CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

PROGRAMMATIC OVERVIEWECOSYSTEMS: ROCKY INTERTIDAL ZONE

ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S)

How have the animals of the intertidal adapted to overcome the stress of this ecosystem? How do scientists collect data to preserve and protect the Rocky Intertidal Zone and the organisms

that call it home?

OBJECTIVES

Students will understand what adaptation means and the major abiotic and biotic drivers in an ecosystem that drive these adaptations

Students will gain an in-depth overview of what makes the Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem unique Students will understand the data collection techniques and scientific methods that Cabrillo scientists

employ to manage the park’s resources Students will understand the threats to coastal and oceanic communities and how they can help

preserve and protect them

LESSON GRADE LEVEL4th - 12th Grade

DESCRIPTIONWelcome to one of the world’s most unique ecosystems, the Rocky Intertidal Zone. This vast expanse where land meets sea supports a thriving body of marine organisms all adapted to live under the harsh environmental pressures characteristic of this area. Dictated by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun, the tides predictably flow in and out daily creating a low, high, and middle tidal zone. Each of these zones maintains a unique community waiting for your students to explore and discover what it means to adapt to their environment. With the Science Sampler Program, students will learn about the animals and plants of the Rocky Intertidal and the methods that real Cabrillo scientists employ to study and protect them. Students will have the option of taking data at home, then be guided to analyze their data and discuss the meaning of their results within the greater context of the ecosystem. Lastly, they will be prompted to consider what next steps they might take regarding their conclusions. VOCABULARY

Adaptations are changes or the process of change by which an organism becomes better suited to its environment.

Abiotic factors are non-living drivers that shape an ecosystem (i.e. sun, wind, water loss). Biotic factors are living drivers that shape an ecosystem (i.e. predation, competition, parasites,

disease). Biodiversity refers to diverse forms of life that inhabit a given area. Bio meaning life, diversity

meaning all the differing kinds of life living and growing there. An organism is an individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form. Habitat is where an organism lives and grows.

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

An ecosystem is a system, or a group of interconnected elements, formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment.

STANDARDS MET

K-5 PRIMARY: 4-LS1-1. 4-ESS2-1. 5-LS2-1.MIDDLE SCHOOL: MS-LS1-4. MS-LS1-5. MS-LS2-1. MS-LS2-2. MS-LS2-4. HIGH SCHOOL: HS-LS2-1. HS-LS2-2. HS-LS2-6.

VISIT PREPARATION

GUIDED QUESTIONS

What makes the Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem unique? What types of conditions in nature do plants and animals need to adapt to? Why and how do scientists study this ecosystem?

ACTIVITYNote: A discussion with visual aids (PowerPoint and demonstration of tools used):

Why the Rocky Intertidal Zone is the most extreme ecosystem on earth How tidal patterns are driven The characteristics of the high, middle, and low intertidal zones The differences between abiotic and biotic forces How animals adapt to these forces to survive The importance of studying Rocky Intertidal Ecosystems The Intertidal Monitoring Program at Cabrillo Data Collection Activity – Quadrat sampling and Owl Limpet monitoring Review of data and the ecological implications

MATERIALS(a demonstration will be provided on Nepris, but if you would like to try it at home you will need)

A Quadrat(s) – DIY instructions at http://static.lawrencehallofscience.org/diy_lake_science/downloads/DIY-Lake-Science_Counting-With-Quadrats.pdf or http://gvcscience20.weebly.com/building-a-quadrat.html

A Caliper(s) – if you don’t have a caliper, you can use a ruler instead. Make sure you use the metric side (cm and mm)!

A Clipboard(s) or a surface to write on A Pencil(s) Science Sampler Data Sheets – provided in the attached document Field Guides – provided in the attached document and at

https://www.nps.gov/cabr/learn/nature/field-guides.htm CLOSING THOUGHTS (10 minutes – Cabrillo staff)

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

Activity Review: Review methodology and inquire students on thoughts on the data collection process. What other tools could they use to collect data?

Conservation Message: Review the mission of the National Park Service and how this data adds to our understanding of biodiversity, the park, and how to protect it.

Conservation Commitment: What commitment will students make to help the Earth? Address Final Questions

VIDEOS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

The Rocky Intertidal Zone: https://www.nps.gov/cabr/learn/nature/tidepools.htm Rocky Intertidal Ecosytems: http://oceanspaces.org/monitoring/ecosystems/rocky-intertidal-

ecosystems Intertidal Biome [Video]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u64ppKBY3cM Animal Adaptations [Video]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw7z8Fo5ijk Example Species Guides: https://www.nps.gov/cabr/learn/nature/field-guides.htm Cabrillo Field Notes: https://www.nps.gov/cabr/blogs/cabrillofieldnotes.htm Cabrillo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFgWF77neF6I6bLt-Z7LL-w

HANDOUTSSee below

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENTSCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

AFTER THE LESSON

GUIDED REFLECTION

From our data collection exercise, what might we say about biodiversity at Cabrillo National Monument? What does the data mean in an ecological context?

Would you design our study differently? If so, how and why? Why is it important for scientists to conduct studies like this?

ACTIVITYNow that you’ve gathered data in the Rocky Intertidal Zone, try gathering data from a nearby ecosystem like your yard! Lay the quadrat down and see what you can identify under each point – is there a lot of coverage (a lot of plants)? A little? Are there any animals under the points of your quadrats? What kinds? How much biodiversity did you survey?

There are many ways you can ‘adapt’ your lifestyle to promote sustainability and conservation – brainstorm these different ways and make a classroom or household commitment to help protect the Earth and track it over a given time period. Think about creating your own scientific study. We encourage creativity!

ADDITONAL RESOURCES

Cabrillo Field Notes: https://www.nps.gov/cabr/blogs/cabrillofieldnotes.htm Cabrillo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFgWF77neF6I6bLt-Z7LL-w Birch Aquarium: https://aquarium.ucsd.edu SD CoastKeeper: http://sdcoastkeeper.org The Living Coast Discovery Center: http://thelivingcoast.org

Connect with us on social media:Cabrillo National Monument @CabrilloNPS

Biologist Sam Wynns on Instagram @STEAMbossSammieThe If/Then Initiative @ifthenshecan