Creeps from the Deep!

Transcription

1 Creeps from the Deep! Life in the Deep Sea An Educator s Guide GRADES: 3-8; multi-age PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: This guide provided by the Oklahoma Aquarium explores the extreme conditions of the deep sea, examines some of the adaptations that enable Creeps from the Deep to survive, studies the challenges of deep sea exploration, and kindles curiosity in the hearts of future deep sea explorers. *Before your class visits the Oklahoma Aquarium* This guide contains information and activities for you to use both before and after your visit to the Oklahoma Aquarium. You may want to read stories about aquatic environments and their inhabitants to the students, present information in class, or utilize some of the activities from this booklet.

2 Life in the Deep Sea Table of Contents Creeps From the Deep Abstract 2 Educator Information 3 Vocabulary 6 Resources/Reference Materials 8 PASS Standards 9 Accompanying Activities - Shrink Wrap Arm 11 - Bottle Pressure 11 - Scratch Art 12 - Bioluminescent Fish Craft (Flashlight Fish) 12 - Bioluminescent Fish Find Game 13 - Hydrothermal Vent Demonstration 14 - Make a Bathymetric Map 15 - Senses and Sonar 17 - Ocean Exploration Museum 18 - Design an Adapted Deep Sea Animal 19 - Deep Sea Discovery 20 - Hydrothermal Vent Maze 21 - Decoding the Deep Challenge 22 Answer Keys 23 1

3 Creeps from the Deep: Abstract Where can you find animals that produce their own light, scalding mineral-rich water spewing from the earth, and total darkness? Envision a world with no sunlight, intense pressure, and frigid temperatures, and you have a partial picture of the extreme environment of the deep sea. Even in this age of technology and exploration, we know very little about the depths of the ocean. The deep ocean includes more that 75% of the ocean s water, 60% of our planet is covered in water over a mile deep, but less than 1% of the deep ocean has been explored. The limitations of the human body and human technology have thus far thwarted our efforts to study in depth the mysteries of the deep. In fact, we know less about the deep ocean than we know about the Moon. Although our knowledge of the deep sea is limited, what we do know is fascinating. Life in the deep is unlike life anywhere else on Earth and the creatures that survive in this harsh environment boast their own set of intriguing adaptations. From animals that produce their own light, to creatures that eat prey larger than themselves, the Creeps from the Deep not only survive, but thrive in their habitat. Centuries of study have answered many questions, but have also created so many more. Dive into this thrilling alien world at the Oklahoma Aquarium as your class journeys to the depths of the ocean to explore this little-known, but expansive realm. 2

4 Creeps from the Deep: Educator Information Ocean Light Zones The ocean is divided into zones based on how much light penetrates the water. The deeper the water, the less sunlight penetrates the water. Only the top layer of the ocean, the Sunlight Zone, receives enough sunlight to enable plants to grow. Life is very different in each of these zones. As light and temperature decreases in the descent to the deep, water pressure increases dramatically. Following are the basic light zone divisions and the depths associated with each level: Zone Name Depth Range Sunlight Zone ft Twilight Zone 650-3,300 ft Midnight Zone 3,300-13,200 ft Abyssal Zone 13,200-19,700 ft Hadal Zone 19,700 36,200 ft Challenges of Deep-Sea Exploration 75% of the ocean water is considered deep ocean and less than 1% of it has been explored by man. Scuba divers can barely scratch the surface of the Sunlight Zone, so submersibles or ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) are required to explore the depths of the ocean. Building and using a submersible however, is not a cheap endeavor. Currently, only about 5 submersibles in the world are capable of exploring any portion of the Deep Sea. An American submersible called Alvin can go no deeper than the upper portion of the Midnight Zone, yet building costs for Alvin were in excess of $20 million. In addition to the lack of light, cold temperatures, and financial hurdles, pressure is also a problem for human deep sea explorers. The water pressure increases as you go deeper in the ocean. The pressure in the deep ocean is so great that it can crush a soda can - or even a submarine if it is not built with very strong materials. The water pressure in the Marianas Trench is roughly equivalent to one person trying to hold fifty jumbo jets! 3

