UNDERWATER HABITAT
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES - ELEMENTARY
Underwater Habitat
Lesson Overview:
Each student will create a three dimensional diorama to represent an underwater
creature in its natural habitat.
Grade Level:
Grade 1-5. This lesson can be easily adapted to any level.
Time Required:
Two 45-minute classes
Curriculum Connection (Province and course):
Northwest Territories Grade 3
Link to Canadian National Geography Standards:
Essential Element #1: The World in Spatial Terms
 Location of continents and oceans
Oceans Scope & Sequence Standard #1: The World in Spatial Terms
 Location of major world oceans, seas and gulfs
Essential Element #2: Places and Regions
 Concept of physical features
Oceans Scope & Sequence Standard #2: Places and Regions
 Characteristics of Ocean Habitats
Oceans Scope & Sequence Standard #6
Geographic Skill #1: Asking Geographic Questions:
 Where is it located?
 What is significant about this location?
Geographic Skill # 2: Acquiring Geographic Information
 Locate, gather and process information from a variety of primary and
secondary sources, including maps.
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required:
 Large cereal box for each student (cut out front panel; keep a 1” border
around the outside)
 Class set of the NGS “Oceans for Life” brochure
 One large World Map outline or wall poster
 Newspapers to cover work area for painting
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
1
UNDERWATER HABITAT
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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES - ELEMENTARY
Thick liquid paint (various shades of blue to identify habitat layers)
Paint brushes and sponges
Silver sparkles
Silver foil paper
White glue
Hot glue gun and glue sticks (for adult use only)
Habitat materials (sand, silk plants, string, netting, stickers, shells,
sponges, plastic wrap, 3-D foam stickers, etc.)
Student Guide
Information on various ocean populations and habitats (include maps,
posters, books, etc.)
Useful websites:
www.k12.hi.us/~jaishika/webquest/layerindex.htm
www.seasky.org
www.iwebquest.com/oceans/oceanquest.htm
www.enchantedlearning.com/coloring/oceanlife.shtml
Main Objective:
Students will apply their knowledge and understanding of an underwater creature
to create 3-D dioramas representative of its natural habitat. They will be able to
describe elements of their creature, its habitat and geographic location.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
 Locate and name the ocean(s) where their creature lives.
 Give directions using relevant terms: North, South, East, West
 Describe characteristics of their creature’s underwater habitat.
 If the creature was important to traditional hunting and/or fishing activities,
students will describe its use, and identify its name in the applicable
aboriginal language.
 Ask relevant geographic questions to learn about different creatures and
their habitats.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
2
UNDERWATER HABITAT
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES - ELEMENTARY
The Lesson:
Teacher Activity
Teacher Preparation:
Organize required materials and gather information.
Student Activity
Student Preparation:
Gather information on ocean
populations and habitats.
Prepare a partially completed sample diorama.
Make arrangements for Big Buddies or Parent Volunteers
to help out.
Introduction
In Class:
Conduct a mini review lesson on layers of the ocean and
discuss how the sun filters through the water:
Gather items to use for creature
habitat in the diorama.
In Class:
Participate in class discussion.
1st Layer: to 200 meters, warm waters, lots of sunlight,
plants and animals (seals, whales, sharks, rays, jellyfish,
anemone, sea turtles, salmon, wide variety of fish; most
marine creatures live here)
2nd Layer: to 1000 meters, colder temperatures, because
it is almost dark there are no plants, fewer varieties of
animals (squid, octopus, some eels, lantern-fish),
interesting adaptations.
3rd Layer: to 6000 meters, no light or plants, very cold,
very few creatures (giant tube worm), strange adaptations.
Discuss how this could be represented in the dioramas.
Address the concept of lighter on the top with shades
darkening to the bottom.
Demonstrate the use of a brush to apply different shades,
and the sponge technique to soften the distinction between
the colours.
Decide on colours needed to
represent the various layers of the
ocean.
Observe demonstration of painting
techniques.
Sprinkle a few sparkles onto the paint before it dries to
represent bubbles.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
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UNDERWATER HABITAT
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES - ELEMENTARY
Hand out materials and give reminder to clean up after
painting and before habitat work.
Teacher, Buddies and/or Parent Volunteers circulate to
discuss various aspects of habitat.
Sprinkle sparkles onto wet paint and help cover outside of
dioramas with foil.
Hand out Student Guide and Oceans for Life brochure as
students finish painting.
Instruct students to review their information with Big
Buddies and/or Volunteers in order to:
(a) choose a creature
(b) identify characteristics of its habitat
(c) organize diorama materials
Use brushes to paint layers of the
ocean inside the cereal box. Use a
sponge to blend the layers and ask
for sparkles when finished. Cover
outside of diorama with foil.
