The Bruce Museum Education Department Presents:
Educator’s Guide
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.
Educator’s Notes
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
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 [email protected] or (203) 413-6742.
Into the Deep Sea
For reservations contact Amanda Skehan, Interpretive Services and Audience Engagement
at [email protected] or (203) 413-6740.
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Quick Deep-Sea Facts
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
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.
Into the Deep Sea
Deep-Sea Zonation Credit: NOAA
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Pre-Visit Activity
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
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:
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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
Into the Deep Sea
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Overview of Educational Program
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
Sea butterfly (Thecosomata) Photo by Larry Madin © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Into the Deep Sea
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
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Focus on Deep-Sea Animals
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
What is that? How does it live down there?
Vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis)
Credit: © 2004 MBARI
Dumbo Octopus (Cf. Grimpoteuthis)
Credit: © 1999 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.
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.
A deep-sea coral (Candidella imbricate) with commensal brittle star
(Ophioplinthaca abyssalis) Credit: Deep Atlantic Stepping Stones Science
Team/URI/OER-NOAA
Into the Deep Sea
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.
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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.
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!
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.
Into the Deep Sea
Common fangtooth (Anoplogaster cornuta)
Credit: © 2004 MBARI
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Learning Objectives
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
After a visit to Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea, students will be able to:
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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
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, mineralrich 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.
Into the Deep Sea
Hydrothermal Vent Display featured in Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea
Photo by Bruce Museum
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Post-Visit Activity
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
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/exploringextremes/?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 Venndiagram 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
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.
Into the Deep Sea
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.
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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
Into the Deep Sea
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
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
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.
Into the Deep Sea
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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.
Deep sea coral (Paragorgia sp.) and sea stars
Alvin Dive 3806 © Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution
Into the Deep Sea
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
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Resources and References
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Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
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:
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Bioluminescence: Living Light:
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/bioluminescence-livinglight/?ar_a=1
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Deep Sea Decisions: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/deep-seadecisions/?ar_a=1
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Deep Sea Ecosystems: Extreme Living:
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/deep-sea-ecosystems-extremeliving/?ar_a=1
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Resources in the Deep Sea:
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/activity/resources-in-the-deepsea/?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
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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:
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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
Into the Deep Sea
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Resources for Students:
Books
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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
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Audio/Visual
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The Blue Planet, The Deep. BBC
Planet Earth, Ocean Deep. BBC
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Cranchia scabra Credit: © 2007 MBARI
- 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!
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Milestone Section, 1977, features audio of scientists aboard Alvin as they discover the
hydrothermal vent ecosystem for the first time
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Field Section, Exploring the Seafloor, is an exploration of the life found around a
hydrothermal vent
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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/
Into the Deep Sea
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Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
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.
Into the Deep Sea
How to Schedule a Museum Visit
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Education Department Staff List
Extreme Habitats:
Into the Deep Sea
Julie Harrington
Manager of Youth and Family Programs
(203) 413-6744
[email protected]
Kathleen Holko
Manager of School and Tour Services
(203) 413-6741
[email protected]
Mary Ann Lendenmann
Manager of Volunteers and New Media Developer
(203) 413-6746
[email protected]
Peter Linderoth
Manager of School and Community Partnerships
(203) 413-6742
[email protected]
Into the Deep Sea
Amanda Skehan
Interpretive Services and Audience Engagement Assistant
(203) 413 - 6744
[email protected]
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