Deep-sea anglerfish (Bufoceratias wedli) Photo by Larry Madin © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea April 5, 2014 to November 9, 2014

The Bruce Museum Education Department develops Educator’s Guides to provide detailed information on field trip planning, alignment with national, state, and local standards, as well as suggested hands-on classroom activities to do

before, during, and after your visit to the Museum.

The Bruce Museum Education Department Presents: Educator’s Guide

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Educator’s Notes

This educator’s guide is separated into the following parts:

Quick Deep-Sea Facts

Pre-Visit Activity

Overview of Educational Program

Focus on Deep-Sea Animals

Learning Objectives

Post-Visit Activity

Alignment with National, State, and Local Standards

Resources and References

How to Schedule Your Museum Visit

Education Department Staff List

Explore the vast and extraordinary deep sea and learn about the extreme biological and physical

factors that make this ecosystem unique. This exhibition focuses on both the highly adapted survival

strategies utilized by creatures of the deep and the technology that enables researchers to record

ground-breaking observations of what is often called the last frontier on this planet.

Consider the Bruce Museum an annex to your classroom. Our collections and inquiry-based STEAM

programs are the perfect way to complement and enrich your day-to-day practice. The hands-on

interaction of “touching” objects and “exploring” collections can enhance a student’s understanding

of scientific phenomena and artistic creation while also allowing them to make important

connections between the sciences and humanities. Our workshops are thematic and designed to give

children maximum exposure to both scientific and artistic concepts and processes.

A visit to Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea is an exciting way to invite students into an

interdisciplinary study of biology, ecology, taxonomy and classification, food chains and webs,

engineering, and technology applications.

For school program information, contact Peter Linderoth, Manager of School and Community

Partnerships, at plinderoth@brucemuseum.org or (203) 413-6742.

For reservations contact Amanda Skehan, Interpretive Services and Audience Engagement at askehan@brucemuseum.org or (203) 413-6740.

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Quick Deep-Sea Facts

We have explored about five percent of Earth’s ocean. “What does that mean?” “Who cares?” “What difference does it make?” “So what?” (NOAA.gov)

“We know more about the surface of the Moon and about Mars than we do about the deep-sea floor....” (Paul Snelgrove)

What is the Deep Sea? Oceans cover approximately 75% of the Earth’s surface and the deep sea starts where sun’s light penetrating into the oceans starts to fade. This phenomenon begins in the mesopelagic zone, also known as the twilight zone, between 650 – 3,300 feet under the ocean surface, and continues to the base of the deep-sea trenches that reach depths of 36,000 feet.

Deep-Sea Zonation Credit: NOAA

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Pre-Visit Activity

Before a visit to Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea, students can identify adaptations that animals have to survive in their respective habitats. It is useful to introduce “typical” marine animal adaptations and then discover deep-sea animal adaptations in Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea. This activity is an excerpt from a lesson plan from National Geographic Education, which can be found at: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/animal-adaptations-ocean/?ar_a=1 1. Introduce or review the concept of adaptations. Write the word adaptation on the board. Ask students to define this word as it relates to animals. Ask:

Why do animals have special adaptations to their habitats? What examples of animal adaptation can you think of near where you live? What types of adaptations in marine animals have you previously learned about?

Encourage students to think about adaptations in marine animals related to obtaining food, providing camouflage or safety from predators, or dealing with changes in temperature, salinity, pressure, lack of sunlight, and need for oxygen. 2. Have students identify animal adaptations in a National Geographic photo gallery. Show students the photo gallery (http://bit.ly/1pfaSYB) and have them take turns reading aloud the captions as the class looks at each photo. Ask students to identify information about adaptations in each caption. For those captions that do not include adaptation information, challenge students to find visual evidence of adaptation. For example, needlefish travel in schools to protect themselves from predators; their color and size help them blend into their surroundings. Portuguese man-of-wars have air bladders that allow them to float on or near the surface of the ocean. These communal organisms use their air bladders like sails, allowing wind to move them through the water. The green sea turtle’s shell protects it from predators. 3. Have students make predictions about ocean habitats. Ask students to predict how different ocean habitats might affect the animal adaptations seen there. Ask: How different is life at the surface of the ocean from life at the bottom? What types of adaptations might marine animals need to have near the surface versus near

the bottom?

