Ac vi es:

A. Beginning

1. Gree ngs

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

3. Reflec on: “In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments; there are consequences.” Robert Green Ingersoll

4. Prior to class, the teacher should select a few students’ food chains to highlight during the class. For the selected food chains, students will display and describe/explain them to their peers, either on their poster boards, or projected on the board (for those that may have been submi ed via email.) Those food chains that weren’t selected for highligh ng will be part of a classroom exhibit or photographed and posted in a class blog or website if they have one. The teacher should use this opportunity to review the elements of food chains, including trophic levels and the flow of energy between them, and other important food chain/food web concepts. Students should understand that the seagrass food chain is just one example of a food chain, and that plants are important primary producers. The teacher should use open-ended ques ons to help students reflect on and remember these concepts.

B. Development

1. The teacher will read the students the story Pepe Uca, To the Rescue!. While reading the story, students can use the masks found in the books to act out the tale. Students will be asked to pay par cular a en on to the behaviors and situa ons in the story that endanger seagrasses. Inform students that they will later be asked to iden fy and list these. During the characters’ journey, several threats to the ecosystem are highlighted. Students should pay special a en on to this since it impacts the next ac vity.

2. A er reading the story, the teacher will divide the students into sub-groups before handing them the Cause and Effect Diagram exercise sheet. If the technology is available, the students can make the diagram on the computer, using the interac ve pdf document included. In this diagram, students will write a cause for seagrasses being endangered in each bubble. Use the blue lines to write more details or to briefly explain the cause wri en in the bubble. Students can follow the example given in the diagram. The Causes can be categorized into two dis nct areas, which students must determine: natural causes, or anthropogenic (human-made) causes.

Threats to seagrasses:

Anthropogenic:

• Removing or destroying seagrasses.

• Boat traffic - When traveling in shallow water at high speeds, watercra propellors can fragment or tear seagrasses from the sediment.

• Incorrect anchoring – Watercra dropping their anchor among the seagrass meadows and damage or uproot them.

• Increased sedimenta on – Some land-based ac vi es can cause sediment discharge. This increases water turbidity, reducing the amount of sunlight able to reach the seagrasses, thereby reducing photosynthesis.

• Eutrophiza on – Fer lizers and pes cides from land-based ac vi es harm seagrasses because the excess nutrients cause uncontrolled algae growth, which overgrows the seagrasses, blocking sunlight and preven ng seagrass photosynthesis.

Natural:

• Storms and hurricanes – The surges caused by these weather phenomena can tear and destroy seagrasses.

• Climate change – These changes cause temperature and water salinity varia ons, adversely affec ng seagrasses.

3. A er students complete their diagrams, each sub-group will select a leader to present and explain the reasons they think these events threaten seagrasses. The teacher will then reiterate and further explain these threats, as needed.

C. Closing

1. To wrap up the class, students will complete an exercise in which they will iden fy methods to preserve and protect seagrasses. Considering the threats already studied, the students must now find alterna ve behaviors and prac ces to help protect seagrasses. To do this, the students must complete an interac ve exercise in which they observe several images on the computer and choose the ones they believe show an effec ve conserva on method. If there is no available computer, the teacher can hand out the ac vity sheet included in this guide and its accompanying CD-ROM.

2. A er choosing the images, the students will explain their reasons for choosing the images they selected, referencing what they learned in class about the various threats. This will serve to reinforce what they learned in class. Then they must talk amongst themselves about how they might help to preserve this important ecosystem through their individual or collec ve ac ons.

3. Address any remaining doubts or ques ons regarding the topic.

Homework:

1. Students will be asked to complete an interac ve crossword puzzle about the topic (on the computer). If computers are unavailable, paper copies of the crossword can be printed from the guide and accompanying CD-ROM.

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 complete their tasks, tutoring during office hours and all the necessary opportuni es, according to their par cular cases.

