Lessons and Standards

9th Grade Summary 

Students begin their journey into marine science by learning the fundamentals of animal classification. Through observation and hands-on investigation, they’ll categorize animals into major phyla based on distinguishing characteristics. Highlights include:

  • Exploring diverse marine life in the exhibits at Birch Aquarium,  including fish, invertebrates, blue penguins, sharks, rays, and seahorses
  • Analyzing animal adaptations through our engaging Blind Box challenge
  • Observing and identifying adaptations in animals

During Make a Difference Day at our Living Lab, students dive deeper into marine biology through three interactive rotations focused on different ocean zones:

  • Deep Sea Station: Dissect a squid to identify anatomical parts and examine the remarkable adaptations that enable survival in the deep ocean
  • Open Ocean Station: Create fish prints while labeling anatomical features that help fish thrive in open water environments
  • Intertidal Zone Station: Touch and examine live invertebrates to understand how these animals adapt to constantly changing conditions

The program concludes with a meaningful reflection activity where students consolidate their learning by creating postcards for incoming 3rd graders, passing along their newfound knowledge to inspire the next group of young marine scientists.

NGSS Alignment:

Performance Expectations

  • HS-LS4-1: Communicate scientific information that common ancestry and biological evolution are supported by multiple lines of empirical evidence.

Crosscutting Concepts

  • Patterns: Identifying patterns in animal characteristics for classification.
  • Structure & Function: Connecting anatomical features to survival functions.
  • Unity & Diversity: Recognizing both shared traits and unique adaptations.
  • Systems and System Models – students understand that a system is a group of related parts that make up a whole.

Schedules

 

Additional Resources