both male and female at the same time! While they can
not mate with themselves, they produce both sperm and eggs, resulting in fertilized eggs
that resemble Ramen noodles. Each cluster of eggs can generate millions of sea hares,
though only 1-2 usually survive. As sea hares move along, they leave a slime trail behind
them, which predators use to hunt them down.
Anemone This animal is like an upside-down sea jelly. It has stinging cells all along its tentacles
that it uses to catch and stun its prey. Don't worry, it won't hurt you; it only feels sticky
to our thick skin. This simple animal only has one opening in its body, meaning it eats, and
releases waste through the same place. Gross!
Sea Star These relatives of sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars are the most ravenous
predators in the tidepool. They are able to pull apart mussel and clam shells using the tube
feet lining their arms. Once the shell is slightly opened, they spit out their stomachs, and
begin the digestion process within the shell. The predatory sea star populations in the
tidepools are responsible for maintaining the diversity of the community.
Sea Lion These marine mammals have sharp, pointy teeth, perfect for catching slippery
slimy fish. Sometimes, sea lions do not even bother to chew up the fish they catch, and they
have even been seen preying on sharks. From time to time, these pinnipeds have been
known to eat rocks, to weigh themselves down like a scuba diver uses weights
Great White Shark These sharks are tremendous predators. Not only do they use the same
five senses we use, they also have a sixth sense that lets them feel electrical impulses in the
water. Great white sharks can lose up to 30,000 teeth throughout their lifetime. The eight
fins of the great white shark allow it to be an excellent swimmer. In fact, these sharks do
need to swim constantly in order to breathe. They are not found in captivity, because they
require so much space to swim. Despite their bad reputation, great white sharks are not
responsible for the majority of reported shark attacks.
Blue Whale The blue whale is the Earth's largest animal. They are bigger than any
dinosaur that ever lived. Blue whales can reach lengths over 100ft., and weigh over
300,000 lbs. The heart of a blue whale is the size of a Honda Civic, the tongue weighs as much
as an African elephant, and the aorta is wide enough for a human to crawl through. Despite
their size, these large animals feed on some of the planet's smallest animals. Instead of teeth,
they have baleen plates that are made of the same material as your hair and fingernails. They
use these baleen plates to eat krill and other plankton. Blue whales can consume up to 8,000
pounds of food per day.
Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8
Fact or Fiction?
After hearing each story,
mark if you believe it is fact or fiction!
Fact Fiction Fact Fiction
Sea Anemone
Blue Whale
Fact Fiction Fact Fiction
Sea Hare Sea Lion
Fact Fiction Fact Fiction
Sea Star Great White Shark
Pre/Post Materials Pre 6 - 8
B i g o r Small.. Me a s u r e ‘Em All!
Objective: To compare the length of different sharks in order to learn more about these
mysterious creatures and dispel common myths.
Background: Many people believe sharks are large ferocious animals that hunt humans.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Over 50% of sharks are less than 6ft long. To give
students a visual aid, and to begin dispelling common shark myths, students will learn the
names and sizes of 7 sharks, some of which are found at the aquarium.
Materials:
Tape measure
60 ft long rope or a large area such as a playground.
Laminated Shark cards
Sidewalk Chalk
Procedure:
1. On the rope or playground, mark the following distances:
50 ft, 20 ft, 11 ft, 10 ft, 5 ft, 3.5 ft, 3 ft
2.Lay the cards on the ground. Explain that one card corresponds to one mark on the ground
or on the rope. The lengths represent the largest the shark can reach, and no two sharks are
the same length.
3. Have the students work in teams to match the shark card with the appropriate length.
Encourage the students to use the information from the back to learn more about the shark.
4. Give each team multiple chances to match the correct shark to its length.
Whale Shark 50 ft
Great White Shark 20 ft
Zebra Shark - 11 ft
Sand Tiger Shark 10 ft
Leopard Shark 5 ft
Horn Shark 3.5 ft
Bamboo Shark - 3 ft
5. Once cards are placed correctly, have students share the new facts they have learned.
6. Optional: If a blacktop or sidewalk is available, have students draw and label life size sharks
using sidewalk chalk. Make sure to include 5 gills and all the fins!
Pre/Post Materials 6-8
Whale Shark Whale Shark
- The largest fish in the ocean!

- Feeds on small krill and plankton

- Very gentle, and not aggressive

to humans

Horn Shark
Horn Shark
- Corkscrew shaped egg cases
- Named for the horns found next
to each dorsal fins.
- Horns can appear purple due to a
diet of purple urchins!
Zebra Shark Zebra Shark
- Found in the touch tanks and large pool of
Shark Lagoon at the Aquarium of the Pacific
- As juveniles, zebra sharks have dark stripes
that give the shark its name
- Have very small teeth

Bamboo Shark Bamboo Shark
- Develop in egg cases for 4-6 months
- Commonly found resting on sandy bottoms
- Juveniles colored with dark bars and
spots on their bodies