5 Adaptations of Deep Sea Animals The harsh environment of the deep presents extreme challenges to its inhabitants and requires a special set of adaptations to survive and thrive. 90% of all animals living below 2,300 feet (the middle of the Twilight Zone) are bioluminescent, meaning they can produce their own light. Some aquatic animals are bioluminescent in order to avoid becoming lunch. Animals also use bioluminescence to confuse their predators, find mates, communicate, and to attract prey. Bioluminescence occurs as the result of a chemical reaction between luciferin and luciferase, often, this reaction occurs in a light-producing organ called a photophore. Some animals produce the chemical reaction internally and others depend on bioluminescent bacteria to create the chemical reaction that causes bioluminescence. Although the most common color of bioluminescence is blue, it can also be red, violet, orange, green, and yellow. Other adaptations of animals in the deep include large mouths, modified fins, long, sharp teeth, and highly expandable stomachs. Chimneys and Smoke in the Ocean? In 1977, scientists discovered cracks in the ocean floor that were spewing extremely hot mineral-rich water. Today we know that the water flowing from these hydrothermal vents can be as hot as 750 Fahrenheit. The water does not boil because it is under so much pressure deep in the ocean. One of the chemicals contained in the water is dissolved sulfur, which is poisonous to most living organisms. Over time, the minerals in the eruptions gather around the site of eruption and form an underwater chimney-type structure. The chimney forms because the difference in water temperature between the vent water and regular sea water causes the metals and minerals to separate from the vent water and fall to the ground. The precipitated minerals and metals form a fast-growing chimney. One underwater chimney nicknamed Godzilla grew to fifteen stories high before collapsing under its own weight. Depending on the minerals and metals present in the water, the plumes of water are usually white or black. Black smokers are usually hotter and have larger chimneys than white smokers. 4

6 Origins of Hydrothermal Vents The crust of the Earth is made up of twelve or so plates of land called tectonic plates that are constantly moving. When the plates collide or shift, earthquakes and volcanoes form. When the plates under the ocean move apart from each other, they form cracks in the ocean floor. Sea water seeps down into the cracks and is heated by molten rock under the surface of the earth. When the water is very hot, it seeps back up through the cracks, mixes with the cool deep sea water, and erupts like a geyser. Vents tend to form in clusters, mainly along the Mid-Oceanic Ridge, with vent openings ranging from six inches to six feet in diameter and reach depths of more than a mile under the seafloor. Life in the Vents: Over 300 species of life have been discovered living near hydrothermal vents; however, only 1% of the known hydrothermal vents have been studied, so the actual number of species could be significantly higher. With the scalding water temperature and poisonous gasses constantly spewing from the earth, it takes a special type of creature to survive in the hydrothermal vent area. Bacteria thrive in the extreme conditions of a hydrothermal vent. Around some hydrothermal vents, there are snowstorms of bacteria that form bacterial mats several inches thick on the ocean floor. Giant tubeworms thrive near the openings of hydrothermal vents. The tubeworms are the fastest-growing marine invertebrate, growing up to 33 inches per year. These tubeworms can grow to be longer than 8 feet and can survive because of the presence of symbiotic bacteria in their bodies. The bacteria, called chemoautotrophs, convert the chemicals spewed by the vents (usually hydrogen sulfide) into food for the worms and themselves. The process they use is called chemosynthesis and is similar to the process plants use to convert sunlight into food (photosynthesis). Eyeless shrimp, white crabs, giant white clams, a host of worms, and an occasional octopus frequent the vents. Conclusion Home to intriguing geologic and ecological phenomenon, the deep ocean provides numerous opportunities for research, exploration, and imagination. Who knows what life forms wait to be discovered in this black universe? 5

7 VOCABULARY: Adaptation Amphipod Bathymetric a characteristic body part, shape or behavior that helps a plant or animal survive in its environment an extremely abundant crustacean found in most all aquatic habitats. of or relating to measurements of the depths of bodies of water Bioluminescence the emission of light from living organisms; caused by a chemical reaction Challenger Deep the deepest known point in the ocean; located in the Marianas Trench Chemoautotroph an organism that derives energy from chemicals in non-living surroundings Chemosynthesis Energy Habitat the process by which some bacteria use chemicals (like hydrogen sulfide) to provide the energy they need for life useable heat or power, derived from various sources the area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally lives or occurs Hydrothermal Vent a crack or fissure in the ocean floor through which hot water and minerals are ejected into the ocean Invertebrate an animal without a backbone 6

