OCEARCH Lowcountry STEM Education Packet Grades K-12

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1 You can follow along as OCEARCH goes on Lowcountry Expedition. Explore this region, as you learn more about White Sharks, Northern Right Whales, Sea Turtles, our impact on the ocean, and track the pings of your favorite sharks and Olive Ridley Turtles. You will learn how to Identify these species, participate in inquiry and research projects, and build STEM skills, while you use the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker to gather near real-time data to complete these activities! There are several ways that you can be a part of the OCEARCH Education global community during the Low country Expedition and beyond. You can: Download the free OCEARCH S.T.E.M. Learning Curriculum for grades K-8 Host a Change 4 FINS fundraising event at your school. Follow and engage with us on our social media platforms. (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) Sign up to receive the OCEARCH Education Newsletter at education@ocearch.org for updates and upcoming events. Register for an OCEARCH Education Google Hangout lesson or Teacher Workshop with one of our OCEARCH Education Ambassadors. Schedule a Skype Session with an OCEARCH team member and get your questions answered. Kick Plastic by reducing the use of single use plastic bottles and bags in your classroom and home. Together we can educate, inspire, and enable the next generation of scientists, explorers, and stewards of the ocean. 1

2 Building Marine Science Vocabulary 1. Adaptation- The change in an organism that make it better suited for its environment. 2. Apex Predator- an animal that is at the top of the food chain. It doesn t have a natural predator. 3. Cetacean- a marine mammal including dolphins, porpoises, and whales 4. Coastal meaning near a coast 5. Demersal Fish- species of fish that live and feed on the bottom of a lake or sea. 6. Dissolved Oxygen- the amount of gaseous oxygen dissolved in water as an indication of the degree of health of the water and its ability to support a balanced aquatic ecosystem. (Dictionary.com) 7. Endothermic animals that are able to generate and regulate their own internal heat. 8. Ectothermic- animals or organisms that depend on external sources to regulate their body heat. 9. Glacier- are large masses of ice that are found on land 10. Growth rate- the rate or unit of time at which an animal or organism grows. 11. Hatchling- a young sea turtle that has come out of its egg 12. Iceberg- large chunks of floating sea ice 13. Immature shark the life stage of a shark when they are not able to reproduce. 14. Keystone Species- an animal or organism that if removed from a food chain, would affect the entire ecosystem. 15. Mature- The life stage of an animal when they are able to reproduce. 16. Immature- the life stage of an animal when is not able to reproduce. 17. Sargassum- a type of brown seaweed 2

3 Expedition Education: Geography Label the Earth's Oceans. Then see how many of the 31 expeditions you can find and name that OCEARCH has completed around the world. Mark each one with a ping and label it. Feel free to share your maps with us when they re done! 3

4 Sea Level Rise Glaciers and ice bergs are used interchangeably when discussing Arctic ice. They can be connected but have a very distinct difference between them. Ice bergs are large chunks of floating sea ice. They are part of the ocean and float along with the water. Glaciers, on the other hand, are large masses of ice that are found on land. They stay on land and do not move along with the ocean. Chunks of glaciers can break off and enter the water to form ice bergs which can contribute to the misconception of using the two words as one abiotic feature in Arctic ecosystems. Once ice bergs and glaciers melt, that area changes from its icy white exterior to a dark ocean abyss. White ice allows for the Earth to reflect heat allowing for an area to cool. Darker water absorbs this same heat causing the area to warm up. This process is called the albedo effect. This is important because the loss of sea ice is causing a change in global albedo. The less ice we have the more the Earth heats up causing a chain reaction of loss land and sea ice due to higher surface temperatures. Why should we care about features that we may never have a direct connection with? This is a common question when discussing the melting of ice bergs and glaciers. This lesson will demonstrate to students what happens to sea level rise when heat is added to an Arctic system. Materials needed: Small rectangle metal tray that is about 4 deep (much like a disposable baking tray) Modeling clay Ice Plastic ruler Heat Source (We like to take students outside and use the sun) Graph paper Procedures: Have students create a land form with a shelf on one side on the container. This should be wide enough for ice to stay on the shelf. Fill the container about ¼ of the way with water. Bring the container to your desired heat source. The melt down: Using the plastic ruler, measure the beginning sea level of your ocean. Place your container near the heat source, if outside place in a sunny spot. 4

