N17

Creature Creations &Bulletin Board Magic

Theme: Natural History

Author: Claire AntonucciEducation Director

New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium

Subject AreasScience, Art, Language Arts

DurationOne or two class periods

SettingClassroom

SkillsInterpretation, identifying,describing, applying

Charting the CourseThe myriad of species that inhabitthe region called Down Jersey arean integral part of the continuedconnections between people and place.This activity examines only one of theecosystems and habitats that can befound here. This activity is presentedas a model and means to stimulateother creative ways to decorate theclassroom to expand the students’knowledge of the many orgnaismsand their interactions from withinthe environment.

VocabularySpecies, organism, ecosystem, habitat,food web, food pyramid*

* others as identified by the teacher withextensions or variations of the activity

Correlation to NJ Core CurriculumContent Standards

Language Arts3.2 (1,7)3.5 (1,2,4,7)

Science5.1 (1,2,3)5.6 (3,6)5.7 (1,2,4)

Art1.2 (1,2,3)1.3 (1,2)

N18

ObjectivesStudents will

1. Utilize simple pen and inkdrawings of a variety ofDelaware Bay estuary animalsto create a variety of displayprojects for the classroomand/or school building.

2. Be able to identify somebasic wildlife species thatinhabit the estuary and bay.

MaterialsCopies of the following pagesin varying magnifications —a packet for each group ofstudents, oaktag or poster board,scissors, glue, water colorpaints, markers, crayons, etc.

Optional: field guides of fish,invertebrates, birds, etc.

Making ConnectionsThe myriad life forms thatinhabit the Down Jersey regionand the Delaware Bay estuaryare an integral part of anyinvestigation into the area.A significant part of theattraction and unique featuresof the area is directly related tothe wildlife species that inhabitthe saltmarsh and bay. Thisactivity is well suited as anintroduction to the animals, as aculminating activity followinga field trip experience, as anawareness and identificationactivity. It also provides anopportunity for students tobecome familiar with utilizingfield guides and fieldidentification techniques.

BackgroundUtilize the field guides andother information containedin this packet to providebackground information on thespecies included in this activity.Extensive backgroundinformation on particularspecies could be obtained byindividual students during aresearch component if initiated.The extent of involvement withresearching individual species isleft totally at the discretion ofthe teacher.

Procedure1. Distribute the photocopied

organisms. The number andsize of the photocopies aredependent on the teacher’sdesired project(s) choices.Some may need to beenlarged or reduced, andfor some projects, multiplecopies will be needed(i.e., for the food pyramid,many of the “primaryconsumers” are needed inrelative comparison to the“secondary consumers”).

2. Have the students workin small groups, givingeach group the task ofcreating one of the suggestedprojects below utilizing theaccompanying drawingsor have students workindividually to identify theirorganism, color it accurately.And create one large mural,bulletin board or displayusing all the students in aclass. The choice is obviouslyup to each teacher and thegrade level and abilities oftheir students. This wouldalso make for an excellent“extra credit” project.

Notes from the author:

The pages to follow come fromthe New Jersey Marine SciencesConsortium (NJMSC), a not-for-profit organization dedicated toproviding New Jersey’s citizenswith an unbiased source ofinformation about our marine andcoastal resources. We accomplishour mission in a variety of waysincluding pre-college programs,professional development for

Creature Creations & Bulletin Board Magic

N19

educators, family scienceprograms, undergraduate andgraduate programs, publicoutreach initiatives and managedresearch. The NJMSC operatesa field station on Sandy Hook,New Jersey, within the GatewayNational Park there. For moreinformation about the NJMSCand its programs please call(732)872-1300, ext. 22.

On the pages to follow you willfind information about manyspecies common to NewJersey’s marine and estuarineenvironments. Each picture isaccompanied by the organism’scommon and Latin name,information on what thatorganism eats and what theorganism is eaten by. It is hopedthat you will duplicate thesesheets and use them frequently.

