Written by Vowery Dodd Carlile
Illustrated by Karen Birchak
The purchase of this book entitles the individual
teacher to reproduce copies of the student pages for
use in his or her classroom exclusively. The reproduction of any part of the work for an entire school or
school system or for commercial use is prohibited.
ISBN 978-1-56644-289-3
© 2008 Educational Impressions, Inc., Hawthorne, NJ
EDUCATIONAL IMPRESSIONS, INC.
Hawthorne, NJ 07507
Printed in the United States of America.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................5
TO THE TEACHER ......................................................................................................................6
OCEAN LIFE: GENERAL ..................................................................................................7–12
THREE FORMS OF MARINE LIFE ................................................................................13–53
Plankton ..........................................................................................................................13–19
Background ......................................................................................................................13
Algae, Jellyfish and Men-of-War ..............................................................................14–19
Benthos ............................................................................................................................20–32
Background ................................................................................................................20–21
Coral ..............................................................................................................22–24, 31–32
Sponges ..........................................................................................................25–27, 31–32
Sea Stars ....................................................................................................................28–32
Nekton ..............................................................................................................................33–53
Background ................................................................................................................33–35
Whales and Other Cetaceans......................................................................................36–41
Sharks ........................................................................................................................42–47
Bony Fish....................................................................................................................48–53
LIFE IN THE DEEP SEA ..................................................................................................54–64
Background ......................................................................................................................54–55
Deep-Sea Anglerfish ........................................................................................................56–61
Giant Squids (Architeuthis Squids) ..................................................................................62–67
Giant Tube Worms ............................................................................................................68–72
IN THE TIDE POOLS AND ALONG THE SHORE ......................................................73–86
Background ......................................................................................................................73–75
Steller Sea Lions ..............................................................................................................76–81
Penguins ............................................................................................................................82–87
RESEARCH UNIT ..............................................................................................................89–102
ANSWERS TO VOCABULARY AND COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS ..................103–112
BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................................113–114
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Creative Experiences in Science: Marine Life
Plankton
Plankton is the collective name for the mostly microscopic plants and animals that
drift in the water. It moves with the currents and tides. Many animals in the benthos and
nekton groups start out as plankton. Plant plankton is called phytoplankton, and animal
plankton is called zooplankton.
Most phytoplankton is found near the surface of the water in order to get enough
sunlight for photosynthesis, the process by which green plants use carbon dioxide and
water to manufacture carbohydrate food. As a result of the process of photosynthesis,
phytoplankton also releases oxygen, producing at least 80 percent of the oxygen that we
breathe. Although zooplankton often dive away from the light, they are also relatively
near the surface because they must be near the phytoplankton, their source for food and
oxygen.
Although plankton is at the bottom of the food chain, it is considered the most
important link because it is the primary producer of organic matter in the ocean. All other
life in the sea directly or indirectly depends upon it—from the microscopic zooplankton
to the enormous whales. It is the main food source for polyps, builders of the coral reef.
If it weren't for plankton, ocean life would be very different from what it is today.
In fact, some scientists believe there would be no life at all without it!
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Creative Experiences in Science: Marine Life
PHYTOPLANKTON: Algae (Singular, Alga)
Algae in some form have been around for a very long time. Some scientists believe
that an early form existed for more than 3 billion years! Fossils that have been found tell
us that true algae have existed for almost 2 million years. Today algae can be found in
all parts of the world: in oceans and in freshwater lakes; in boiling hot springs and in
snow and ice; even in the hot desert sands. Without algae, life in the ocean would change
drastically—perhaps even disappear!
Algae are classified according to their color: green, brown or red. Brown and
green algae can be found close to the shore. Red algae are hard to find close to shore
because they grow in deeper water. All three colors of algae contain chlorophyll, which
they use in the process of photosynthesis to make their own food.
Algae range from microscopic single-celled organisms to large multi-cellular
forms. Kelp is a form of multi-cellular algae. Kelp can grow to heights of 60 meters (197
feet)! Kelp, which is a type of brown algae, can be found growing close to the shore.
Kelp grows in patches and resembles a forest of trees gently swaying in the ocean water.
It is a fast-growing form of algae, growing up to two inches a day. It has a life span of
about seven years. Of course, when hit by storms, the entire plant can be ripped apart.
Kelp forests tend to grow in cold, nutrient-rich water. They are among the most
biologically productive habitats in the ocean. These forests can be found in the Arctic,
Southern, North Pacific, and western Atlantic oceans. Kelp is very important. It provides
protection for some sea creatures and food for others. It is also used in the manufacture
of several products. Kelp and other algae forms are covered with a thick, sticky protein
called alginate. Alginate is used in products such as ice cream, jelly, toothpaste, and
cosmetics to make them thick and creamy. This sticky substance is in such high demand
that crops of kelp and other algae are grown in order to harvest the alginate. Kelp is also
a common ingredient in the Japanese dish sushi. It is wrapped around the raw fish and
eaten as part of the sushi.