Oceanic Literacy: Essen al Principles and Fundamental Concepts

Principle 1: “The Earth has one big Ocean with many features.” g. The ocean is connected to major lakes, watersheds, and waterways because all major watersheds on Earth drain to the ocean. Rivers and streams transport nutrients, salts, sediments, and pollutants from watersheds to estuaries and to the ocean. h. Although the ocean is large, it is finite, and resources are limited.

Principle 6: “The ocean and humans are inextricably connected.” d. Humans affect the ocean in a variety of ways. Laws, regula ons, and resource management affect what is taken out and put into the ocean. Human development and ac vity leads to pollu on (point source, nonpoint source, and noise pollu on), changes to ocean chemistry (ocean acidifica on) and physical modifica ons (changes to beaches, shores and rivers). In addi on, humans have removed most of the large vertebrates from the ocean. 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). g. Everyone is responsible for caring for the ocean. The ocean sustains life on Earth and humans must live in ways that sustain the ocean. Individual and collec ve ac ons are needed to effec vely manage ocean resources for all.

.

Content standards and grade expecta ons

Biological sciences

Standard: Conserva on and change

Expecta ons and indicators:

Biological evolu on: unity and diversity

3.B.CB4.CC.2 Establishes an argument to solve a problem caused by environmental changes impac ng the plants and animals living in the area.

Standard: Subject structure and organiza on levels

Expecta ons and indicators:

Ecosystems: Interac ons, energy and dynamics

5.B.CB2.CC.1 Iden fies ways to promote the survival of organisms in their environment.

Earth and space sciences

Standard: Conserva on and change

Expecta ons and indicators:

Earth and human ac vity

K.T.CT3.CC.1 Analyzes the ways in which humans can reduce garbage and pollu on in their environment.

1.T.CT3.CC.1 Iden fies and explains the environmental conserva on prac ces (reduce, reuse and recycle) and the effects of pollu on on different natural resources (water, land and air).

1.T.CT3.CC.2 Evaluates how human ac vity has increased environmental pollu on and develops an ac on plan geared to their community.

2.T.CT3.CC.1 Recognizes the ways in which human beings pollute their community.

2.T.CT3.CC.2 Designs plans contribu ng to conserva on in their local community, with a focus on alterna ve methods to use natural resources.

Recognizes the consequences of the caused humans to both the environment and the therein.

3.T.CT3.CC.1 Recognizes the consequences of the damages caused by humans to both the environment and the organisms therein.

3.T.CT3.CC.2 Compares and contrasts the changes or damages caused to the planet by natural phenomena and human ac vi es.

3.T.CT3.CC.3 Develops a plan to reduce the effects and damages caused by humans to Earth’s systems.

3.T.CT3.CC.4 Develops a logical argument related to the natural resources and their use and conserva on.

4.T.CT3.CC.2 Designs alterna ve solu ons to human ac vity and their impacts on the environment, focusing on Puerto Rico’s ecosystem and environment.

5.T.CT3.CC.1 Obtains and analyzes informa on about the way in which communi es and individuals use scien fic ideas to protect natural resources and the environment.

Standard: Interac ons and energy

Expecta ons and indicators:

Earth and human ac vity

4.T.CT3.IE.4 Describes and iden fies environmental problems caused by humankind’s interac on with soil, bodies of water, and the general topography of the land (plains, mountains, mogotes, hills, valleys, canyons, ravines, basins, ridges, valleys).

Pepe Uca, To the rescue!

