hawaii’s freshwater animals – species report summary · hawaii’s freshwater animals –...

Partnerships for Reform through Investigative Science and Math

Hawaii’s Freshwater Animals – Species Report 1

Concepts Ecosystems contain a diverse mix of species that interact with each other. HCPS III Benchmarks 7.2.1 7.3.2 7.5.4 Duration Week 1: 55 minutes Week 2: 55 minutes Source Material PRISM

Hawaii’s Freshwater Animals – Species Report Summary Students will work in pairs to produce a one-page report on a single aquatic species. This report must include 5 major components; species description, species behavior, place in food chain, life cycle and adaptations for survival. Each group will then give a short presentation to the class. Students will be required to take notes on the other presentations and will use these notes in future activities. Objectives

• Students will be able to conduct independent research. • Students will be able write and present a detailed scientific

report.

Materials Student access to computers (ideally 1 per student) Species Report Guidelines worksheet (1 per student) Species Summary Handout (1 per student) Making Connections This activity follows the Habitat Lab where the students were introduced to a dozen common aquatic species. Here, they will learn in detail about one species and hear (and take notes on) presentations about the others. In the next lab, the students will use these notes and other resources to make a dichotomous key of these animals. These reports will also specifically address key issues such as food webs, life cycles, and adaptations, which will be revisited later in the curriculum. Teacher Prep for Activity Week 1: Research Ensure student access to computers during the research period. Double check that the websites mentioned in the Species Report Guidelines worksheet are working and easily accessible. Print out one Species Report Guidelines worksheet per student. Print out and cut up sufficient copies of the Species List so that species names can be pulled out of a hat (1 per student). Week 2: Presentations Print out copies of the Species Summaries handout (1 per student). Background In this lab students learn about some common freshwater animals while practicing the important scientific skills of researching

Hawaii’s Freshwater Ecosystems



the scientific literature, writing scientific reports, and presenting their findings to their peers. Procedure Week 1: Research 1) Pass out Species Report Guidelines worksheet and briefly introduce the assignment and

discuss the expectations (1 page research paper, short presentation to the class). A point that may need clarifying is that students may work together to research the organisms but everyone must turn in their own report. Presentations will be done by species rather than by individual student but each student must contribute equally to the required topics (description, habitat, etc.).

2) Assign species to each student or have them pick from a hat. Make sure that students are aware that each species may have a scientific, common, and Hawaiian name.

3) Turn them loose in a computer lab or library to research their assigned species. This can be done effectively for all species through a simple web search of the scientific, common, or Hawaiian name. However, several websites are particularly good, including Bishop Museum Waipio Stream Restoration Study: “Meet the Critters” (http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/waipio/ critters.html) and Hamakua Marsh (http://hamakuamarsh.com/wetlandlife.htm). In general, relevant print resources are hard to find and ungainly in most classroom settings. However, there is a good, easy to read, and colorful book entitled “Hawaii’s Native and Exotic Freshwater Animals” by Mike N. Yamamoto and Annette W. Tagawa.

Week 2: Presentations 1) Pass out a Species Summaries handout to each student. Mention that they will be using their

own notes in later assignments. 2) Begin class presentations. As there are likely several students per species, have them come up

together to present and split the 6 topics to be discussed between the students. Assessments 1 page written report Short presentation (5 mins or less)



Species Report Guidelines Worksheet Name: Date: You will be given an organism that can be found in the fresh and brackish waters of Hawaii. Your job is to research everything you can about that organism and then to summarize this information in a short report (1 page) and a short presentation to the class (less than 5 minutes). You can work with other students to research this organism, but you must write the report yourself. Use the back of this page to take notes on your organism and be sure to research and discuss the following topics.

1) Description: What is this species and what does it look like? Is this species endemic, indigenous, or invasive?

2) Habitat: Where on the island can this species be found and in what type of

habitat? 3) Behavior: How does this organism behave? Does it swim, crawl, fly…? How

does it feed? Where in the habitat can it be found?

4) Food web: What does it eat? What eats it?

5) Life Cycle: What is the life cycle of this species? 6) Adaptations: Does this species have any special adaptations to deal with the

stresses of its environment (floods, waterfalls, drought…)? Organism: Hawaiian Name: _____________________________ Common Name: _____________________________ Scientific Name: _____________________________ Resources: To find this information you will have to search the web using the Hawaiian, common, and/or scientific name of your organism. Some places to start are: Bishop Museum – Waipio Stream Restoration Study – “Meet the Critters” http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/waipio/critters.html Hamakua Marsh http://hamakuamarsh.com/wetlandlife.htm



1) Description: What is this species and what does it look like? Is this species endemic, indigenous, or invasive?

2) Habitat: Where on the island can this species be found and in what type of

habitat? 3) Behavior: How does this organism behave? Does it swim, crawl, fly…? How does it

feed? Where in it’s habitat can it be found (under rocks, in slow pools, etc)? 4) Food web: What does it eat? What eats it? 5) Life Cycle: What is the life cycle of this species?

6) Adaptations: Does this species have any special adaptations to deal with the

stresses of its environment (floods, waterfalls, drought…)?



Species List Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name Fish O’opu akupa Sleeper Fish Eleotris sandwicensis Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name Fish O’opu nopili Stimpson’s Goby Sicyopterus stimpsoni Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name Insect (Aquatic Larvae) Pinao‘ula Hawaiian Damselfly Megalagrion (25 species) Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name Insect (Aquatic Larvae) Pinao Giant Hawaiian Darner Anax strenuus (Dragonfly) Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name Crustacean (Shrimp) ‘Opae kala‘ole Mountain Prawn Atyoida bisculata Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name Crustacean (Shrimp) ‘Opae’ula Halocaridina rubra Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name Mollusk (Snail) Hihiwai Neritina granosa

Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name____ Mollusk (Snail) Apple Snail Pomacea canaliculata

Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name____ Fish Tilapia Oreochromis or

Sarotherodon Type of Organism Hawaiian Name Common Name Scientific name____ Fish Guppy Poecilia reticulata



Species Summaries Name: Date: Period: While you were busy researching and becoming an expert on the species that you wrote your report on, your classmates were doing the same with other freshwater species found in Hawaii. As they give their presentations, take notes on each organism. Be specific as you will be using your own notes for later assignments. Species Name: ___________________________ Description: Habitat: Behavior: Food Web: Life Cycle: Adaptations:



Species Name: ___________________________ Description: Habitat: Behavior: Food Web: Life Cycle: Adaptations: Species Name: ___________________________ Description: Habitat: Behavior: Food Web: Life Cycle: Adaptations:

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