SUBJECT SCIENCE
CLASS EXTREME
PERIOD/TIME 2 Periods/80 minutes
THEME Interactions
TOPIC Interactions within the Environment
LEARNING OBJECTIVES The theme introduces pupils to:
 Interactions between organisms and the environment.
 How Man interacts with his environment and the consequences of their actions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES Students are able to:
 Show concern for Man’s impact on the environment.
 Give examples of Man’s conservation efforts.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL  Introduction: National Geographic video, laptop, LCD projector, set
of speakers.
 Main Lesson : Science textbook.
 Conclusion : NGX Extreme magazine, NGX Extreme projectable
edition.
SKILLS AND PROCESSES Evaluating and analyzing.
ETHICS AND VALUES Responsibility and open-mindedness.
Prepare a set of speakers for the lesson. Have the students view a National Geographic video on the
Prepare a set of speakers for the lesson. Have the students view the National Geographic video found at the link : importance of oceans found at the link: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/animals/fish-animals/bony-fish/fish_camouflage.html
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/environment/habitats-environment/habitats-oceans-
Then ask the class:
Why do you think the organisms in the video camouflage themselves as plants?
What is the main cause of ocean degradation?
Introduce the topic of the lesson:
In today’s lesson, we will learn about the various animal adaptations for escaping from predators.
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Introduce the topic of the lesson:
In today’s lesson, we will be learning about marine habitats and Man’s influence on his environment.
Oceans cover approximately 70% of the earth’s surface with an average depth of 2.4 miles, or 3,800 meters. The marine ecosystem, in addition to the temperate and tropical oceans, includes the shorelines, with mud flats, rocky and sandy shores, tidepools, barrier islands, estuaries, salt marshes, and mangrove forests making up the shoreline segment. Marine ecosystems support a great diversity of life and variety of habitats. The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.
Marine ecosystems are homes to protozoans, marine invertebrates (echinoderms, mollusks, segmented and nonsegmented worms, jellies, coral, sea anemones, hyroids) marine vertebrates (fishes, birds, mammals), and plankton (phyto and zooplankton).
Most areas of the world's oceans are experiencing habitat loss. But coastal areas, with their closeness to human population centers, have suffered disproportionately and mainly from manmade stresses. Habitat loss here has far-reaching impacts on the entire ocean's biodiversity. These critical areas, which include estuaries, swamps, marshes, and wetlands, serve as breeding grounds or nurseries for nearly all marine species.
Humans and Mother Nature share blame in the destruction of ocean habitats, but not equally. Hurricanes and typhoons, storm surges, tsunamis and the like can cause massive, though usually temporary, disruptions in the life cycles of ocean plants and animals. Human activities, however, are significantly more impactful and persistent. factories, and farms create waste, pollution, and chemical effluent and runoff that can wreak havoc on reefs, sea grasses, birds, and fish. 

 curb freshwater flow, increasing the salinity of coastal waters. Deforestation far from shore creates erosion, sending silt into shallow waters that can block the sunlight coral reefs need to thrive. 

 Destructive fishing techniques like bottom trawling, dynamiting, and poisoning destroy habitats near shore as well as in the deep sea. reef ecosystems. Container ships and tankers can damage habitat with their hulls and anchors. Spills of crude oil and other substances kill thousands of birds and fish and leave a toxic environment that can persist for years.
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Perhaps the most devastating of all habitat-altering agents, however, is climate change. Scientists are still coming to grips with the consequences that excessive atmospheric carbon dioxide and Earth's rapid warming are having on ecosystems. But there is ample evidence indicating that the oceans are bearing the brunt of these changes. changes can have far-reaching effects on the life cycles of marine animals from corals to whales. 

 In addition, warmer temperatures cause excess melting of ice caps and glaciers, raising sea levels and flooding estuaries. oceans, where the gas dissolves into carbonic acid. This elevated acidity inhibits the ability of marine animals, including many plankton organisms, to create shells, disrupting life within the very foundation of the ocean's food web.
Ongoing efforts to safeguard ocean habitats include the creation of gigantic marine sanctuaries where development is curtailed and fishing is prohibited. Laws banning the dumping of sewage and chemicals into the ocean and policies that foster better stewardship of wetlands are having positive effects. But scientists agree that drastic measures will be needed to avert the ocean crises being created by climate change.
For more information, go to: http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-marine-habitat-
destruction/
Note: Discuss the topic of habitats and Man’s impacts on the environment further with reference to the school science textbook.
Have the students read the article ‘ Save Our Seas ’ from the National Geographic Extreme Explorer magazine.
Students will work in groups of four to conduct research on the Internet to find out about marine conservation efforts. The students can present their findings in the form of a poster. In their write-up, they should include relevant images as well as information detailing how various non-profit organizations help protect our marine ecosystem.
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