Authors: Delmis del C. Alicea Segarra and Jorge I. Casillas Maldonado Megalo’s verses: Cris na D. Olán Mar nez Collabora on: Cynthia Maldonado Arroyo Ilustrated by: Daniel Irizarri Oquendo English transla on by: Wilmarie Cruz Franceschi

Spring had come and gone, and it had been a long me since Pepe Uca had returned home to La Parguera. With his usual restless nature, he roamed around the mangrove roots and remembered all the fun he had with the young trunkfish, tarpons, lobsters, conchs and grunts that lived for a brief me within the mangrove roots. These animals had spent part of their juvenile life stage in the mangrove forest and, once they grew, migrated towards the seagrass meadows looking for food and shelter. It had been a year since they had le , and Pepe asked himself: I wonder how they’re doing. Did they get used to their new home? Do they have new friends? Have they seen any amazing things? Do they remember me? While all these thoughts circled in his mind, he heard a happy but anxious voice calling him— Pepe! Pepe!— It was Lulo, shou ng from a distance. He was here for a visit, and Pepe was very happy to see him, although Lulo looked dirty, scruffy and a li le disoriented. Pepe ran towards Lulo, gave him a big hug, and told him how happy he was to see him. Lulo stumbled and nearly fell. Pepe asked Lulo what had happened to him, why was he in such shabby condi on. —I was hitching a ride on our friend Boba, and when we were nearly here, Boba hit a branch and I fell. And I’ve had to come all the way here walking, all by myself!—Lulo cried.

A er this drama c tale, Pepe calmed Lulo down and they began walking and reminiscing about their adventures crossing Puerto Rico. They laughed about their experiences and yearned for those amazing adventures they shared. Before they realized it, they were walking on a dock on the edge of Pepe’s mangrove forest and heard other voices talking and laughing. Lulo, s ll upset about his violent arrival, ran away in terror, and hid behind one of the dock pylons. Pepe walked towards him and said: — Do not worry, Lulo, these are the fishermen who use this dock to go out to sea every day to look for food for their fellow humans. When they get back, they stay for a while and clean their catch.

While they hid, they overheard one of the fishermen ask the other:

— Did you hear? They are thinking of elimina ng a big part of the seagrass meadows in southeast Puerto Rico to make an ar ficial beach.

— But how? It they rip out the seagrass meadows, the fish and the animals there will not have a safe place to grow. There will not be any good fishing there, and some species could disappear. We have to stop this from happening! - replied the other fisherman.

When Pepe heard this, he started to get frightened for his friends who had played with him in the mangrove forest when they were young. They were all now living in the seagrass meadows. If this happened, his friends could lose their homes or even die.

— Oh no! That cannot be happening! - Lulo yelled.— This means we will not see our friends again. We need to warn them, so they can save themselves.—Pepe replied.

— Well, how are we supposed to do that? We cannot swim over there! It is much too far.— Lulo asked, looking worried.

Suddenly, they heard a strange noise in the water behind them, and Lulo started screaming — Mommyyyyy! What is that over there!?

— I don’t know, but we can find out. Calm - downal - ready! —Pepe said.

— NO, NO, NO, NO! We’d be er get out of here because they might want to eat us too! —Lulo yelled, nervously looking around.

“Easy, easy, easy! Peace, peace!

I will not hurt you.

In this green meadow, I have lived long.

You wish to know my name?

I will soon tell you

I am called Megalo stealthy tarpon of shallow seas, majes c fish of the seagrass.

Bluish green on top, silver on the sides

Megalo, Megalo, stealthy tarpon.”

What is up with this fish, talking so strange? — thought Lulo. Stepping back, he asked the fish: Are you sure we can trust you? You probably want to eat us.

“While I do eat crab, don’t be scared on today’s struggle we must all unite. I heard the fishermen talking about an ar ficial beach. We must be united This could be fatal to us.

We will be homeless there will be no family or joy. Protec ng our food and home should be top priority. Tell me, What should we do?

If you wish, I could take you. Sail the waters, I could help you Come with me and see your friends.”

Lulo looked at Pepe and asked him what should they do; would they trust this enormous fish who spoke in such a peculiar way? —Yes! Nothing ventured, nothing gained. We have to trust him, he’s the only one who can help us find our friends.

Pepe and Lulo climbed onto the fish. Megalo agreed to swim near the surface, so that the fiddler crabs could travel with most of their bodies out of the water. Lulo was scared, he was s ll suspicious and he was also afraid of dying out at sea. He s ll remembered his experience when Mulato rescued them. However, he tried to calm down and enjoy the trip.

