Synopsis of the Activity
The focus of the activity is biodiversity and the marine census. Visitors will use a largescale dichotomous key to examine and identify various local marine species. They will be
able to physically explore organisms and their characteristics to gain a better
understanding of biodiversity and the marine census.
Audience
The main target audience for this activity is children at approximately a 5th grade level. The
lesson plan is designed to be flexible with content incase children come who are younger
and may need more basic explanations or older children come and can understand a more
scientific lesson.
Objectives
Students will explore the concept of biodiversity through interactions with pictures and
live and dead specimens while learning to utilize a dichotomous key. They will be able to
gain a better understanding for the various characteristics of an organism that allows them
to exploit their individual niche. This understanding will allow a more through
appreciation of the techniques used to catalog marine species as in the Census of Marine
Life.
Misconceptions that will be addressed:
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If there is a lot of one species then the ecosystem is healthy.
Life is evenly distributed in the ocean.
Not all species are important.
Phytoplankton, sponges and corals are plants.
Jellyfish and starfish are fish.
Whales are fish.
Most animals in the ocean are vertebrates.
Ocean Literacy Principles
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The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.
o Ocean life ranges in size from the smallest virus to the largest animal that has
lived on Earth, the blue whale.
The ocean is largely unexplored.
o The ocean is the last and largest unexplored place on Earth— less than 5% of it
has been explored. This is the great frontier for the next generation’s explorers
and researchers, where they will find great opportunities for inquiry and
investigation.
Vocabulary
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Biodiversity- the number and variety of organisms in a given ecosystem.
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Census of Marine Life- a 10-year international effort undertaken in to assess the diversity
(how many different kinds), distribution (where they live), and abundance (how many) of
marine life—a task never before attempted on this scale
Ecological Niche- is a term describing the relational position of a species or
population in its ecosystem to each other
Dichotomous Key- is a tool that allows the user to determine the identity of items in the
natural world, such as trees, wildflowers, mammals, reptiles, rocks, and fish. Keys consist
of a series of choices that lead the user to the correct name of a given item.
Anatomical Characteristics
o Rostrum- the pointed like part on the head of a crab
o Umbo- the pointy or rounded part of a bivalve shell
o Carapace- the hard backside of a crabs shell
o Pneumatocyst- the air bladders in rockweed, a type of seaweed that allows it to be
buoyant in the water collum
Guiding Questions
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Have you ever gone to the beach and picked up a bunch of different kinds of shells or
small critters?
Why do you think that there are so many different types?
Is this better or worse for the environment? Is a bunch of different animals better than a
lot of one animal?
Why did you choose the specimen that you did?
Describe the sample that you have picked? Can you name any of the parts that you see?
Do you think that the ecosystems off the coast of New Jersey are healthy? Why?
Additional Teaching Strategies
Invitation: We will begin with inviting them to come over to the table to see the
interesting images on our poster and the actual specimens that we have for them to touch
and play with. We will initiate their curiosity by asking them broad questions about
personal ocean experiences.
Exploration: The students will then be allowed to touch and maneuver the organisms and
picture cards to explore their characteristics and defining features to determine what it is.
While students explore, we will be asking probing questions to facilitate further
investigation.
Concept Invention: The students will work through the dichotomous key as the
instructors facilitate the understanding of new vocabulary and the concept of biodiversity.
Once vocabulary and concepts are established, we will ask questions, which allow
students to put these new terms and concepts into their own words asking for evidence as
proof of their understanding.
Application: Students will apply the concept of biodiversity to its application in the
Census of Marine Life.
Reflection: The educator will address any remaining misconceptions and confront the
former ideas that the students had about biodiversity. We will probe with broader
questions about further study of the Census of Marine Life.
Materials
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One large poster with vibrant pictures and key facts and maps from the Census of Marine
Life.
One large laminated poster with the dichotomous key.
Cards with pictures of organisms to be identified with the dichotomous key (use live and
dead specimens when available)
Images of the anatomy of all organisms for facilitators and students to refer to when
necessary.
Easel to display poster of the census of marine life information.
Set-up Procedure
Place the large dichotomous key flat on the table surface. Spread out the organism cards
so that students are able to choose which organisms they would like to identify using the
dichotomous key. Use easel to stand up the census of marine life poster next to the table as to
draw students into our activity. When available, the live and dead organisms will be displayed
on the table as to catch the eye of visitors passing by.
Activity Description
When a visitor walks up to the activity, they will be engaged through a series of questions
to gage prior knowledge and facilitate discussions. Have you ever seen any of these organisms
when you go to the beach in the summer? Do you know why there are so many different types
of organisms that wash up on the shore and why it is important to have variety? They will be
asked to select an organism from the pile of cards (or from the actual specimens if available) that
they would like to try to identify using the large dichotomous key that is spread across the table.
Then to begin the exploration phase, the students will be asked why they chose that animal or
plant and if they notice any interesting features that it has? Then the student will be instructed on
how to use the dichotomous key by the facilitator. He or she will work from question to question
in the key until they have reached a correct identification. They will be able to explore the
characteristics of the organism on their own and make independent decisions that further their
advancement along the key. The facilitator will ask probing questions when necessary to keep
the student interested. Reflection on these decisions will be brought up by the facilitator such as
why did you go in that direction instead of the other? And can you show me on the specimen
where you got your answer from? Once they have done so, the facilitator will give an
explanation of biodiversity and why it is important making sure to define biodiversity and
ecological niche. Then the student will see how what they have just done is applied in real life in
the census of marine life. Did you know that there are people out there right now trying to do
what you just did for all the organisms in the ocean? How do you think they find all the animals
out there? Do you think that we have found everything already or is there more work to be
done? Why do you think that?
The design of the activity allows visitors to manipulate the specimens in a manner that
best suits their individual learning style. With the live and dead organisms, the visitors will be
able to touch all the characteristics, move parts around and rotate it in space to get a better look
at the specimen. If a visitor is misusing any specimen, a simple verbal redirecting would be
useful to get them back on track such as please be careful, these animals are very fragile. The
activity is also designed so that many different visitors can be engaged at various points of the
lesson. This will address the issue of visitors dropping in. While one person works through the
key, a brief moment can be taken to let the visitor do some self-exploring while engaging another
visitor and getting them started on the lesson.
Background Information
Biodiversity is the measure of the variation of life in a given ecosystem. The greater variety of
species in an ecosystem, the healthier that ecosystem is. Threats to biodiversity can cause the
loss of an entire population and even an ecosystem if it is not balanced. The census of marine
life is a project that was started to assess the diversity (how many different kinds), distribution
(where they live), and abundance (how many) of marine life, the first project of its kind. The
Census of Marine Life is a comprehensive count of all the different species that live in the ocean.
It is paving the way for future ocean exploration. The actual lesson that we are calling the flow
chart is actually called a dichotomous key. It is the method by which the Census of Marine Life
is able to identify species and genus of an animal that they find. This method is usually found in
a book that leads you from number to number as you get more specific about the characteristics
of an organism until you eventually reach genus and species of that creature. For simplicity and
ease of use, we are using a flow chart approach as opposed to a book or pack that visitors must
look through. This will allow visitors to engage in a more hands on experience. A general
knowledge of all the species featured is also helpful when addressing student questions regarding
that specimen. Additional information about the necessary background information can be found
in the following links.
 The Census of Marine Life
http://www.coml.org/
 Biodiversity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiversity
 Sandy Hook Species List
http://ux.brookdalecc.edu/staff/sandyhook/taxonomy/index.htm
 Marine Life of New York and New Jersey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_life_of_New_York-New_Jersey_Harbor_Estuary