Ac vi es: A.

Beginning

1. Gree ngs

2. Administra ve business – roll call, etc. (performed internally)

3. Reflec on: “Nature does nothing superfluous, nothing useless and knows how to extract mul ple effects from a single cause.” Copernicus

4. To start, the class will review the necessary condi ons for seagrass development, and the topic of seagrass and its importance will be introduced. To do this, the teacher will play the I am the seagrass song included in the CD-ROM accompanying this guide. The students are encouraged to dance and sing along as they hear the song. While the song plays, students should also pay a en on to the condi ons needed for seagrass growth, and the importance of this ecosystem. When the song ends, the teacher will use open ques ons so that students can recall the necessary condi ons for seagrass development as means to review. Then, they will arrange an organigram on the board. At the center of the organigram, the teacher will write importance of seagrasses, and around it, students will write out these key aspects. They can write what they heard in the song, and any other factors they think belong. By doing this, they will explore what they know about the ecosystem’s importance. Another op on: The teacher can project on the board, the organigram included in this guide, and have the students write on the board in the spaces provided.

Notes:

• At this point, only write down what students think is important. These do not have to be explained or graded as right or wrong answers; this will be done over the course of the class.

• The classroom must be organized with the chairs in a circle, with a space in the center so the ac vi es can be op mally performed.

B. Development

1. Then, the teacher will ask the students to perform the Go hide! ac vity. This is a role-playing game. The detailed instruc ons can be found in the ac vity sheet, but here is a general breakdown.

First op on:

This game will be split in two parts:

First part: Some students will act like seagrasses. Other students will role-play the fish and animals hiding among the seagrasses. One student will perform the role of the predator. Then, the ones playing seagrasses will stand near one another and move all together, swaying back and forth without moving their feet. The students playing the fish will hide behind the seagrass, and the predator will a empt to flush out and ‘catch’ the fish. Students will analyze how easy it is for the predator to catch the prey.

Second part: The second me around, the students playing seagrass will be reduced to just a few, like 4 students or so. They will be widely spaced from one another. The number of students role-playing the fish and the predator will remain the same. Now, the ac vity resumes as before, with the grasses swaying and the predator a emp ng to flush out and catch the fish. As before, the students must analyze how easy it was for the predator to catch prey.

With this exercise, the students will note that when there’s abundant seagrass, the predator has a more difficult me catching prey. This is one of the facets that make seagrasses important. It provides a safe refuge for fish, mollusk and shellfish juveniles and larvae.

Second op on:

If the first op on for the game cannot be performed due to space constraints or any other reason, here’s an alterna ve version:

• Find two (2) cardboard boxes; shoe boxes would be great.

• In the first box, add many strips of card stock or construc on paper (simula ng the seagrasses). Then, add loose paper clips, which will simulate the small fish and larvae inhabi ng the ecosystem.

• In the second box, only add a few paper strips, while adding the same amount of loose paper clips.

The students will close their eyes and then a empt to pick paper clips out of the box. They should realize that it is difficult to find the paper clips in the box with a lot of paper strips, which will enable them to analyze the importance of seagrasses.

2. A er students have analyzed this par cular relevance, the teacher will project the slideshow presenta on about the seagrasses, par cularly focusing on the sec on tled Importance of seagrasses. Here, the teacher will discuss with the students these important facets, linking the topic with the previous ac vi es.

Importance of seagrasses:

 They serve as habitat, refuge, nursery and feeding grounds for many species.

 They protect species that are valuable to the fish and seafood industry, and thus provide food and economic stability for humankind.

 They prevent coastal erosion.

 This ecosystem is connected to the mangrove forests and the coral reefs. This helps stabilize the coastal environment.

 They are primary producers, perform photosynthesis and produce mass quan es of oxygen and organic ma er.

When talking about seagrasses as primary producers, it is important for the teacher to offer a brief summary of the elements comprising a food chain. Students should review concepts like producers, consumers, and decomposers. They can also recall that plants are primary producers and can obtain energy from the sun. This should only be a quick review of key subjects.

C. Closing

1. To conclude the class, the group will return to the organigram from earlier in the class and check that the important facets men oned at the beginning of class were correct. Students will also be asked to briefly explain these facets. By doing this, the class will review the subject under discussion and enforce what they learned.

2. Clear up any remaining doubts and ques ons regarding the topic.

Homework:

1. Students will be asked to complete a food chain, star ng with the primary producer, in this case, seagrass. They must use the knowledge they already have about the food chain to make up the seagrass food chain. They can create a digital food chain using programs like Word, PowerPoint, or websites like spiderscribe.net or lucidachart.com. These sites allow you to make diagrams using images you provide. The CD-ROM accompanying this guide includes images that can be used. You can also use the internet to find appropriate images.

If compu p ters are not the students can use illustra ons and them to a po p ster board or a of paper. Another op on is to draw the and link them in a food

If computers are not available, the students can use illustra ons and glue them to a poster board or a piece of paper. Another op on is to draw the organisms and link them in a food chain.

