Science Education at Sea SEAS

1. Science Education at SeaSEAS Elementary Teacher Workshop The Florida Aquarium November 3, 2007 Luisella De Angelis, Teacher Programs Coordinator

2. Introductions • Fish School • Find your school. • Introduce yourself. • Why are you attending this workshop? • What do you hope to get out of it? • Build a consensus and share with the class.

3. The Florida Water Story Key Concepts: We are inextricably connected to aquatic systems. Learning to protect our aquatic systems protects all life in the long run. By Melliefluous on Flickr

4. Sketch the Hydrologic Cycle • 60 seconds • Pair and Share • Share group results and why’s • Is the cycle a simple, circular path?

5. Water on the Earth Water is continuously circulated- the water or hydrologic cycle www.forks.wednet.edu

6. The REAL Water Cycle • Water moves from through different places and phases (liquid, solid, gas). • The sun drives the cycle. • Heat energy increases, motion of water molecules increases- from solid (ice), to liquid, to gas (water vapor). • Heat energy decreases, the opposite occurs. • These changes allow water to move through air, land and bodies of water.

7. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycleplacemat.html (placemat) http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/tlw3/eBridge/Chp29/animations/ch29/1_water_cycle.swf http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclehi.html http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/watercycle/index.html http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle2ndgrade.html (2nd graders’ view of water cycle)

8. Water on Earth Facts • 71% water • 3% frozen freshwater- ice caps, glaciers • <1% readily available- not polluted or frozen

9. Play Globe Toss!

10. Water Dance Recycled Water Learning Stations

11. Water Cycle Power! • Evaporation from oceans controls the weather and climate patterns of the entire planet! How? • Precipitation ranges from 0.1 inches in the desert to over 900 inches per year in the tropics. • Florida averages 53 inches per year. • In the U.S., humans use about 400 billion gallons of water per day (USGS).

12. Florida’s Growth Florida receives about 700 new residents per week! How does this impact the water cycle?

13. Emphasize that water travels through many paths, animals, places and states of matter. All living things depend on water for survival, but only a small amount is available to use. Humans can positively and negatively impact the water cycle. Responsible use of our water resources is good for every living thing. Water is fun and it’s everywhere! Water Cycle Summary

14. What did one raindrop say to the other raindrop? My plop is bigger than your plop! What happens when it rains cats and dogs? You have to be careful not to step in a poodle. What do you call it when it rains chickens and ducks? Fowl (foul) weather.

15. What are Wetlands?

16. There are a variety of definitions! For simplicity… Transition areas between aquatic and terrestrial systems: • Saturated by water or covered by water at some time each year (e.g., flooding) 2) Hydric Soil 3) Specialized plants adapted to wetland conditions

17. Marsh

18. Swamp

19. Bog

20. Mangrove Swamps

21. Groundwater • Water stored in Florida’s 3 aquifers • Surficial, Intermediate, Floridan St. Johns River Water Management District

22. Floridan Aquifer is a confined aquifer Groundwater (below) and Surface Water (above) connected Springs, Recharge Areas Sinkholes Features collectively known as Karst Karstic Landscapes- on the surface The Groundwater Connection Florida has more springs and available groundwater than any other state in the country! Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Old Shoe Woman on Flickr

23. Recharging the Aquifer • Rainfall replenishes groundwater • What materials below are most likely to allow for recharge? Least likely? Why? Soil Sand Clay Concrete Gravel Limestone Mulch Tar Carbon

24. Rainfall and groundwater enter surface waters Wildlife habitat Storage and protection of fresh water Wetlands Retain water Improve water quality Avoid flooding Raise your hand if you live in a watershed. Watersheds and Surface Water

25. Make Your Own Watershed • Customize to your watershed • Map of immediate area • What are other branching patterns in nature?

26. Background • Runoff • Watershed or Drainage Basin • Areas of higher elevation separate watersheds- ridge lines or divides • Near divides- channels are narrow, quick flow • Smaller streams merge- channels widen • Eventually empty into a body of water (ocean, lake) • www.maps.google.com

27. Water Quality in a Funnel!

28. What you might encounter in a wetlands habitat…

29. Plants: Pitcher plant Pickerelweed Cattails

30. Cypress Trees

31. Mammals Raccoon North American River Otter West Indian Manatee

32. Reptiles Diamondback Terrapin Black Mangrove Snake Box Turtle Florida Banded Water snake Red bellied Turtles

33. American Alligator

34. Birds

35. Reddish Egret Night Heron Spoonbill Ibis Tricolored Heron

36. Invertebrates Lobster Clam Blue Crab Horseshoe Crab

37. Fish Snook Pipefish Southern Stingray Mangrove Snapper

38. West Indian Manatee • Florida- northernmost range • Federally and state listed as endangered • Identified by scars and markings left by boat propellers and fishing gear www.ahhaartgallery.com

39. Why are Manatees Endangered? • Habitat loss • Watercrafts • Discarded fishing gear/crab traps • Natural factors • These factors combined have resulted in the reduction of the manatee population in Florida.

40. Manatee Model • Materials: Butcher Paper, Scissors, Pencils, Crayons or Markers, Newsprint or scrap paper, Stapler • Procedure: • Students sketch a manatee on butcher paper which has been folded over to create two sides. This can be a baby manatee or one that is not to scale. • Student colors manatee on both sides. • Student cuts out the manatee and will end up with two identical copies. • Teacher or adult staples paper sides part of the way so student can begin stuffing manatee with newsprint. Sides may also be glued for ease. • Manatee models may be hung from ceiling to create illusion of being underwater in an estuary. Other animals can be created in place of manatee.

41. Estuaries Coastal areas Fresh and salt water meet and mix Brackish Lower salinity than ocean

42. Varies with rainfall, tides, freshwater inflow, seasons With strong river current inflow, a layer of freshwater can form on top of saltwater. How is this possible? Creates unique environment- both fresh and saltwater fish Well-mixed estuaries- salinity increases away from river’s mouth Remarkable biodiversity- organisms adapted to changing salinity Salinity

43. Floating High

44. mikezarrilli14 coolgates

45. Nurseries of the Sea • Breeding and Nursing Areas • About 75% of commercially and recreationally harvested marine species • Economic impact of estuary degradation

46. Why are estuaries so productive? • River water carries nutrients • Wetlands filter out pollutants and stabilize soils • Shallow estuaries allow for phytoplankton, sea grass and algae growth • Mangroves create a sheltered, nutrient rich environment for young organisms

47. Variety of free teacher resources Videos Posters Activities School Programs www.tbep.org Tampa Bay Estuary Program

48. Florida’s Estuaries • Vary in size and shape • Mangrove Communities • Gulf of Mexico- most end in bays • Atlantic Coast- most long and narrow bordered by barrier islands • All Florida residents live near an estuary!

49. Map of Florida Estuaries www.dep.state.fl.us

50. Oyster Reefs Coastal Springs Salt Marshes Mud Flats Hard Bottom Areas Barrier Islands Sandy beaches Sea grass beds Mangrove Swamps Coral Reefs Coastal Zones