NOAA
Importance of Deep-Sea Ecosystems – The Benthic Drugstore
You never know what you will find next in the deep sea ecosystem. So far, scientists have found items that work as anti-tumor agents, anti-inflammatory agents, agents that stop uncontrolled cell division, and much more. The lesson begins...
Kenan Fellows
Determining Stream Health by the Diversity and Types of Benthic Organisms
How diverse are the benthic organisms found in local streams? Using the information learned in previous lessons on identification of macroinvertebrates and on calculating stream index values, groups determine the health of local streams....
Curated OER
How Am I Supposed to Eat THAT?
Students explain nutritional strategies of benthic organisms.They describe nutritional strategies of benthic organisms and describe these physical characteristics.
Curated OER
Keep Away
Study biological diversity by analyzing given data, and make inferences about the possible effects of oil drilling operations on specific benthic communities. This lesson plan allows learners to use their statistical analysis skills...
Curated OER
Big Fleas Have Little Fleas
A benthic habitat hosts a vast collection of organisms and its structure influences the biodiversity. Middle-school marine biology explorers will discuss how corals impact structure, and therefore diversity, on the ocean floor. They draw...
NOAA
Ocean Zones
How can organisms light up in water? Bioluminescence is light produced in a chemical reaction that can occur in an organism's body. First, learners determine what happens to light/color as you move into the deep ocean. In groups, they...
Curated OER
What's That?
Meant to be a simulation of a deep-sea exploration, this requires that another lesson be completed first. In that lesson, titled "Animals of the Lost City," marine biology buffs construct murals of benthic communities. In this lesson,...
NOAA
Mapping the Ocean Floor: Bathymetry
Bathymetry is not a measure of the depths of bathtubs! Through the three lessons, scholars explore two different types of maps and how they are made. The resource focuses on topographic and bathymetric maps and teaching the techniques...
Curated OER
Dirty Mud
Learners examine geological information to study benthic marine habitats. In this watershed project, students examine wetland habitats and land uses in a watershed. They will use geological information to discuss the impact of pollution...
Curated OER
Who's Your Neighbor?
Students recognize and identify some of the fauna groups found in deep-sea coral reef communities. They describe common feeding strategies used by benthic animals in deep-sea coral reef communities.Students be able
NOAA
It's a Roughy Life
Scientists recently discovered several previously unknown species at the Bear Seamount off the coast of New England. Scholars research these new species — benthopelagic, benthic, and seamount fish — and find out what makes them unique....
Kenan Fellows
Use of Dichotomous Keys to Identify Stream Organisms
What kind of organisms are living in the stream? After an explanation on how to use a dichotomous key, groups of three to four use the keys to identify macroinvertebrates from a local freshwater stream. Using the the concept of Stream...
Kenan Fellows
Determining the Effects of a Golf Course on Stream Health
Do golf courses affect the water organisms in nearby streams and ponds? Small groups collect samples of water upstream and downstream from a golf course and analyze the macroinvertebrates found and the stream index values of the two...
NOAA
Deep-Sea Ecosystems – Entering the Twilight Zone
Imagine an ecosystem without any light or oxygen, where living things convert carbon dioxide into food. This ecosystem is thriving and might just be the largest ecosystem on our planet, yet we know very little about it. The lesson...
Curated OER
Breaking Away (Or Not...)
Students compare and contrast common reproductive strategies used by benthic invertebrates. They describe the most common reproductive strategies among benthic invertebrates on a seamount, and explain why these strategi
Curated OER
Keep it Complex
Students consider the importance of biodiversity in the ocean layers. In this oceanography lesson, students use the Shannon-Weaver diversity index to analyze data. Students analyze the information collected and write a report offering...
Curated OER
Let's Hit the Slopes!
Students study benthic communities in the Gulf of Mexico and explain their roles. In this investigative lesson students participate in a group activity and study how to calculate and index of biological communities.
Curated OER
Questions - Appearances are Deceiving
Five evolution-related questions are answered by beginning biologists on a separate sheet of paper. First, they are asked to list adaptations that allow organisms to survive under various conditions. The second question refers to...
Curated OER
Entering The Twilight Zone
In this lesson plan sixth grade students get into groups and research a given ocean habitat. The major features of cold-seep communities are the objective but plenty information is given about other habitats which could be assigned to...
Curated OER
The Benthic Drugstore
Pupils identify at least three pharmacologically- active chemicals derived from marine invertebrates. They describe the disease-fighting action of at least three pharmacologically-active chemicals derived from marine invertebrates.
Curated OER
The Benthic Drugstore
High schoolers examine active chemicals that are in marine invertebrates and how they act to fight diseases. In this marine lesson students identify three pharmacologically-active chemicals, describe their disease fighting action and...
Curated OER
Chemosynthesis for the Classroom
Explorers set up Windogradsky columns with local mud so that they can culture microorganisms. After three and six weeks they make observations of the mud and the organisms growing in it. In this way they observe succession and relate...
Curated OER
Meet the Arctic Benthos
Students recognize and identify major groups found in the Arctic benthos. They describe common feeding strategies used by benthic animals in the Arctic Ocean. They discuss relationships between
Curated OER
Let's Get to the Bottom of the Arctic!
Pupils identify the three realms of the Arctic Ocean, and describe the relationships between these realms. They describe different species associations in a benthic community.