| ACTIVITIES |
- Begin by showing the video Let's Learn the Ocean Zones!
- Asking students to think about how the ocean’s surface waters differ from the waters that are thousands of feet deeper. Talk about the kids’ ideas and explain the differences between the sunlight, twilight, and midnight zones.
- Tell the kids that scientists are most familiar with the animals and plants that live in the sunlight zone, since these waters are close to the surface and relatively easy to study. But people know alot less about life in the deeper parts of the ocean. Scientists have traveled to these depths in submarine-like vehicles called submersibles. Although they aren’t very big, submersibles can withstand the intense pressure of the deep sea.
- Set out the 3 Zones of Light Sorting Mats. Read the Informational Photo Cards and have students sort them on the correct mat, then discuss.
- Tell the kids that they will be making a pull-through viewer that will give them an idea of what a scientist might see on a submersible dive to the bottom of the ocean.
- Pass out copies of the Pull-through strips. Have students color the 3 different zones. Color the Sunlight Zone to 300 feet LIGHT BLUE, the Twilight Zone to 3000 feet DARK BLUE, and the Midnight Zone to bottom BLACK.
- Have the kids insert the Pull-through strip into the Pull-through cover so that the top of the Sunlight Zone shows through the viewing port. Let the kids “descend” to the bottom a few times on their own. Point out that because some animals would be close to the submersible and others would be far away, some appear larger than others. Also be sure to point out that the depth scale isn’t in proportion for all three zones. (To show the diversity of life throughout the ocean, we gave all the zones equal room on the Pull-through.) But the Twilight and Midnight Zones are larger than the Sunlight Zone. You might also want to point out that the temperatures on the Pull-through are average temperatures. In the ocean, water temperatures may vary depending on the season and location.
- Using the information on the “Who’s Who in the Zones” sheet, have the kids color in the animals on the Pull-through according to the information. Then ask the kids if they can make generalizations about the characteristics of life in the different zones. (Animals in the Twilight and Midnight Zones are generally smaller than those in the Sunlight Zone, and many animals in the Twilight Zone are luminescent. Many animals in the Sunlight Zone have dark backs and light bellies. When viewed from above this countershading helps them blend in with the lighter waters above. Also explain that although all these animals live in the ocean, it’s unlikely that you’ll find all of them in the same place at the same time. It’s also unlikely you’d see so many animals in the same small area, since life is widespread in the open ocean, especially in the Twilight and Midnight Zones.)
To finish up this activity, have the kids add the “From Surface to Sea Floor” label to the Pull-through cover.
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