At the base of the ocean food chain, algae are very important. All ocean life
depends upon algae either directly or indirectly.
red algae
Creative Experiences in Science: Marine Life
brown algae
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green algae
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ZOOPLANKTON: Jellyfish
The jellyfish is a form of zooplankton. It is considered plankton because it drifts
with the water movement. Jellyfish have been on Earth for more than 60 million years.
There are over 200 different species and they vary greatly in size, shape and color.
Jellyfish inhabit every ocean on Earth and can withstand a wide range of temperatures and
salinity levels.
Like all zooplankton, jellyfish are invertebrates. Their bodies are shaped like a bell
or umbrella and are filled with a jelly-like substance. They range in sizes from 1 inch to
7 feet across the bell! They also have tentacles that dangle from their bell-shaped body.
The tentacles have stinging cells, which contain venom that can paralyze or kill their prey.
Once the jellyfish stings its prey, it uses the tentacles to move its food up towards the
underpart of its body. This is where the mouthpart is located.
Jellyfish have no specialized organs to digest their food, but they must get rid of
waste products quickly so that they can float. They take food through the “mouth” and
quickly break it down, absorb the nutrients, and expel the waste products back out of the
“mouth.” Jellyfish are carnivorous and generally eat zooplankton and small shrimp.
Jellyfish can be dangerous to humans, some more than
others. The sea wasp, also known as the box jellyfish, is
translucent or pale blue and is shaped like a box or a bell. It
is the most venomous jellyfish in the Atlantic Ocean with a
sting that can cause severe dermatitis, sometimes requiring
hospitalization.
ZOOPLANKTON: Portuguese Men-of-War
The Portuguese man-of-war is found in warm waters around the globe. Like the
jellyfish, the Portuguese man-of-war is classified in the phylum Cnidaria. However,
although thought by many to be a jellyfish, it is not. It is actually a colony of animals that
swim together. The gas-filled, translucent float belongs to only one of
those animals. The tentacles are actually three kinds of polyps, each
with a different function. Because the tentacles are so long—
some are as long as 165 feet—it is sometimes difficult to know
when you are in danger of being stung!
The man-of-war's sting is extremely painful. It causes severe
joint and muscle pain, and some people have an allergic reaction to
it. Sometimes these creatures float in groups of up to 1,000 or more!
Imagine trying to get away from thousands of stinging tentacles!
Even beached, the jellyfish is a dangerous animal. Its tentacles
remain full of poison whether in or out of the water and whether
they remain part of the colony or break away from it.
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Creative Experiences in Science: Marine Life
Plankton
Vocabulary Activities
Match each term on the left with the appropriate description on the right. You may use a
dictionary.
_____ 1. photosynthesis
A. measure of dissolved salts in water
_____ 2. chlorophyll
B. extremely poisonous; deadly
_____ 3. single-celled
C. elongated flexible organs of some animals
_____ 4. multi-cellular
D. animal without a backbone
_____ 5. nutrient
E. allowing light to pass through but not transparent
_____ 6. biologically productive
F. green pigments in plants needed for photosynthesis
_____ 7. sushi
G. to force or drive out
_____ 8. salinity
H. adapted for a particular function or habitat
_____ 9. invertebrate
I. having only one cell; not divided into cells
_____ 10. tentacles
J. supporting a variety of life forms
_____ 11. specialized
K. Japanese rice and raw or cooked fish dish
_____ 12. expel
L. flesh eating; predatory
_____ 13. carnivorous
M. consisting of many cells
_____ 14. translucent
N. organisms of same species living closely together
_____ 15. venomous
O. substance that promotes growth in living things
_____ 16. dermatitis
P. unusual sensitivity
_____ 17. colony
Q. inflammation of the skin
_____ 18. allergic
R. process in which green plants use light to synthesize
organic compounds
Write three sentences about any form of plankton using 5 or more vocabulary words.
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Plankton
Comprehension Questions
1. What characteristic is necessary in order to be classified as plankton? Name the two main
divisions.
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2. How are algae classified? Where can each be found?
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3. Why is plankton so important to the food chain?
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4. What type of environment is necessary for plankton to thrive? Why?
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5. What role does plankton play in the building of coral reefs?
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6. What is kelp? Tell about its importance.
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7. What do jellyfish eat? Explain how the jellyfish catches its prey.
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8. Why is the man-o-war not a true jellyfish? Describe the consequences of a man-o-war sting.
Why is it sometimes difficult to know that a man-of-war is near?
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