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