These sheets have been usedmany times for many projectsand purposes. Use a Xerox

machine to copy, recopy andresize the pictures included inthis packet. Mount the pictureson a heavier piece of paper,cut them out and lightly“wash” over them with dilutedwatercolor paint. The EducationProgram at the NJMSC has usedthese sheets to complete thefollowing projects:

Project/ActivityChoices

• A Bulletin Board to familiarizestudents with our local, commonspecies. This spring a boarddisplayed the commonorganisms with individualplankters “raining” down. Theheadline on this bulletin boardread, “Plankton Showers bringSummer Flounders.”

• A Bulletin Board depicting themarine food pyramid. Duplicateplankton and zooplankton manytimes to create the base of thepyramid. Mid-level predatorsinclude crabs, small fish

(silversides, mummichogs) andmollusks. Top level predatorsinclude birds, larger fishes andhumans.

• A Bulletin Board depicting theintricacies of the marine foodweb. Cut apart and using yarnor string, connect organismsaccording to who eats whom.

• A Food Web Game. By cuttingapart these sheets you can createa set of cards which can bepassed out to students standingin a circle, who can then passaround a rope linking prey topredator. Don’t forget to startwith the sun. In this manner youcan go up and down food chainsmany times, creating an intricateand interdependent web.

• A Bulletin Board or graphdepicting species abundance ona seasonal basis. If you collectdata yourself though seining orhave access to similar data, aninteresting graph can be created.At the NJMSC we collect datayear-round with good frequencyand we’d be happy to supplydata to interested teachers.

We’re sure you will have manyadditional great ideas. Teachersare without a doubt the mostcreative and resourceful peopleon earth! Enjoy.

Creature Creations & Bulletin Board Magic

N20

Creature Creations & Bulletin Board Magic

4. Depending on the teacher’spreference, students shouldwork either in small groups orindependently to determinethe most realistic colorationof each organism.

AssessmentOption 1If students were each assignedan organism, the assessmentcould be a written report aboutthat species’ life cycle, naturalhistory, abundance and place inthe food chain.

Option 2If students worked together asa class to create one large muraland/or bulletin board, eachstudent could be assigned towrite a description of the topic/theme depicted (i.e., the foodpyramid, the food web, etc.)

ExtensionsThis activity, althoughspecifically addressing theestuary ecosystem, could easilybe adapted to any otherecosystem within theDown Jersey region. Pen andink drawings of indicative specieswould need to be obtained bythe teacher. Other ecosystems(habitats) include, but are notlimited to: freshwater streamor river, freshwater marsh,woodland, cedar swamp,hardwood forest, Pinelands,bog, a suburban lot, etc. Inaddition, Project/ActivityChoices are those of the author.We would encourage other ideasthat may be spurred by thisactivity.

The possibilities are endless!

ResourcesThe Biology of theHudson-Raritan Estuary —A Teacher’s GuideCopyright 1998,Education Program staff,NJ Marine SciencesConsortium, Building 22,Fort Hancock, NJ 07732.

Bridges to the Natural WorldCopyright 1992,New Jersey Audubon Society,790 Ewing Avenue,PO Box 125, Franklin Lakes,New Jersey 07417-2271.Permission needs to begranted for use of artworkwhich is copyrighted byCarol Decker.

Any of the graphicscontained in this guide maybe used for a similar activity.

Any of the number of fieldguide series may be used foridentification and realisticcoloring of the organisms.

N21a

Phytoplankton

Eats: Sunlight

Eaten By: MenhadenHard-Shelled ClamSoft-Shelled ClamGrass Shrimp

Phytoplankton

Eats: Sunlight

Eaten By: MenhadenHard-Shelled ClamSoft-Shelled ClamGrass Shrimp

N22a

Zooplankton

Eats: Phytoplankton

Eaten By: Grass ShrimpSand ShrimpMenhadenSilversidesSoft-Shelled ClamHard-Shelled Clam

Zooplankton

Eats: Phytoplankton

Eaten By: Grass ShrimpSand ShrimpMenhadenSilversidesSoft-Shelled ClamHard-Shelled Clam

N23a

Soft-Shelled Clam(Mya arenaria)

Eats: PhytoplanktonZooplankton

Eaten By: Blue Claw CrabMoon SnailsMenhadenMummichogStriped Bass

Hard-Shelled Clam(Mercenaria mercenaria)

Eats: PhytoplanktonZooplankton

Eaten By: Blue Claw CrabMummichogBassMoon SnailRing-Billed Gull

N24a

Sand Shrimp(Crangon septemspinosa)

Eats: PhytoplanktonZooplankton

Eaten By: Great Blue HeronBluefishFlounderWeakfishSilverside

Grass Shrimp(Hippolyte sp.)