5 Take 5 pieces of ice and place them in the ocean to create ice bergs. Measure and record the new sea level. Take measurements every 30 seconds until the ice has melted. Repeat this process but place the ice on the land to create glaciers. Measure every 30 seconds until the ice has melted. 30 seconds 60 seconds 90 Seconds 120 Seconds 150 seconds 180 seconds 210 seconds 240 seconds 270 seconds 300 seconds 330 seconds 360 seconds 390 seconds 420 seconds 450 seconds 480 seconds 510 seconds 540 seconds 570 seconds 600 seconds Total of 10 minutes Ice Berg Final Sea Level: Difference of inches Glacier Final Sea Level: Difference of inches Graph the data on your graph paper Have students create a line graph. Graph the two changes in sea level rise on the same graph to compare their results. Follow up questions: 1. How did each type of ice change the sea level in this area? 2. Describe the relationship between sea and land ice. 3. Using your answer to number 2, which type of sea ice should we monitor when discussing sea level rise? 4. Describe how an increase in sea level can impact the Low Country Regions. 5. Salt marshes and sea grasses are the first defender against coastal erosion. They are able to adapt to the drastic change in tides. Discuss how a rise in sea level can impact these important nurseries and sport fish congregation sites. 5

6 Immature sharks Savannah and Yeti are pinging in here in Lowcountry! Hilton, a mature male white shark is also now pinging in, joining the shark party" and mature female Mary Lee has been a frequent visitor to this region, during this same time of year. In contrast, mature female white shark Katharine is off the New England Seamounts. The questions remain, why are they here? Is Lowcountry a second mating site for North Atlantic white sharks? Where will they ping in over expedition? Let s track them to find out! Draw Katharine and/or Hilton s pings here! Lowcountry Shark Ecology Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Week 1 Ping(s)? Pings? Week 2 Ping(s)? Pings? Week 3 Ping(s)? Pings? Week 4 Ping(s)? How long do you think Hilton will stay pinging in Lowcountry? Where did they ping in over expedition? Pings? Where did Savannah ping in, in comparison? 6

7 Lowcountry Shark Ecology Grades 6-12 In this activity you will act like a citizen scientist to discuss the importance of protecting known feeding, breeding, and birthing sites of marine species. Marine protected areas allow organisms to thrive in an environment that has very little human interaction. Your job will be to discuss the two sides of this discussion using the below prompt. The Low Country region is well known for sport fishing. The overlapping marine ecosystems in this area allows for a unique opportunity to fish for an array of sport fish in a condensed and highly populated location. The some types of fish that can be found in this area include; red fish, red drum, sea trout, flounder, snapper and tarpon. Red fish are known to congregate in the winter in dense huddles in clear winter waters of the low country. This brings valuable economic and recreational gains to this area. When the waters cool down the plankton and algae that can cloud the shallow waters die off, leaving behind beautiful clear water. With the clarity of the water, the muddy bottoms of the salt marshes is exposed to more sunlight allowing for the water to absorb more heat, to learn more about how reflection and absorption of heat impact the ocean see our sea level rise activity. This heated source of water is vital for the fish survival during the cold winter months. Fish are ectothermic, meaning they cannot regulate their own body temperature, making these warm spots a red fish gold mine in the winter. Sport fisherman are not the only ones that know about this honey hole. This area provides a nice treat for predators, such as, dolphins and sharks. Many of the sharks on the Global Shark Tracker have shown an interest in these areas during winter months. We were able to tag Hilton and Savannah during our 2016 Low Country Expedition. Hilton and Savannah have both began their journey in throughout the winter and spring months. They work their way North in the summer only to return to the Low Country region for the winter months. Hilton, in particular, has shown a great interest in the shallow waters from Fernandina Beach to Tybee Island. Hilton tends to hang out in this shallow and warm water feeding on the fish that congregate there. Ecological ties like this allow for scientists to continue their research into the 400 million year old mystery of the white shark. We believe the white shark are leveraging events like snapper runs and aggregations for feeding. Just like a lion following the wildebeest. They are in them doing their job. Culling the weak the dead and the dying. Chris Fischer OCEARCH Founder and Expedition Lead Using the above information, as well as any additional research students may wish to complete, have students participate in a Socratic Seminar to discuss the following question: Should the Low Country region put in protective measures for the known winter feeding areas of the White Shark? *Teacher helpful hints: visit for more information on how to run a Socratic Seminar. This is an evidence based discussion where you act like a facilitator. Students lead the discussion using evidence from the text and any additional information that they may find. 7

