This document provides the objectives, content standards, methods, materials, and procedures for a 1.25-1.5 hour lesson on tide pool ecosystems at Ewing Point. Students will identify factors limiting population growth in tide pools, infer interdependencies among organisms, and explain how their designed organism is influenced by and influences the tide pool community. Methods include discussion of adaptations, observation of organisms, individual creative writing, and discussion of interspecies interactions. Students will design and describe an imaginary tide pool organism with adaptations for survival.

1. Life in the Pools of the Tide
Original Lesson by Haley Rutherford
Facilitator: HaleyRutherford
Subject:Tide Pool interconnectionsof Sucia
Duration: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours
Location: EwingPointtide pools
Group size:10 students
Objectives
Studentswill be able to:
 Identifyfactorsthatlimitpopulationgrowthintide pools
 Inferinterdependenciesandinterrelationshipsamongthe organismsintide pools
 Explainthe factorsthat theirownorganismisinfluencedbywithwithinthe tide pool community
as well howtheirorganisminfluencesitssurroundings.
Contentstandards addressed:
 9-11 LS2C
Populationgrowthislimitedbythe availabilityof matterandenergyfoundinresources,the size
of the environment,andthe presence of competingand/orpredatoryorganisms.
 9-11 LS2E
Interrelationshipsof organismsmaygenerateecosystemsthatare stable forhundredsor
thousandsof years.Biodiversityreferstothe differentkindsof organismsinspecific
ecosystemsoronthe planetasa whole.
Methods
 Discussiononadaptationsof tide pool organisms
 Observationsof tide pool organisms
 Solowriting/drawingactivity
 Discussionwithgroupaboutindividual organism
Materials
Journalsandwritingutensils
Whiteboardandmarker
Materialsto make makeshiftwhite boardsforeverystudent
Containers(tocollecttide pool critters,if possible)
Fieldguide(s) foridentifyingintertidalplantsandanimals
Preparation
 Collectorganismstoshowasexamplesforadaptations,if possible
 Retrieve materials

2. Procedure
:00 Talk abouttide pool etiquette:(if notpreviouslyexplainedbyAnna- mayaskthemwhat they
rememberandremindthemof tipstheydon’tremember)
o Watch where youstep.Be careful notto stepon too manybarnaclesandmussels.There isalso
seaweedthatisveryslick.
o Look closely;observe before doinganything.
o Touch gently.Wetyourhandsbefore youtouchany animal,warmdryhands will cause damage
to theirdelicate surfaces.Leavethemintheirpool- donottryto take themout, theyneedto
stay inthe water.Do not try to pry animalsoff the rocks,mostwill die.If youmove arock to
lookunderneath,returnintohow youfoundit.
o Use all yoursenses!Listenandsmell!
:05 Nowwe will be lookingmicro-scale attide pools!
o Talk aboutadaptations
o What are some of the adaptationsyouthinkthese organismshave?Thinkaboutwhathelped
the organismsurvivedandhowotheranimalsadaptandinteractwitheach otherandtheir
surroundings.
o These organismshave adaptedtowithstandperiodsof differentwatertemperatures,water
salinity,andevennowateratall.
o Factors needingtoadaptto: ■ Resistwaterloss
 Maintainheatbalance
 Withstandmechanical stress
 Respire (breathe) duringsubmersionorexposure
 Feedor absorbnutrients
 Move (orfor some plantsandanimals,stayputin an optimal place)
 Withstandsalinityvariation
 Reproductive adaptations,especiallylifecycle stagesthatrequire certainsubstratesto
successfullyattach.
 Examples:
Limpetssuctiontightertorock whenthe tide goesoutto holdwaterin
Gunnelscanhide underrocksand stay still toretainwater
:15 Discuss:Eventhoughthese crittershave all these adaptations,theystillall have predators.Tide
poolshave thrivedforthousandsof years,whyhasn’tone speciestakencontrol overthe wholetide
pool?What keepseverypopulationinchecktomaintainbiodiversity?
:20 Pass around/displayorganismscollectedincontainers(if possible)orfinda large tide pool tocrowd
aroundand pointout variousorganisms.Specifythattheyshouldnottouch,butforthe sake of the
lessonIhave captureda fewfor the time beingandIwill returnthempromptly.
o What are some thingsyounotice aboutthese organisms?Whatare some adaptationsyou
notice andwhydo you thinktheyhave them?
o Pointouta fewcool adaptationsforthemtoponder.(Whattheyeat,how theyeat,something
that helpsthemsurvive,etc.)

