PAGE 11  EXPERIMENT

COUSTEAU KIDS EXPLORERS’ CLUB

Emphasis on: reading comprehension, science, motivation for discussion

Students learn how difficult it is to clean up an oil spill in this oil and water experiment.

Discussion: Ask students if they have ever heard the expression, "Oil and water don’t mix." Then ask them why they think oil is harmful to sea creatures. Explain to them that this experiment will show why cleaning an accidental oil spill is not an easy task.

Additional Experiment Ideas: Have students try dipping a feather into water, and another into oil, and let both dry overnight. Then let the students see if either of the feathers is dry the next day, and whether they can "fluff" either one with their fingers. The feather soaked in water should be able to be restored pretty well, but the one dipped in oil should still be gooey and not able to return to anything like its original condition. Ask students: how might this affect birds' feathers or animal fur contaminated in an oil spill?

PAGES 12-13  CREATURE FEATURE

GIANT GROUPERS

Emphasis on: reading comprehension, marine science, motivation for discussion

Students read an article written by a marine biologist on groupers.

Vocabulary Preview: camouflage, inhabit, precise, structure

Before reading: Ask students what advantage it might be for a fish to be the largest on a reef. (Intimidation factor, few predators, etc.) Tell them they are going to read about a fish that can grow to be over six feet long and weigh 400 pounds.

Discussion: Why do other fishes stay out of the giant grouper's way? How do groupers eat? Why have groupers become rare in some parts of the world? What has been done to help the grouper?

Reading comprehension: Ask students to explain why the limerick at the end of the article is funny. How does it pertain to the story they have just finished on the grouper?

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