Megalo began swimming slowly. It was summer me, and the waters were calm. They would have to travel to several places around Puerto Rico in order to find their friends. When they were close to the seagrass meadow, the water suddenly became agitated. There was a loud noise and Megalo had to swim almost all the way to the bo om to keep from being struck by a machine traveling at high speed. Lulo screamed: “Mommyyyyyy!!! We’ll drowned! Help us! Megalo tried to handle the situa on as best he could and managed to get back close to the surface quickly. Lulo shivered all over and Pepe tried to explain to himself what had just happened. A jet ski had drove through and torn up the seagrass below as it sped over it. Pepe saw several pieces of seagrass come lose, and the environment was being harmed. Pepe got sad and asked Megalo if this was something that occurred frequently.

“I see them all the me. You haven’t seen anything yet. The boat propellers and the heavy anchors hurt the meadows.

They leave us without food.

They destroy our home.”

While they got over their fright and talked about the situa on, Lulo observed a head pop out of the water and screamed: There’s a monster over there! Swim quickly, get away from it!

— Don’t be scared, I’m not a monster. The monster already le , and it nearly killed me. Those machines, driven by people who ignore the signs and go over the speed limit, can hit and hurt us. My name’s Lola, and I came to the surface to breathe. Where are you headed?

The fiddler crabs got closer and saw a friendly-looking green turtle.

— We’re looking for our friends in the seagrass meadows, to let them know that they need to protect themselves, since humans will destroy part of the meadow to make an ar ficial beach —said Pepe

— Who are your friends? I might be able to help —asked Lola. I roam the seagrass meadows frequently, since I feed on them. I love ea ng turtle grass, in par cular.

Pepe described his friends, in case Lola might be able to help: — there is Dorothea, a mischievous grunt, a snapper named Luja, and a trunkfish affec onately known as Chelo. Lola thought she’d seen them in a seagrass meadow just off the shores of Pa llas and offered to go with them. When they got closer to the seagrass meadow, they were stunned by what they saw. Pepe and Lulo had never been to the seagrass meadows and had no idea how many species lived there. The first thing they saw was an enormous manatee calmly ea ng manatee grass. Among the grasses, they also saw sea cucumbers, colorful sea stars, large sea urchins, pufferfish, clams, anemones, jacks and rays gliding gracefully through the water.

They were happy to just observe their surroundings, but Lulo sensed that something wasn’t right. He felt someone was looking at them. He could also hear a so sound behind them. He slowly turned his head and saw large, pointed fangs. Mommy! Mommy! Mommyyyyyy! Now we’re doomed! Nothing can save us now! —he screamed.

When he heard Lulo’s screaming, Pepe quickly turned to look and saw a barracuda stalking them. Megalo swam as fast as he could, and the barracuda lunged a er them. The crabs held on ght to Megalo, but were slipping. Lulo thought he wouldn’t be able to last long, since one of his legs hurt. Pepe tried to help him while Megalo kept up his fast pace. The barracuda was gaining on them and Megalo couldn’t keep up this speed for much longer. Then they saw a river delta up ahead. The river water mixing into the sea was murky, and Megalo thought he could lose the barracuda in there. When they got to the delta, the barracuda lost sight of them and began chasing a er other prey. Megalo slowed down and they all had a rest. They no ced that the seagrass in this murky area was in bad shape. They were sad-looking, sparse and pale, as though they might be dying. There were also very few animals. S ll, Lulo was glad to have found a place in which to hide.

As they crossed the area and the water became clearer, Lulo jumped and danced for joy, glad they had survived the ordeal. However, a group of green sea urchins spoke up: — Did you know that the murky water that saved you is destroying our home? The sediments pile up and won’t let the sun shine through, which means that the seagrass can’t produce their own food.—

Lulo was embarrassed and apologized for his celebra on, while Pepe added: —I hope humans realize this and manage their inland ac vi es be er.— Pepe also took this opportunity to ask for direc ons to the seagrass meadow near Pa llas, where his friends were.

