Teacher Resources for Where the Ocean Meets the Land: Nearshore Food Webs Lesson

Introduction:

Thank you for signing your class up for the “Where the Ocean Meets the Land”. We are looking forward to joining your class. This lesson has two parts. A pre-visit reading assignment and a ranger led in class presentation.

Before the Ranger Visits Your Class: Pre-Readings

There are two pre-visit readings to prepare your students for the ranger presentation. Each reading has accompanying videos. Students should need about two and a half to three hours to complete the readings, answer the accompanying questions and watch the supporting videos.

“Reading 1” is an introduction to the nearshore environment. It also explores the concepts behind long-term monitoring for environmental change. The reading includes:

• Video Links: that your students should watch before the ranger presentation.
• Comprehension Questions: included to ensure students take away key concepts.

For "Reading 2", divide your class into three teams. Give each team one of the following articles:

• Salt Marsh Reading (Reading Level: Easiest)
• Brown Bear Reading (Reading Level: Medium)
• Clam Reading (Reading Level: Difficult)

Each of these readings include videos and comprehension questions. The videos should help students with comprehension. Video links are provided in the readings, and at the bottom of this page for your reference.

Please make sure students complete their comprehension questions. The ranger will be asking students from each group to report out to the class about what they learned from their articles. Those questions are based on the comprehension questions.

 

Classroom Visit with a Ranger:

The ranger presentation has two parts.

In part one students will present what they learned from the readings as part of the ranger's presentation about coastal food webs in Katmai. In part two the ranger will lead students as they apply what they learned to study the nearshore environment of Lake Clark.

Please feel free to email with question at any time, [e-mail] .

 

Reading One Video Links:

 

• 

  Katmai Virtual Field Trip

  This short film introduces viewers to Katmai National Park and sets up the lesson "Where the Ocean Meets the Land: Nearshore Food Webs Lesson".

  Duration:

  4 minutes, 23 seconds

 

• 

  A Day on the Lake Clark National Park Coastline

  Thinking about visiting the park's Cook Inlet coastline? This short film offers a spectacular introduction to what your day may include and how to stay safe and protect the park's bear populations.

  Duration:

  11 minutes, 46 seconds

 

Salt Marsh Reading Video Links:

 

• 

  Salt Marsh Short: Constant Changes

  What makes a salt marsh special? Join NPS scientists from the Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network as they work on the Lake Clark's isolated coast to find out!

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 2 seconds

 

• 

  Salt Marsh Short: Rhythms and Rewards

  SWAN Ecologist Mike walks us through the small and large-scale benefits that the Lake Clark National Park and Preserve salt marshes provide to us all.

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 2 seconds

 

• 

  Salt Marsh Short: A Closer Look

  A closer look at how SWAN scientists survey plots along the Cook Inlet Coast.

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 58 seconds

 

• 

  Salt Marsh Short: Meet Us at the Meadow

  SWAN Biological Science Technician Emily shares her work and insight about the plants that make the Lake Clark's coastal sedge meadows. These salt marshes are a small portion of the park (roughly 1%) but they are an important resource for wildlife including the coastal Alaskan brown bear.

  Duration:

  2 minutes, 24 seconds

 

Brown Bear Reading Video Links:

 

• 

  Changing Tides: Bear Collaring

  This video follows the work of NPS researchers collaring bears as part of the Changing Tides research project, a study of the interconnections between intertidal invertebrates, bears, and humans in Katmai National Park and Preserve.

  Duration:

  6 minutes, 1 second

 

• 

  Changing Tides: Bear Observations

  Joy Erlenbach discusses the bear observation portion of the Changing Tides Project, a research project examining the interconnections between intertidal invertebrates, bears and humans in Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks and Preserves.

  Duration:

  4 minutes, 49 seconds

 

Clam Reading Video Links:

 

• 

  Changing Tides: The Ocean Connection

  This video explores the clam collection field associated with The Changing Tides project, a three year study examining the links between coastal brown bears, clams, mussels, and people. It takes place in both Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks and is a cooperative of the National park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska SeaLife Center, and Washington State University.

  Duration:

  5 minutes, 47 seconds

 

• 

  Changing Tides: Clam Lab Work

  The Changing Tides Project is a three-year collaborative study investigating the connections between intertidal invertebrates, brown bears, and people along the Katmai and Lake Clark coastlines. This video describes the lab work that is taking place to try to detect stressors that may be affecting marine invertebrates, specifically clams and mussels.

  Duration:

  5 minutes, 49 seconds