Writer Naomi Friedman, M.A. Political Science Editor Christina Riska, National Geographic Society Expert Reviewer Julie Brown, National Geographic Society

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Overview of Educational Program

During a tour of Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea, docents will guide students through the

following discussions and activities (note: content tailored to grade level):

Review the conditions that make the deep sea a challenging and unique environment

Compare and contrast the deep-sea animal examples in the exhibition and the live animals

from the Museum’s marine tank in order to learn about deep-sea animal adaptations, food

webs, vertebrates & invertebrates, and predator & prey relationships

Understand symbiotic relationships found in the deep-sea environment

Differentiate between two autotrophic pathways: photosynthesis and chemosynthesis

Discover the biodiversity found on the New England Seamounts

Identify the technologies and equipment scientists employ to explore the deep sea

Sea butterfly (Thecosomata) Photo by Larry Madin © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

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Focus on Deep-Sea Animals What is that? How does it live down there?

Physical conditions in the deep sea are cold (averaging 38oF), low in dissolved oxygen, experience tremendous

pressures, and for the most part lack the sun’s light. Amazingly, animals are able to exist in these harsh

conditions.

A deep-sea coral (Candidella imbricate) with commensal brittle star

(Ophioplinthaca abyssalis) Credit: Deep Atlantic Stepping Stones Science

Team/URI/OER-NOAA

Vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis)

Credit: © 2004 MBARI

When disturbed, the vampire squid will

encase its body with its arms, exposing

rows of spiny projections. The squid can

also make a round shape with its arms,

likely to encapsulate food.

Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea

Dumbo Octopus (Cf. Grimpoteuthis)

Credit: © 1999 MBARI

Named for the “ears” that resemble Walt

Disney’s Dumbo, the “ears” attached to the

mantle of this cephalopod are fins, used to

effortlessly keep the squid steady in the

water column while it searches for prey.

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Common fangtooth (Anoplogaster cornuta)

Credit: © 2004 MBARI

Yes, size matters in the animal kingdom. The

common fangtooth relies on a formidable

set of fanglike teeth and rapid movements

to catch its prey. Relative to its body size of

six inches, this fish has the largest teeth of

any marine species.

Bloodbelly comb jelly (Lampocteis

cruentiventer)

Credit: © 2002 MBARI

Truly one of the more extraterrestrial-looking

animals of the deep ocean, the bloodbelly

comb jelly is a wonderful example of the

beauty and mystique that surrounds many

deep-sea creatures. Small cilia, hair-like

structures which bend and spread light, run

down the length of this jelly. This diffraction

of light makes the animal appear

bioluminescent. However, the lights are not a

result of true bioluminescence and would not

be observed without the presence of artificial

light.

The red color of this jelly is in essence

invisible in the deep sea. This is a critical

adaptation when considering that its prey

glows. The red coloring conceals the

bioluminescent prey in its stomach and keeps

the jelly from glowing like a flashlight, which

could give its location away to potential

predators.

Image: Gulper eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides)

Credit: © 2010 MBARI

The gulper eel has a jaw that can unhinge

producing a gaping mouth. This adaptation is

important in an ecosystem with limited food

availability. The fish can stay suspended in the

water with its mouth wide open waiting for passing

prey to venture too close; then, snap!