Set box aside to dry; clean up.
Review information with Big Buddies
and/or Volunteers and:
(a) choose a creature
(b) identify characteristics of its
habitat
(c) organize diorama materials
Participate in class discussion about
the sample diorama; use the Student
Guide for ideas.
Show sample of partially completed diorama to the class.
Ask class to identify as much information as possible (with
reference to Student Guide).
Lesson Development
Generate feedback on items that could be added to
enhance the product.
Point out how some items are glued with white glue while
heavier items require the use of a hot glue gun.
Advise students to ask an adult to place items if hot glue is
needed.
Conduct a mini-lesson to demonstrate techniques used to
create a 3-D effect:
a. fold small pieces of paper like an ‘accordion’; use to
place pictures on the back panel
b. glue items to the inside of the 1” border
c. hang items from the top
d. glue items directly onto the back panel and mount other
with 3-D foam stickers
e. show only the head or tail of a creature passing by
Teacher, Buddies and/or Volunteers circulate and discuss
student placement ideas: what, where & how to place
pictures/ items, which 3-D techniques to use.
Have students try different layouts and show them to a
friend before starting to glue. Assist as needed.
Draw students’ attention to the Student Guide and NGS
“Oceans for Life” brochure to reference aspects of habitat
that could be included and/or represented.
Have each student plot creature habitat on class World
Map and complete the Student Guide.
Observe teacher demonstration of
the 3-D techniques.
Plan layout and design of habitat by
setting items in place.
Decide on layout. Begin to attach
lightweight items with white glue. Ask
an adult to place large or heavy items
with a hot glue gun.
Place photo of self onto the picture of
a scuba diver or other figure from the
NGS “Oceans for Life” brochure and
attach to diorama.
Plot creature habitat on class World
Map and complete the Student
Guide.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
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Conclusion
UNDERWATER HABITAT
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES - ELEMENTARY
Ask students to informally share dioramas with others and
generate whole class and/or small group discussion on
similarities and differences apparent in the various
habitats. Refer to class World Map showing habitat
locations.
Informally share dioramas with others
and discuss aspects of Student
Guide and World Map as instructed.
If presentations are planned, instruct students to take
home their diorama and Student Guide for practice, and
return both tomorrow. If presentations are not planned, ask
for the Student Guides and dioramas.
If presentations are planned, take
home diorama and Student Guide for
practice. If there will be no
presentation, hand in Student Guide
and diorama.
Arrange to display dioramas on the wall just above eye
level (staple through the back panel).
Unfinished work will be homework.
Lesson Extensions:
Videotape diorama presentations for review by student and parents.
Compare and contrast two different habitats using a Venn diagram or other
graphic organizer.
Assessment of Student Learning:
Summative evaluation can be conducted on content area knowledge. Tools may
include anecdotal observations, student/teacher conferences, checklists and/or
rating scale used in conjunction with learning outcomes or paper and pencil tests.
Formative assessment information can be gathered in regards to the
development of geographic skills and cooperative group skills. If lesson extension
is used, “Presentation and Audience Listening Skills” can be assessed using
teacher created rubrics or checklists for both teacher and peer evaluations.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
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UNDERWATER HABITAT
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES - ELEMENTARY
Student Guide
Name:_______________
In my habitat I used:
__ string
__ sand
__ 3-D foam stickers
__ silk plants
__ shells
__ netting
__ stickers
__ sponges
__ plastic wrap
__ creature figurine
__ plastic boat/
__ pictures:____________________________
submarine
__other:__________________________________________________________
What I know:
My underwater creature is a
______________________ Ocean/ Lake/ River.
and it lives in the
It does / doesn’t migrate. (If it does tell where it goes and at what time of year.)
________________________________________________________________
______________________________________. These habitats are / are not
similar.
My creature’s habitat is located: (Choose North, East, South or West)
a) ___________________ of the Northwest Territories
b) On the ______________________ side of Canada.
c) ______________ of the equator.
Here in the
layer the temperature is warm / cool / cold because _____
___________________________________________. It is about ______•C.
Other populations live here, like ______________________________________.
Plants like _________________ do / don’t grow here because ______________
________________________________________________________________
___. My creature was / was not important to traditional hunting or fishing activities
because_________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.
It was called __________________ in the _________________ aboriginal
language.
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
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UNDERWATER HABITAT
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES - ELEMENTARY
Two questions that could help me learn about other creatures’ habitats are:
a)_______________________________________________________________
b)_______________________________________________________________
Canadian Council for Geographic Education (www.ccge.org)
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society
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