Eats: PhytoplanktonZooplankton

Eaten By: WeakfishFlounderBluefishBlue Claw Crab

N25a

Blue Claw Crab(Callinectes sapidus)

Eats: SilversidesSoft- and Hard-Shelled ClamsYoung Blue Claw CrabsShrimpMussels

Eaten By: Hermit CrabsWeakfishFlounderBirdsHumans

Horseshoe Crab(Limulus polyphemus)

Eats: WormsClamsDead FishSoft-Shelled Mollusks

Eaten By: Seagulls

Song Sparrows, Mourning Doves, Pigeons,Common Grackles, House Sparrows, HouseFinches, Cowbirds, and Starlings eat Limuluspolyphemus eggs. Egrets, Herons and BlackSkimmers come for the fish that eat the eggs.

• Threatened by shoreline development

N26a

Flat-Clawed Hermit Crab(Pagurus pollicaris)

Eats: PlantsYoung ClamsFish and Snail EggsDead Fish

Eaten By: Blue Claw Crab

• Pagurus pollicaris is a scavenger

Northern Moon Snail(Lunatia heros)

Eats: ClamsMusselsMoonsnails

Eaten By: CrabLobsterBirdsOther Moon Snails

N27a

Atlantic Silverside(Menidea menidea)

Eats: PhytoplanktonZooplanktonCopepodsShrimpYoung SquidWormsInsectsFish Eggs

Eaten By: SticklebackMummichogDiamondback TerrapinBluefishMenhadenFlounder

Striped Mummichog(Fundulus majalis)

Eats: Small Clams, Lobstersand Crabs

InsectsInsect LarvaeFish

Eaten By: WeakfishFlounderBluefishMenhaden

N28a

Threespine Stickleback(Gasterosteus aculeatus)

Eats: SilversidesFish Eggs

Eaten By: BluefishWeakfishMenhadenBassBirds

Menhaden(Brevoortia tyrannus)

Eats: PhytoplanktonZooplanktonAmphipodsIsopods

Eaten By: BirdsHumans

CopepodsSmall Clams, Lobsters

and Crabs

N29a

Striped Bass(Morone saxatilis)

Eats: ClamsCalico CrabsHerringMenhadenMullet

Eaten By: BirdsHumans

Bluefish(Pomatomus saltrix)

Eats: ShrimpSquidCrabsWormsButterfishHerring

Sand LanceMenhadenSilversidesAnchovies

Eaten By: BirdsHumans

N30a

Summer Flounder(Paralichthys dentatus)

Eats: WormsShrimpRock CrabsSilversides

MummichogsBluefishWeakfishKillifish

Weakfish(Cynoscion regalis)

Eats: Grass ShrimpSand ShrimpCrabsWorms

SilversidesAnchoviesMummichogsKillifish

Eaten By: BirdsHumans

Eaten By: BirdsHumans

N31a

Northern Lobster(Homarus americanus)

Eats: Blue MusselAmphipodsSand DollarsSilversidesMummichogs

Eaten By: BirdsHumans

Piping Plover(Charadruis melodus)

Eats: Marine WormsAmphipodsIsopodsCopepodsSmall CrabsMusselsSnailsSmall Eggs of Animals

N32a

Ring-Billed Gull(Larus delawarensis.)

Eats: ClamsMusselsSmall FishGarbage

Osprey(Pandion haliaetus)

Eats: Striped BassBluefishMenhadenFlounderWeakfish

N33a

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N34a

Humans(Homo sapiens)

Eats: Northern LobsterBlue Claw CrabBluefishMenhaden

Striped BassSummer FlounderWeakfish

• Has been known to leave garbage behind.