If the students use any type of computer program or websites, they can send the teacher their food chains through email; then the teacher will project them for the rest of the class.

If no technology is available, the students will bring in their food chains on poster boards or construc on paper.

Note: Neither the Sea Grant Program nor the University of Puerto Rico are affiliated to the programs or brands men oned here for illustra ve purposes.

Praxis reflec on:

The reflec on will be performed by the teacher at the end of class.

Reasonable accommoda on:

Reasonable accommoda on will be offered to all students who need it. Students with physical or cogni ve difficul es will be offered reasonable me in which to do their tasks, tutoring during office hours and all the necessary opportuni es, according to their par cular cases.

Ocean literacy: Essen al Principles and Fundamental Concepts

Principle 4: “The ocean made Earth habitable.” a. Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere originally came from the ac vi es of photosynthe c organisms in the ocean. This accumula on of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere was necessary for life to develop and be sustained on land.

Principle 5: “The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.” e. The ocean provides a vast living space with diverse and unique ecosystems from the surface through the water column and down to, and below, the seafloor. Most of the living space on Earth is in the ocean. i. Estuaries provide important and produc ve nursery areas for many marine and aqua c species.

Principle 6: “The ocean and humans are inextricably connected.” a. The ocean affects every human life. It supplies freshwater (most rain comes from the ocean) and nearly all Earth’s oxygen. The ocean moderates the Earth’s climate, influences our weather, and affects human health. b. The ocean provides foods, medicines, and mineral and energy resources. It supports jobs and na onal economies, serves as a highway for transporta on of goods and people, and plays a role in na onal security. c. The ocean is a source of inspira on, recrea on, rejuvena on, and discovery. It is also an important element in the heritage of many cultures. f. Much of the world’s popula on lives in coastal areas. Coastal regions are suscep ble to natural hazards (tsunamis, hurricanes, cyclones, sea level change, and storm surges).

Content standards and grade expecta ons

Biological sciences

Standard: Subject organiza on levels and structure

Expecta ons and indicators:

From molecules to organisms: structures and processes

K.B.CB1.IE.1 Dis nguishes between what is food what is not. Recognizes that food is the primary source of energy for living organisms. Iden fies the principal parts of a plant. Makes observa ons about the rela onships between plants, animals, and human beings.

Expecta ons and indicators:

Ecosystems: interac ons, energy and dynamics

5.B.CB2.EM.3 Develops a model to describe the subject’s movement between producers, consumers (plants and animals), decomposers and the environment; establishes the difference between them.

Standard: Interac ons and energy

Expecta ons and indicators:

Ecosystems: interac ons, energy, and dynamics

2.B.CB2.IE.3 Acknowledges food chains and describes plants’ roles in them.

Author:

Seagrass

David R. GonzálezBarreto

Adapted by: Jorge I. Casillas Maldonado, Delmis del C. Alicea SegarraandLeróMartínez Roldán

Interpreted by: LeróMartínez Roldán

Translated by: Wilmarie Cruz Franceschi

Chorus

Yo soy la hierba marina-I am the seagrass

Que cerca de la costa yace-Lying by the coast Poco oleaje me place-Smallwaves suit me Y un agua que sea cristalina–And so does clear water

Chorus

Me vienen a visitar-I receive daily visits

Las picúas y mant arrayas–From the stingrays and barracuda

Se vienen a deleitar-They come overand delight

En mi pradera de playa-In my beach meadow

Y se asoman por mi vera-I can also count on seeing

El carrucho y la langosta-The lobster and the conch

Los recibo con cariño-I receive them both with joy

Sumergida aquí en la costa-submerged here under the sea

Soy la pradera marina-I am the seagrass meadow

El suelo a mis raíces da anclaje-I anchor my roots in the soil

Aunque con trato salvaje-Although rough treatment hurts me

La basura a mí me arruina-And garbage suffocates me

En mis hojas se aposenta-My leaves offer shelter

El erizo y el pepino-The urchin and the sea cucumber

Yuna estrella de mar vino-And a seastar dropped by Porque aquí ella se alimenta-Because it finds food here

Yo soy la hierba marina-I am the seagrass Donde hay variedad de especies-where lots of different species live Unas visibles pa’que las aprecies-Some are plain to see Y unas pocas clandestinas-While others are harder to find

Yo doy vida doy calor-I offer life, I offer warmth

Soy la pradera marina-I am the seagrass meadow

Ven trátame con amor-Come treat me with love

Yo vivo si tú me cuidas-I will survive if you take care of me

Go Hide!

Seagrasses provide valuable habitat for many small fish and crustaceans. When seagrasses thrive, predators have a difficult time finding prey hiding in the grass. However, areas with little or no grass offer almost no hiding areas for animals.

Procedure

Use a role-playing game to represent the protection afforded to fish and crustaceansby seagrasses. To do this, you will need a clock or a stopwatch.