8 Shark Adaptations Sharks have been around for more than 450 million years and survived 5 mass extinctions. Some ways that they have been able to survive these events over the years are from their adaptations. Different sharks have different adaptations that give them an advantage as predators. White shark counter shading, tasseled wobbegong camouflage, great hammerhead electroreception, nurse shark buccal pumping, bull shark kidneys, tiger shark teeth, and many more, are all examples of these. Look at the 3 sharks below. Choose a shark below, write its name on the line and then list the adaptations from the box and explain why they are examples of adaptations for that shark species. Counter shading Electroreception Buccal Pump Camouflage Teeth Reproduction Shark Species: Adaptations: Explain Why: Can these adaptations apply to other marine animals? Why or why not? 8

9 White Sharks and Seasons Why do you think white sharks are pinging in here? Grades 6-12 White Sharks have a unique adaptation among other fishes, in that they are able to regulate their internal body temperature. They are endothermic. Most fish are ectothermic and rely on the temperature of the water around them to regulate their internal temperature. Read the OCEARCH Blog post about thermal physiology of white sharks on the OCEARCH website and use the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker to answer the questions below. What advantages would the white sharks have by being able to do this? Look at the tracks of mature male white shark Hilton, and immature female white shark Savannah. What observations can you make about their location pings in Nova Scotia and Lowcountry, and the times of the year or seasons they are there. How do their tracks compare to the young of the year sharks tagged off Long Island NY in 2017? Why do you think their range of their migrations are different? Do you think the prey in those locations are connected with white sharks being endothermic? How? Why? Do you think that white sharks experience seasons in the ocean? What conclusions can you make about mature and immature white shark migrations/ tracks based on what you've learned? 9

10 Exploring Lowcountry: Prehistoric Sharks and Their Teeth The Cooper River runs along the East side of Charleston and is known for divers being able to find Megaladon teeth. This shark is known for being the largest shark species that ever lived. Sharks don't leave behind the skeletons of their bodies as fossils though. Why do you think that is? What fossils are usually found from prehistoric sharks? As we look at the regions where Megaladon, Snaggletooth, and other sharks are found in the United States, what to you notice about those areas? How do you think they got there? Was there an event in that age that caused sharks like the Megaladon, to become extinct? Why do you think Megaladon sharks lived in Lowcountry? Looking at the tracks of Hilton and Katharine, Do you think you think that there is a similar reason for why white sharks are pinging in in Lowcountry too? Remember! In Lowcountry, people must have a permit to hunt for Megaladon teeth. Please check with your state to see if there are any regulations or permits needed before looking for Megaladon teeth. 10

11 Exploring Lowcountry: Sea Turtles The Lowcountry region of the United States plays an important role in the life cycle of Loggerhead, Leatherback, Green, Hawksbill, and Kemp Ridley Sea Turtles. These female sea turtle species, will mate offshore in the late spring and summer, then swim to a nesting area on the coastal beaches in Lowcountry from May to October, where they will dig a hole, lay her eggs, burry them, and them swim back out to sea. The eggs will remain the nest for 60 days and then they'll begin to hatch. Sea turtle hatchlings are around 2 ½ inches long and will dig themselves out of the nest, crawl out to sea, and then swim for up to 48 hours, nonstop, until they are able to locate beds of sargassum to use for food and shelter. All sea turtle species are marine reptiles. They are ectothermic, or cold-blooded, and have lungs. They can't retract their limbs into their shell, unlike other turtles. They also don't have teeth, but have a jaw with a beak, that they use to eat prey. They feed on crustaceans, mollusks, jellyfish, and sponges. The largest species of sea turtle is the Leatherback. It grows to be about 6 feet long and weigh close to 1100 pounds. They are the only species of sea turtle that doesn't have a hard shell. They can hold their breath for several hours, especially when they are resting. The smallest species of sea turtle are the Kemps Ridley and Olive Ridley sea turtles. They can grow to be inches long and up to 110 pounds. You can track Olive Ridley sea turtles on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker and learn about them on the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle blog post on OCEARCH s website. Sadly, all seven species of sea turtles are considered threatened or endangered. Human impacts threaten all of the sea turtles' life stages. You can help sea turtle populations recover by: 1. Filling in any holes you make when digging in the sand at the beach 2. Do not buy products made from turtle shells 3. Kick plastic 4. Pick up trash on the beach 5. Don't release balloons 6. Be aware of sea turtles when boating 7. Please don t use flashlights on the beach without a red cover during nesting season (sea turtles can become disoriented if artificial light shines on them, making them disoriented and unable to reach the ocean during this time) 8. Leave sea turtles alone and remain quiet if you see one on the beach 9. Put out any campfires on the beach. Loggerhead Sea Turtle Green Sea Turtle Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Leatherback Sea Turtle Image by the National Wildlife Federation 11