When they got to the right place, they marveled at how healthy and wide it was. Animals began to gather, curious and wan ng to see the newly arrived visitors. Megalo no ced some friends of his and darted towards them. Caught off guard, Pepe and Lulo fell into the water. Lulo screamed again and fell to the bo om. Immediately, three big, fat fish got closer, and Pepe hugged Lulo ghtly and screamed: —AAAAAHHH!! Lulo was trembling, crying, and yelling: — Now these creatures will surely eat us!! Mommyyy!—

They closed their eyes in fear. When they opened their eyes, they saw they were again on Megalo’s back. Lulo screamed: — It’s a miracle!— One of the fish said: —What’s up with you? It’s me, Chelo, your friend from the mangrove forest.— Pepe, amazed, said: — Look how big you’ve go en! You look so different. And our others friends?—

— What, are you blind? - Chelo answered. —Hi! You didn’t recognize us! —the other fish exclaimed. A er happily gree ng each other, the crabs warned them about the destruc on the humans were planning, all in order to build an ar ficial beach. At that me, Giga, a conch who was accompanied by her young, told them:

— There are already humans trying to prevent that from happening. They do much to help us, like pu ng fish closures in place that let me grow up and have lots of young so that there will be fish in the future. There are also several governmental agencies, universi es and environmental groups that have stand up for us. I hope the rest of the humans unite and respect the closures, other environmental regula ons, and learn to respect and value our home just as it is.

Pepe and Lulo were happy because they had managed to find and spend me with their childhood friends and had warned them in me about the danger they were in. A er celebra ng their reunion, Megalo reminded the crabs that it was ge ng late. The sun was going down, and the sky was darkening. They had to return to their home. With tears of both happiness and sorrow in their eyes, they said goodbye to their friends, hoping to see them again.

University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus Sea Grant Program

–Carefully listen to the Pepe Uca, To the Rescue! story and write in each bubble the reasons seagrasses are in danger. Then, in the blank spaces, write some details about each reason you wrote in the bubbles. Follow the example provided. Remember you can also write causes not mentioned in the story.

Effect: Seagrasses are in danger.

Cause and effect diagram

UniversityofPuerto Rico

MayagüezCampus Sea GrantProgram

Seagrasses: Conservation methods

Name: Date:

Teacher: Grade-Group:

Instructions: Carefully observe each photograph and choose all that you feel are showing a conservation method. Then, discuss your choices with the teacher and the rest of the group.

University ofPuerto Rico

MayagüezCampus Sea GrantProgram

Seagrasses: A delicate ecosystem

Name: Date:

Teacher: Grade-Group:

Instructions: Seagrass meadowsare fragile ecosystems. This meansthat theyare easily damaged. Humans can destroy this ecosystem in several ways. Can you find any of the ways in which people harm seagrass meadows? Carefully read each statement and fill in the crossword puzzle. Use the word bank as a reference.

Word bank turbidity crabs nutrients gasoline oil scarring pollution plastic trash algae anchor metals lionfish sediments meadows marina boat sea ecosystem

Across

4. Too many _____________ can cause an algae bloom and harm seagrass meadows.

6. When people fail to use garbage cans, this can reach the ocean.

7. Boats can cause ___________ on seagrass meadowsif used irresponsibly.

8. Boats sometimes leak this substance, affecting seagrass meadows.

Down

1. When canals are made so that boats can pass, __________ are disturbed, which can impede light from reaching the seagrass.

2. This item found on many boats can become entangles in the seagrasses and shred them or tear them form the sediment.

3. This type of facility is often built in protected areas with low surf conditions, places in which seagrass likes to grow.

5. Farmers can increase water _____________ if they’re not careful when moving soil on their farms.