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 Printable Version for your convenience!
Title - Marine Biology/Invertebrates
By - Laura Teatsworth
Primary Subject - Science
Grade Level - 5-12
After lots of discussion about invertebrates, I purchased a small octopus and squid per student at the local fish market... these are not live specimens. (In Texas, I go to Seabrook under the 146 bridge.)
Lay a large amount of newspaper on the student desks.
You might also want to put several cups of vinegar around the classroom. This will help absorb the smell of "fish". I typically do the following experiment on a Friday... so the smell will be gone by the next school day.
First, have the students make comparisons and contrasts of the octopus and squid. Have the students imagine how the specimens would move in the water.
The octopus will have 8 arms... where the squid will have 8 arms AND 2 longer tentacles. The heads of the squid and octopus are shaped differently.
The octopus and squid both have "beaks" that can be removed with tweezers. If careful, the brain is just behind the beak of the octopus...and you'll easily see the brain stem as you remove it through the hole that is just behind the beak.
Both the octopus and squid can be easily cut with scissors. Many websites list the anatomy of the octopus/squid to follow for the students. Have the students remove the "pen" in the squid; it's interesting, because it isn't a bone. I have the students break the ink sack and then dip the "pen" in the ink to write on the newsprint. We frequently find small fish inside the specimens, which are a "fun find" for the kids.
After lots of exploration, we wrap the specimen within our newspaper. After hand clean-up, we enjoy eating "gummy octopus" treats that are easily found in the candy section at Kroger (in Texas).
As an art extension, I make a banner called "We Sea an Ocean of Knowledge in this Room" and have the students decorate it by making drawings of their favorite sea animal to paste onto the banner.
E-Mail Laura Teatsworth!
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