12 Exploring Lowcountry: Sea Turtle STEM Activity Grades K-2 Draw and color your sea turtle to look like a species found in Lowcountry (like the Loggerhead or Leatherback) or a species found off the coast of Costa Rica like the Olive Ridley sea turtles on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker. Write the name of the sea turtle species on the line, and then match that sea turtle to the track it makes on the beach by drawing a line to its matching track. 12

13 Exploring Lowcountry: Sea Turtle STEM Activity Grades 3-8 Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings dig their way out of the nest, and head straight for the ocean, where they will spend the next 1 to 2 days swimming until it reaches a mat of sargassum to take shelter and get food from. Your ocean explorer challenge is to make your sea turtle, help it swim (float) to a mat of sargassum, and be able to float on it, as if it would like a real Loggerhead. All species of sea turtle are considered threatened or endangered so your mission to get your hatchling to the sargassum mat is important. Materials: Foam pages in green and brown Scissors Sponges (1/2 a sponge for each student) Egg cartons Green markers or paint to color egg carton Glue Turtle template page A place or tub with water to test your sargassum mat and loggerhead sea turtle Directions: Draw a sea turtle on the green foam and cut it out. Next take a single egg carton and glue it on the back of your sea turtle. Color or paint it to look like a Loggerhead Take the sponge and/or brown foam and create a mat of sargassum for your turtle to float on Place the Sargassum mat with the Loggerhead sea turtle in water and create a current to see if your sea turtle will stay on the mat and ride the Sargasso Sea Current. 13

14 Exploring Lowcountry: North Atlantic Right Whale History and Conservation Grades 6-12 North Atlantic Right Whales are some of the largest baleen whales in the ocean. They grow to be up to 50 feet long, weigh up to 79 tons, and live to be about 50 years old. They can be identified by their white bumps or callosities on their back and lack of dorsal fin, along with the shape of their blowhole. North Atlantic Right Whales can hold their breath, on average, for 20 minutes. Some whales can hold their breath for up to 90 minutes! They migrate North and South along the eastern coast of North America, traveling from the Bay of Fundy in the Summer and Fall to feeding around Cape Cod in the Winter, Spring and summer months, then Females migrate to Lowcountry to give birth in Fall and Winter. There are 465 North Atlantic Right Whales left in Photo Credit: New England Aquarium existence. 100 of them are females that are able to reproduce. The Right Whales are named for being the right" whales to hunt due to their oil from their blubber. They floated well after they were killed, making them easier to collect by whalers in the early 1900's to Their oil was used in perfumes, to light lamps, soaps, brake fluid, and even margarine. Whale bones were used as corset stays, and the meat was seasoned and then canned to eat. North Atlantic Right Whales are protected now but they are facing new threats. They are being struck by ships, getting tangled in fishing gear and lobster traps, contaminants, and noise from ships and other human activity. One of the ways mariners help them is by reporting any North Atlantic Right Whales they see. NOAA has an interactive map to report these sightings and see where others have found them too. The link is 14

15 Northern Right Whale: Citizen Science Project Grades 6-12 North Atlantic Right Whales need our help. As citizen scientists, we can do our part to protect these critically endangered whales. One of the major threats to North Atlantic Right Whales is entanglement. They swim through fishing grounds and are becoming tangled up in fishing gear and lobster traps. When they become entangled they can be strangled, stressed, or killed. What ideas do you have to design a lobster trap that would help these critically endangered whales? Draw and then describe how you would design a safer lobster trap. What technologies might you add to alert others that your trap has encountered a whale? Describe your Design What would the challenges be to create or implement this trap? 15