3. :30 Tell studentsthattheywill have aboutahalf hour to create theirownorganismsthatlivesinthe
intertidal zone!Letthempickatide pool theycan sitat quietlytocreativelyexpressthe critterthey
designed.Theywill needtodetail theirorganismforashort activityafterwards.
o Needtohave a carefullydetailedexplanationof theirorganism.Canbe labeleddrawingorlistof
everyattribute.
o Must have predatorand prey/energysource
o Needtowrite downintheirjournal how theircreature livesinthisharsh(tous) environment
and whatkindof adaptationsithasto live here.
o Describe howelse itcaninteractwiththe otherorganismsbesidesthe predator/prey
relationships.
o Write a story, a poem,drawa picture,etc.showing/depictingthe tide pool theychose withtheir
organisminvolved.Label ordetail the environmentalfactorsinteractingwithyourorganism.
Have studentspicka perspective tolook
throughthe eyes”of whateverorganismtheychoose:
 Ex: write a storythroughthe eyesof the organismyoudesignedoranothercritters
observationof the newadditiontothe neighborhood;draw a picture of yourorganism
interactingwithatleastone othercritter,or withinthe whole tidepool
:50 Have studentsgetintotheircolorgroupstotalk aboutthe critter theydesigned.
Conclusion
:65 Have studentsfigure outwithintheirgrouphow theirindividual organismsinteractwith each other.
Write downintheirjournalsall the interactions(predator/prey,symbiosis,etc.) andwhose creature it
involved.
Assessment
My evaluationwill be the discussiononadaptationsandonhow theirdesignedcreaturesinteractwith
the environment.
Extension
Get togetherasa big groupto talk aboutindividual organismsandhow theyinteractwitheach
other/where theylive inrelationtoothergroups.
GlitchPlan
If it is raining,we will have instructorsstationedatsafe tide poolstovisitsolessrock-slippingoccurs.
We will dothe journalinginashortperiodof time,jottingdownideastheyhave withpersonal
whiteboards.Later,we willgive themtimetodraw or write.
Risk Management
There will be acertifiedWFRwitha firstaidkitduringthe lesson.Give clearrestrictionstowhere the
studentscanventure fortheirsit-spotandmake sure theycan still see someone wheretheyare sitting.
Remindthemof slipperysurfaces.
Background Information:
Some of the adaptationsthatallowmaintenance of equilibriadespite these inter-tidalvariablesinclude
waysto:

4. - Resistwaterloss
- Maintainheatbalance
- Withstandmechanical stress
- Respire (breathe) duringsubmersionorexposure
- Feedorabsorb nutrients
- Move (or for some plantsandanimals,stayputin an optimal place)
- Withstandsalinityvariation
- Reproductive adaptations,especiallylifecycle stagesthatrequire certainsubstratesto - successfully
attach.
In addition,communitiesof organismsinteractamongthemselves,forexample infoodwebs(primary
producers,herbivores,carnivores,detritivores),incompetition,parasitism,andsymbioses.These
interactionsaddotherstressestowhichorganismsdevelopadaptations.Some of these interactionsand
adaptationscanbe discoveredbykeenobservationanddetective work.
Whenexamininganorganismindifferentzonesyoucanmake intelligentinferencesaboutwhatstresses
the organismissubjectto,and howthe observable featuresof the organismreveal solutionstothese
problems.Careful observation,askingquestions,andthinkinglogicallyaboutfairlysimplebut
interactingfactorscan leadtodiscoveryof ecological concepts.
From: DebDonovan,Biology,WWU