You will need to choose the following:

10 to15 students who will represent seagrass.

3 students who will represent prey (smaller students are best for this exercise)

1student who will represent the predator (the biggest student in class would be best)

The exercise consists of a sort of modified game of ‘Tag’ in which the predator will have to trap (tag) the three preyswithin 30 seconds in two different scenarios: with abundant seagrass or little to no seagrass. Move to an open spot in the classroom or inthe school yard, if possible. Designate the area in which the activity will take place; it should not be the whole yard. Start with no ‘seagrasses’ or just a few studentsplaying the seagrass roles. Send the prey to the designated area with little or no seagrass. The predator should be looking at another direction while the students take up their places. Once everyone is in place, start the clock. Whenever the predator tags a prey, the prey must leave the game. This will go on until the clock reaches 0 or all the prey are eliminated.

During the abundant seagrass scenario, the prey and the seagrass alike will take position in the designated area. Seagrasses cannot move their feet, but they can imitate the way a seagrass stem would move in the sea: they can move their arms and bodies and sway as if the water weremoving them. The prey will move around the grass and hide. The predator CANNOT push the seagrass. Follow the same instructions as in the previous scenario.At the end of the 30 second count, or when there are no more prey, the activity ends.

Discussion

After the activity, ask the students to discuss the fundamental difference between the two scenarios. In the abundant seagrass scenario, the predator should have had a tougher time tagging the prey, if any were in fact tagged. In the scenarios with little or no seagrass, it should have been much easier for the predator to tag the prey. This happens because seagrasses offer protection to organisms or hides them from predators.

Remember to emphasize organism interdependence and behavior.

Second option

Materials

Construction paper

80 paper clips

4 blindfolds

2 plastic or cardboard containers that are wider than they are deep

Procedure

Cut the construction paper in long strips to represent blades of seagrass. Place all the paper strips in one of the containers. Put half the paper clips in the container with the construction paper strips. Place several of the clips on the strips and scatter the rest on the container bottom. The other half of the clips should be placed in the container without paper strips. Choose 4 students to perform this activity. Use the blindfolds to cover the four students’ eyes. Assign two students per container. Each team will have 30 seconds to find clips in their containers (students can only attempt to collect the clips; they cannot feel around on the bottom to try to find the clips but must only pick out what they grab). All the clips found by the teams will be deposited beside the box. At the end of the 30 seconds, count the clips taken from each box.

Discussion

Once the activity is finished, ask them what the fundamental difference between the two containers was. Make the connection between the paper strips and seagrasses. The team with the “seagrasses” (paper strips) usually finds fewer paper clips than the team with no seagrasses. This happens because seagrasses offer protection to organisms or hides them from predators.

Remember to emphasize organism interdependence and behavior.

Activity taken and adapted from the following address: http://www1.coseecoastaltrends.net/modulepopup/seagrass/predator_prey_interaction/

Ac vity taken and adapted from the following address: h p://www1.coseecoastaltrends.net/modulepopup/seagrass/predator_prey_interac on/

Date:

University of Puerto Rico

MayagüezCampus Sea GrantProgram

Grade-Group: ________________________

Seagrasses FoodChain

Name:

Teacher: _____________________________

Instructions: Carefully observe the following diagram and use what you learned in class to build a seagrass foodchain. Draw the elements of this foodchain in the boxes provided and write the name for each element in the space below.

Time: 1 period or several (the teacher will determine this according to their grade and group)

Teaching strategy: ECA

Phases: conceptualiza on

Teaching methods: Demonstra ve, exposi onal, inquisi ve, ac on or ac vity

Teaching techniques: review, discussion, conference, homework

Assessment technique: Cause and effect diagram, interac ve exercise, crossword puzzle, food chain diagram, open ques ons

Integra on with other subjects: Biology, Ecology

Materials:

• Seagrass meadows - Teacher’s Guide

• CD-ROM included in the Teacher’s Guide

• Presenta on – Seagrass meadows

• Story: A Special Mission

• Cause and effect diagram sheet

• Interac ve exercise sheet (the anima on and the sheet are included in the CD-ROM)

• Crossword puzzle (interac ve in the CD-ROM as well as on paper)

Taxonomy type: N. Webb (2005)

Depth of knowledge levels:

Level I: Memory thinking

Level II: Processing thinking

Level III: Strategic thinking

Level IV: Extended thinking

Unit: Marine ecosystems

Threats and conserva on methods

Objec ves:

A er studying the Threats and conserva on methods theme, the students will be able to:

• remember the basic elements in the food chain, using as an example the seagrass’s food chain. (conceptual)

• iden fy the threats to seagrasses. (procedural)

• explain the threats to these ecosystems. (conceptual)

• analyze seagrass conserva on methods. (conceptual)

• iden fy these conserva on methods. (procedural)

• become aware of the importance of collabora ng in the conserva on, care, and protec on of the seagrass ecosystem. (a tudinal)