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Overview:
In this lesson, students will explore the biodiversity of two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) national marine sanctuaries. Following a discussion of the term "biodiversity" and why biodiversity is important, students will take virtual trips (via video footage) to Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, located off the California coast, and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. They will then work in groups to further explore one of the two ocean treasures, noting the types of wildlife the sanctuary supports, the importance of the ecosystem, and the threats it faces. Groups will also consider how each sanctuary's location might affect its health and long-term outlook. To conclude, the class will come back together to share their findings, and compare and contrast the two national marine sanctuaries.
This lesson is one in a series exploring the history, biology, and ecology of the National Marine Sanctuaries. It was developed for National Geographic's Oceans for Life program, in collaboration with and with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, ecology, biology, social studies
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 8: "The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface"
Standard 6: "How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions"
Standard 14: "How human actions modify the physical environment"
C: Population and Ecosystems: "The number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and abiotic factors, such as quantity of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition. Given adequate biotic and abiotic resources and no disease or predators, populations (including humans) increase at rapid rates. Lack of resources and other factors, such as predation and climate, limit the growth of populations in specific niches in the ecosystem."
Ocean Literacy: Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts (PDF, Adobe Reader required)
- Principle 5: The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems
- Principle 6: The ocean and humans are inextricably linked
National Science Education Standards:
- C: Populations and Ecosystems: "A population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time. All populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact compose an ecosystem."
Time:
Three to four hours
Materials Required:
- Computer with Internet access
- Blank index cards
- Small magnets or tape for attaching cards to the blackboard
- Xpeditions atlas maps of California and Hawaii
- Seating arrangement: whole-class instruction and small-group activities
- Maximum number of students: no limit
- Keywords: biodiversity, Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, marine conservation, ecosystem, populations
- Preparation: preview video clips, print maps
Objectives:
Students will
- define biodiversity and ecosystem;
- understand the importance of biodiversity to an ecosystem;
- explore the threats to Cordell Bank and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale national marine sanctuaries; and
- consider the relationship between the location of each sanctuary and the long-term outlook for its health.
Geographic Skills:
Asking Geographic Questions
Answering Geographic Questions
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Explain to students that in this lesson, they will be answering the following questions:
- What is biodiversity?
- Why is biodiversity important?
- How does the location of a sanctuary affect its long-term outlook?
As a class, create working definitions for the words ecosystem and biodiversity. Brainstorm a list of the organisms found in your local ecosystem and write the list on the board. Discuss with the class the importance of biodiversity. Elicit their opinions on why biodiversity is important and in what ways preserving biodiversity enhances the life of local people. Ask students to think of any ways in which preserving biodiversity locally might have a national or global effect. Encourage them to think about the far-reaching effects of habitat destruction and species loss. Some resources to help with this discussion include:
Loss of Diversity and Extinctions
Environmental Tourism at the Global Level
New Medicines at Risk from Biodiversity Loss
Development:
As a class, locate Cordell Bank and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale national marine sanctuaries on the maps. Explain that both sanctuaries were established to protect and support marine ecosystems. Have pairs of students brainstorm a list of characteristics of marine ecosystems. After five minutes, have student pairs share their answers with the class and record the list on the board or on chart paper. Show students the introductory video clip.
Divide the class into research teams of four or five. Assign half of the teams to research Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the other half to research Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Teams may also use the Encyclopedia of the Sanctuary for their research. Tell students to focus on the following:
- Location of the sanctuary (have them mark it on the map)
- Characteristics of the ecosystem the sanctuary supports (water temperature, physical geography, etc.)
- Wildlife present in the sanctuary
- Importance of the ecosystem in general or any particular species found in the sanctuary
- Proximity and culture of human settlements near the sanctuary
- Challenges facing the sanctuary, and whether or not they are human-induced
Give each team about 20 index cards. As they research the above points, teams should use index cards to describe the oceanographic, meteorological, and physical features of the sanctuary. They should also create a card for each species found in the sanctuary, writing its name on the front and any other pertinent information about it (is it endangered? what threats does it face? is it unique to this area? what is its food source?) on the back. (These cards will be used later in a whole class activity.) Give groups about 45 minutes to an hour to complete their research. When teams have completed their research, bring the class back together and show the video interviews with sanctuary managers. Then invite teams to share their information. Have teams present their findings first for one sanctuary then the other. Instruct the students to take notes on the findings of each team.
After each team has presented their findings, draw a large Venn diagram on the board. Using one circle to represent Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and one to represent the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, have the students place their cards on the diagram using magnets or tape. When all the cards have been placed, lead a class discussion about the results. Ask students:
- Which aspects of the physical environment are the same in both sanctuaries? Which are different?
- How many species are found in both sanctuaries?
- Are there more species that are unique to one or the other sanctuary, or can many be found in both? Why do you think this is?
- Which species can be found in both sanctuaries? Do they use the sanctuaries for different purposes (breeding, feeding, etc.)? What does this imply about the importance of the sanctuaries?
Direct students to go back to their teams and return their species cards to them. Tell them they will now be investigating food webs. (A review of food webs can be found here.) Using their species cards, each team should create a basic food web for their sanctuary. Have each team use half of the board to arrange their cards and use arrows to show which animals eat and are eaten by others. When the food webs are complete, have students return to their seats. Ask students to consider the effects of changes to the environment or one or more species in each food web. For example, ask "What would happen if there were a sudden dying of phytoplankton in the Cordell Bank sanctuary?" Students should note that as primary producers, phytoplankton support the entire food web and the effects would be felt throughout. Help guide students in reflecting on the effects on the various levels of the food web of different changes.
Closing:
Explain that Hawaii is the most important breeding ground for North Pacific humpbacks, and people and humpbacks are increasing their shared use of the same marine habitats. Ask students how this shared use might pose a threat to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's ecosystem. Another population of humpback whales, along with blue whales, visits Cordell Bank in the summer to feed on krill. How might changes in the ecosystem at Cordell Bank affect the whale population? Have groups of students explore some of the threats to these ecosystems (tourism, overfishing, destruction of habitat) and report back to the class.
This lesson plan was prepared by the National Geographic Society under award #NA04NOS4290216 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the Department of Commerce.
Suggested Student Assessment:
Have students write essays that provide information about one of the two sanctuaries, focusing specifically on the challenges faced by the sanctuary and the outlook for the future health of the ecosystem. Teachers or students may use this rubric for evaluation purposes. Extending the Lesson:
- Have students research a local conservation area and prepare posters detailing the area's biodiversity, threats to its health, and importance of preservation.
- Have students use the Hotspots Explorer from Conservation International to explore biodiversity hotspots around the globe. Ask students to select three hotspots that they think are most worthy of preservation. Students should be prepared to provide convincing arguments for their choices.
- Research other national marine sanctuaries to compare and contrast their physical environments and the variety of species found in each underwater treasure.
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