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Learning Objectives

After a visit to Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea, students will be able to:

Describe the adaptations, such as bioluminescence, that allow deep-sea animals to survive in

their environment

Explain deep-sea food webs in ecosystems such as the hydrothermal vent

Define symbiosis and distinguish between different types of symbiotic relationships

Differentiate between vertebrates and invertebrates and give examples of vertebrates and

invertebrates that live in the deep sea

Review the predator-prey relationship and identify different examples of the predator-prey

relationship in the deep sea

Understand the differences between photosynthesis and chemosynthesis

Summarize the various technologies scientists have developed to explore the deep sea

Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea

Hydrothermal Vent Display featured in Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea

Photo by Bruce Museum

This display depicts a black smoker from the Galapagos Rift, Pacific Ocean (0oN, 85oW) at a depth of

8,000 feet. Black smokers are a specific variety of hydrothermal vent, named for the black, mineral-

rich water they erupt. Water pushed through the vents of this system can reach temperatures as high

as 750o Fahrenheit! The heated water cools rapidly as it comes in contact with the frigid deep-sea

water and quickly drops metals and chemicals in solution. Bacteria that convert vent chemicals such

as hydrogen sulfide into energy are called chemosynthetic bacteria. These bacteria are the key to a

functioning food web. Life could not survive long around this extreme habitat without the vents

erupting chemicals.

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Post-Visit Activity

After a visit to Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea, students can compare and contrast the deep

sea with another extreme environment, outer space. This activity is based on a lesson plan from

National Geographic Education, which can be found in its entirety at

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/exploring-extremes/?ar_a=1.

1. Introduce the video clips by explaining that students will see an astronaut (Mike Mullane) and

a deep-ocean explorer (James Cameron) describe what it is like to enter extreme

environments. Show the following videos "Descending into the Depths" and “Former

Astronaut Mike Mullane Describes His Countdown to Teamwork,” which can be found on the

following website: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/exploring-

extremes/?ar_a=1.

2. After viewing the videos, project a T-chart or Venn-diagram or draw one on the board. Label

one area “Deep Ocean” and the other “Space.” Discuss as a class how the experiences of the

two individuals in the videos were similar and different. Model how to use a T-chart or Venn-

diagram by noting students’ responses in the appropriate spaces as you compare and contrast

the experiences.

3. Afterwards, break the students into small groups and assign each group an outer space

exploration topic for them to research. Suggested topics include:

Exploration technology and equipment used by astronauts

Characteristics of the outer space environment

Effect of outer space on human bodies

History of space exploration

4. Utilizing their previous knowledge of the deep sea and newly discovered information about

outer space, students should then create a T-chart or Venn-diagram outlining the similarities

and differences between their topic in the deep sea and outer space. For example, students

who researched the technology and equipment used by astronauts should compare these

items with the equipment used by deep-sea explorers.

5. Conclude the activity by having each group share their comparisons with the rest of the class.

Ask each group to share what they were surprised to learn about outer space in comparison

to the deep sea.

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Writer

JASON Learning

Editors

Elaine Larson, National Geographic Society

Samantha Zuhlke, National Geographic Society

Copyeditor

JASON Learning

Factchecker

Educator Reviewer

Thomas Egan, Maine South High School, Park Ridge, Illinois

Expert Reviewers

Sandy Van Natta, Miami University-Hamilton, Education

Dwight Portman, Miami University-Middletown, Physics

Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, Apollo 17 mission

commander, makes a short checkout of the Lunar

Roving Vehicle during the early part of the first

Apollo 17 extravehicular activity (EVA-1) at the

Taurus-Littrow landing site.

Credit: NASA

Jefferson Grau, HOV Alvin pilot in training, on a

dive (looking out from Alvin view port)

Credit: © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

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Alignment with National, State, & Local Science Standards

The complete Next Generation Science Standards with the full text for all grade levels and subjects

can be found at: http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards.

- ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions (4)

- ESS3.A: Natural Resources (K)

- LS1.A: Structure and Function (1, 4)

- LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms (1,3)

- LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms (K, 5, MS)

- LS1.D: Information Processing (1)

- LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (5, MS, HS)

- LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems (5, MS)

- LS2.D: Social Interactions and Group Behavior (3)

- LS3.B: Variation of Traits (3)

- LS4.C: Adaptation (3, MS, HS)

- LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans (2, 3)

The complete State of Connecticut Core Science Curriculum Framework with the text for grades K-8

can be found at:

http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/science/pk8_science_curriculumstandards201

1.pdf

- PK.2 — Many different kinds of living things inhabit the earth.

- K.2 — Many different kinds of living things inhabit the earth.

- 1.2 — Living things have different structures and behaviors that allow them to meet their

basic needs.

- 3.2 — Organisms can survive and reproduce only in environments that meet their basic needs.

- 4.2 — All organisms depend on the living and nonliving features of the environment for

survival.

- 5.2 – Perceiving and responding to information about the environment is critical to the

survival of organisms.

- 6.2 — An ecosystem is composed of all the populations that are living in a certain space and

the physical factors with which they interact.

- 8.2—Reproduction is a characteristic of living systems and it is essential for the continuation

of every species.

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The complete New York State Elementary Science Core Curriculum with the text for grades K-4 can

be found at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/elecoresci.pdf

- Standard 4: The Living Environment

o Key Idea 1: Living things are both similar to and different from each other and from

nonliving things.

Performance Indicator 1.2: Describe the life processes common to all living

things.

o Key Idea 3: Individual organisms and species change over time.

Performance Indicator 3.1: Describe how the structures of plants and animals

complement the environment of the plant or animal.

o Key Idea 4: The continuity of life is sustained through reproduction and development.

o Key Idea 5: Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.

Performance Indicator 5.1: Describe basic life functions of common living

specimens (e.g., guppies, mealworms, gerbils).

Performance Indicator 5.2: Describe some survival behaviors of common living

specimens.

o Key Idea 6: Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment.

Performance Indicator 6.1: Describe how plants and animals, including humans,

depend upon each other and the nonliving environment.

Performance Indicator 6.2: Describe the relationship of the Sun as an energy

source for living and nonliving cycles.

The complete Greenwich Public School Science curriculum with the text and for grades K-8 and

subjects can be found at: http://www.greenwichschools.org/page.cfm?p=828

- K.2- Zoology

- 1.2- Survival

- 3.2- Plant and Animal Adaptations

- 4.2- Ecosystems

- 6.2- Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

- 7.3- Energy in Earth’s Systems

Deep sea coral (Paragorgia sp.) and sea stars

Alvin Dive 3806 © Woods Hole Oceanographic

Institution

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Resources and References

Resources for Educators:

Claire Nouvian’s book The Deep: Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss includes over 200 color

photos of deep-sea creatures.

National Geographic Education has a number of activities and lesson plans related to the deep

sea, including:

- Bioluminescence: Living Light:

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/bioluminescence-living-

light/?ar_a=1

- Deep Sea Decisions: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/deep-sea-

decisions/?ar_a=1

- Deep Sea Ecosystems: Extreme Living:

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/deep-sea-ecosystems-extreme-

living/?ar_a=1

- Resources in the Deep Sea:

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/resources-in-the-deep-

sea/?ar_a=1

Visit this page from NOAA and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History on Deep-Sea

Corals: http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-news/deep-sea-corals-noaa-education-plans-activities

The NOAA Explorer Program has various activities, many of which are appropriate for the 6 – 12

grade range: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/welcome.html

- Chemosynthesis vs Photosynthesis project: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02fire/background/education/media/ring_ca

ndy_chemo_9_12.pdf

- Biological survey data use - New England Seamount Biodiversity:

http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03mountains/background/education/media/

mts_difference.pdf

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute’s website provides information, news, and resources

related to different aspects of the ocean, including:

- Hydrothermal Vents: http://www.whoi.edu/main/topic/hydrothermal-vents

- Life at Vents & Seeps: http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=83517

- Underwater Vehicles: http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=83502

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Resources for Students:

Books

A Day in the Deep by Kevin Kurtz

Deep-Sea Anglerfish and Other Fearsome Fish

(Creatures of the Deep) by Rachel Lynette

Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins

Journey into the Deep: Discovering New Ocean Creatures by Rebecca L. Johnson

Audio/Visual

The Blue Planet, The Deep. BBC

Planet Earth, Ocean Deep. BBC

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

- http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=49462

- http://www.whoi.edu/home/interactive/alvin/

There is a wealth of information on this link so be sure to explore thoroughly!

