In this lesson, students will:
- compare and contrast the behavior and appearance of marine animals along the California coast.
- practice observational skills in the classroom and the Steinhart Aquarium.
© Michael Bentley
Animals provide many ways to learn about opposites: colors, speeds, and behavior are just a few. In this activity, young scientists will practice their observational skill to look for differences among marine animals, first in a classroom and then on a field trip, and use these observations to discuss how these animals survive.
This activity is written to correspond with a field trip to the Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences, but can be used with a field trip to a different aquarium or to a local tidepool.
In this lesson, students will:
Discuss the data that the students collected while they were on their field trip to the California Academy of Sciences. Ask the following questions and encourage students to explain how the observations they made might relate to what the animal needs to survive, such as food, water, or a home:
The power of observation is an important skill. Scientists often use journals to record observations they make about an organism’s characteristics such as color, size, and behavior. When observing animals in their natural habitat, notations may have to be made quickly before they swim, fly, or run away. Fortunately, aquariums provide the opportunity to view aquatic life for longer periods of time. Animals can still hide in their aquarium habitats but there are more chances to see them up close.
Looking for opposite characteristics or behaviors can be a fun exploration for children and a way to enhance their powers of observation. In nature or the aquarium, we can search for opposites in the physical characteristics and behaviors of many animals. For example, the Pacific Octopus may hide in crevices between rocks during the day, but be out at night hunting for food. Sometimes we can find examples of opposites in one tank at one time, with different colored fish being in different areas.
Kindergarten
Life Sciences
2a. Students know how to observe and describe similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals.
2c. Students know how to identify major structures of common plants and animals.
Grade One
Life Sciences
Investigation and Experimentation
Scientific and Engineering Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Cross-Cutting Concepts