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Kelp Forest Conservation Grades 6th- 8th

Students will learn how kelp forest ecosystems are supported by ocean producers such as kelp and phytoplankton.

Kelp forest with sunlight breaking through

Credit: Tammy616/istockphoto

Discover the conservation story of the sea otter, illustrating the delicate balance of kelp forest communities in our educational video. A lesson outline, activities, and worksheets are also included to use while students make animal observations using the live Blue Cavern webcam.

Resources

  • Supports the Following Next Generation Science Standards:

    • MS-LS2-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
    • MS-LS2-2 Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
    • MS-LS2-3 Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
    • MS-LS2-4 Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
    • MS-LS1-5 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
    • MS-LS1-6 Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.
    • MS-ESS3-3 Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact of the environment
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