Milestone Section, 1977, features audio of scientists aboard Alvin as they discover the hydrothermal vent ecosystem for the first time

Field Section, Exploring the Seafloor, is an exploration of the life found around a hydrothermal vent

Vehicle Tour Section lets you explore the interior and exterior components of Alvin

Deep-Sea Research Institutions

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: http://www.whoi.edu/

Monterrey Bay Aquarium Research Institute: http://www.mbari.org/

UConn Avery Point: http://www.uconn.edu/avery-point-campus.php

Mystic Aquarium: http://www.mysticaquarium.org/ife

University of Rhode Island: http://web.uri.edu/maf/

Scripps Institution of Oceanography: https://scripps.ucsd.edu/research-keywords/deep-sea

California Academy of Sciences: http://www.calacademy.org/

Cranchia scabra Credit: © 2007 MBARI

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How to Schedule a Museum Visit

Adult and school groups of 8 or more require advance reservations and are subject to a

special group fee.

Museum-Based School programs are available Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

After-School Museum-Based programs are available Tuesday through Friday, last one hour, and start no later than 4:00 pm.

The Bruce Museum is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Call Bruce Museum Interpretive Services and Audience Engagement Assistant, Amanda Skehan, at (203) 413-6744. You may leave a voicemail message at this number at any time.

Fees A confirmation/invoice will be e-mailed four weeks prior to the program. Pre-payment is preferred, however, Museum programs may be paid on day of visit. Payment is by cash or check, payable to Bruce Museum, Inc. Museum-Based School Programs: $45 per program for each class. Adult tour groups: $6 per person with a minimum fee of $54.

Scholarships Thanks to the generosity of our corporate members and sponsors, scholarships are available under special circumstances. Please contact the Museum for more information.

Cancellations There is a $15 charge if cancellation is less than two weeks in advance of the scheduled program.

No Eating Facilities are available at the Museum In case of bad weather, classes will be permitted to eat in the Education Workshop if they reserve the room in advance.

Class Size In order to maintain quality education, classes are limited to 25 students. Pre-school class size is limited to 20 students.

Supervision: REQUIRED for all programs Museum visit: 1 adult for every 5 children, to accompany the children at all times. Self-guided tours: If you would like your class to tour the rest of the Museum before or after the scheduled program, you must tell us when you make your reservation to avoid conflict with other groups. Nametags: Help to personalize program and enhance student behavior.

Conduct In order to enhance everyone's enjoyment of the Museum, please go over these rules with your students in advance:

o Please do not run in the Museum o Please talk in quiet voices o Please do not touch paintings or objects

Special requests or curriculum needs All of the programs are flexible and can be adapted to audiences with special needs or to your curriculum objectives. Please discuss with the Museum Education staff in advance.

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Education Department Staff List

Julie Harrington

Manager of Youth and Family Programs (203) 413-6744

jharrington@brucemuseum.org

Kathleen Holko Manager of School and Tour Services

(203) 413-6741 kholko@brucemuseum.org

Mary Ann Lendenmann

Manager of Volunteers and New Media Developer (203) 413-6746

mlendenmann@brucemuseum.org

Peter Linderoth Manager of School and Community Partnerships

(203) 413-6742 plinderoth@brucemuseum.org

Amanda Skehan

Interpretive Services and Audience Engagement Assistant (203) 413 - 6744

askehan@brucemuseum.org

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