Theme: Celebrate Marine Biodiversity:
Jewels of the sea

Seaweek '99 coordinator: Harry Briedahl

Extending the theme - classroom activities

All these Marine Biodiversity Education Activities are adapted from the Seaweek'99 Teachers Resource Booklet by Harry Breidahl, Mark Rodrigue, Andreas Glanznig and Barbara Jensen.

Marine Biodiversity - Linked to all Key Learning Areas

The Arts

• Play Charades - Use marine animals as inspiration for performances in a game of charades.
• Biodiversity Stamps - Design a set of postage stamps about biodiversity in your local area. Make a display folder with information about each stamp.

English

• ABC in the Sea - Find examples of local marine animals or plants to match each letter of the alphabet?
• Bio Word Quiz - Biota, bioregion, biome, biodegradable, biologist are all examples of bio words. Find as many as you can and write a word quiz.

Languages other than English

• Marine Words - Find out about words in a chosen language to describe different animal and plants in the sea. Are animals and plants different in the country of origin of the language? How do they compare in diversity.

Mathematics

• Biodiversity 2000 Olympics - What are the events for Marine (animals) Olympic Games? What venues, rules and contestants. Which Australian sea animal is the fastest, biggest, toughest, most amazing feats etc? Who are the real winners in Marine Biodiversity?

Technology

• Biodiversity Design - Hundreds of turtles die each year after being caught in fishing nets. To protect the turtles and minimise the by-catch, TED's or turtle excluder devices are used in some countries. Design another device to help to reduce the impact of our fishing practices on marine life.
• Tool Time - Consider tools that are commonly used by humans and try to find similar examples from different animals or plants in the sea (eg crab pincers are like tongs).

Health and Physical Education

• Education by the Sea - Plan field trips and adventure activities along our magnificent coastline. Give students opportunities to get to investigate, know and enjoy the coasts and oceans.

Studies of Society & Environment

• Indigenous Australians and the Coast - Find out about the use of the coast by our indigenous people. What is sea country? What are some Aboriginal words to describe the marine animals and plants in your area? Find the people who can tell you more about sites, stories and significance of the coastal areas.
• Food in the Sea - Have students investigate their local shops to find at least ten different items from the sea. What else do different cultures use from the sea?
• The Story of a Drop of Rain - With a map of Australia find your closest ocean. Follow local creeks and rivers until they reach the ocean. Tell the story of a drop of rain from your roof on its incredible journey to the ocean.
• Timelines - Interview students, staff and older people about a local coastal or marine environment eg a beach or coastal park. Discover the changes over the years and the impacts on the area. Write a radio report.

Science

• Patterns of Diversity - Identify and compare a range of different features of marine animals eg fins, eyes, gills, tails, eggs and body shapes. Show in a class presentation or report how different features are useful in assisting in survival in different environments or conditions.
• Marine Life Report Card - Examples of the major threats to biodiversity are habitat modification, pollution and poor management practises. Consequently much sealife is in trouble. Research a marine species and find out more about its habitat and ecosystem. Write a report card for the survival of this marine species.