How do humans impact the ocean? - Lesson One

• Social Studies
• History
• +3
• 5th,6th Grade

Introduction

Lesson One – What is an ocean ecosystem? This lesson covers the key components of a marine ecosystem, such as habitat and food sources. Learning activities:  Understand ecosystems and the key components.  Research and draw life cycles of different species.

Instructions

Time: 45 minutes

Contact: [e-mail]
© Sea Shepherd 2022

Lesson 1 - What is an ocean ecosystem?

This lesson is provided by Sea Shepherd.  Sea Shepherd was founded in 1977 and is a marine conservation organisation working to protect the oceans and marine wildlife.  Sea Shepherd works globally on a range of issues impacting the oceans, running numerous direct action campaigns each year. 

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During the lesson we will use these icons to identify the learning actions.

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Ecosystems

During these lessons we are going to consider the impact we, as humans, have on the ocean.
Before we look at the issues, we need to understand what makes up the ocean ecosystem.
Ask students what the key components of an ecosystem are.

Introduction to IUU fishing and the impact of overfishing.

Ecosystems - Habitat

Habitat is the environment the marine species live in, their home.
What kind of habitats do you think exist in the ocean?
Discuss these topics and their features:
    Coral reef systems, kelp forests, mangroves, sea floor
    Light (energy source), water temperature and salinity.

Illegal Fishing

Illegal fishing means that the fishermen enter the territorial waters of a country or regulated marine zone without permission or without a license for the fish they intend to catch.

They are stealing from these waters.

FOOD CHAINS

• Producers
• Herbivores – an animal that feeds on plants.
• Omnivores – an animal or person that eats a variety of food of both plant and animal origin.
• Carnivores - an animal that feeds on other animals.
• Predators - an animal that naturally preys on others.
• Decomposers

Each ecosystem relies on a food chain/web, which consist of:
Producers - an organism that produces organic compounds from simple substances such as water. They also need energy from the sun, as well as nutrients.
Consumers - A consumer is a person or thing that eats something.
    Herbivores – an animal that feeds on plants.
    Omnivores – an animal or person that eats a variety of food of both plant and animal origin.
    Carnivores - an animal that feeds on other animals.
    Predators - an animal that naturally preys on others.  Apex predators are the top species in their food chain.
    Decomposers - an organism, especially a soil bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate, that decomposes organic material.

Over 100 million tons of fish caught each year.

Life cycles

Each marine species has its own life cycle, the stage of life it is in will impact its needs.
Let’s look at two species – whales and sea turtles.
Both go through a number of stages in life.  Discuss these stages and what their needs might be:
    Birth – whale calf or sea turtle hatchling.  
    Early years – calves spend early years with their mother, sea turtle hatchlings spend early years out in open ocean floating in ocean currents feeding on algae and small sea creatures.
    Sub-adults – whales become independent but stay with their pods. Depending on the species they begin feeding on marine life from plankton to squid.  Sea turtles start to move closer to shore, eating their chosen food sources from sea grass to jellyfish.
    Adults – fully functioning and start migrating and breeding.
    Breeding / nesting – both species migrate to areas where they breed and then move into areas where they will give birth, whale nurseries or sea turtle nesting beaches where they lay their eggs.

Over 100 million tons of fish caught each year.

Migration

Not all species live in one area, they migrate.
Ask students “Reflecting on what we discussed as the life cycle, what are the main reasons species migrate?
The main reasons are to find food sources, breeding/mating and nesting/nursery areas.

Illegal Fishing

Illegal fishing means that the fishermen enter the territorial waters of a country or regulated marine zone without permission or without a license for the fish they intend to catch.

They are stealing from these waters.

OCEAN CURRENTS

AND GYRES

Ocean currents – movement of ocean waters by a number of factors, such as wind, ocean temperature and waves.

Gyre – an ocean gyre is any large system of circulating ocean currents, particularly those pushed by large wind movements.

Along with the migration of species, we also need to understand the different movements in the ocean.
Discuss these movements, what impacts them and how they impact other movements around the ocean.
The key movements are tides, ocean currents and gyres.
Ocean currents – movement of ocean waters by a number of factors, such as wind, ocean temperature and waves.

Gyre – an ocean gyre is any large system of circulating ocean currents, particularly those pushed by large wind movements.

www.seashepherdglobal.org

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Refer Teachers Guide for Learning Activities.