8 Marianas Trench a depression with a maximum depth of 11,040.4 m (36,198 ft) in the floor of the western Pacific Ocean, south and east of Guam; the deepest spot in the ocean Microbe Photophore Photosynthesis ROV Scuba Sonar Submersible Symbiotic Tectonic Plate a tiny organism or microorganism that can only be seen under a microscope a light-producing organ found especially in marine fishes that emits light from specialized structures, or derives light from symbiotic luminescent bacteria the process in green plants and certain other organisms by which sugars are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source an underwater vehicle that is connected to an operator via power and/or communication tether (Remotely Operated Vehicle) a portable apparatus containing compressed air and used for breathing under water (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) a system using transmitted and reflected underwater sound waves to detect and locate submerged objects, or measure the distance to the floor of a body of water (Sounds Navigation and Ranging) a research vessel capable of operating or remaining under water a relationship in which two or more dissimilar organisms live together in close association the two sub-layers of the earth's crust (lithosphere) that move, float, and sometimes fracture and whose interaction causes continental drift, earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and oceanic trenches 7

9 RESOURCES: Internet Resources: Video/DVD: The Blue Planet Seas of Life: Open Ocean- The Deep Release Year: 2003 Duration: 98 minutes Studio: BBC Video ASIN: B00005UM1S Marine Bioluminescence: Secret Lights of the Sea Release Year: 2000 Studio: Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Duration: 26 minutes ISBN: Books and References: Van Dover, Cindy Lee (2000) The Ecology of Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents. Princeton University Press Hoyt, Erich (2001) Creatures of the Deep. Firefly Books Ltd. Slager, Christina J. (1999) Mysteries of the Deep: Exploring Life in the Deep Sea. Monterey Bay Aquarium Press. Collard III, Sneed B. (1992) Creepy Creatures. Charlesbridge Publishing Inc. Demuth, Patricia (1995) Way Down Deep: Strange Ocean Creatures. Grosset and Dunlap. 8

10 Macinnis, Joseph Dr. (2004) Aliens of the Deep. National Geographic Society. PASS STANDARDS MET: All education programs and their accompanying materials at the Oklahoma Aquarium will meet several Oklahoma PASS objectives in various disciplines. The following list is not all inclusive. SCIENCE Science Processes and Inquiry (grade K) Process Standard 1 Science Processes and Inquiry (grade 1-8) Process Standard 1 Observe and Measure (grade 1-8) Process Standard 2 Classify (grade 1-5) Process Standard 3 Experiment and Inquiry (grade 1-8) Process Standard 4 Interpret and Communicate (grade 1, 4-8) Process Standard 5 Inquiry Physical Science (grade K) (grade 1-3) (grade 4) (grade 5) (grade 6) (grade 7) in (grade 8) in (grade 4) (grade 6) Standard 1 Physical Science Standard 1 Properties of Objects and Materials Standard 1 Position and Motion of Objects Standard 1 Properties of Matter and Energy Standard 1 Physical Properties in Matter Standard 1 Properties and Physical Changes Matter Standard 1 Properties and Chemical Changes Matter Standard 2 Energy Standard 2 Transfer of Energy Life Science (grade K) (grade 1) Standard 2 Life Science Standard 2 Characteristics and Basic Needs of 9

11 (grade 2) (grade 3) of (grade 5) (grade 7) (grade 4) (grade 6) (grade 8) (grade 6) (grade 7) Organisms Standard 2 Life Cycles and Organisms Standard 2 Characteristics and Basic Needs Organisms and Environments Standard 2 Organisms and Environments Standard 2 Structure and Function in Living Systems Standard 3 Characteristics of Organisms Standard 3 Structure and Function in Living Systems Standard 3 Diversity and Adaptations of Organisms Standard 4 Populations and Ecosystems Standard 4 Behavior and Regulations Earth/Space Science (grade K) Standard 3 Earth Science (grade 1) Standard 3 Changes of Earth and Sky (grade 2) Standard 3 Properties and Changes of Earth and Sky (grade 3) Standard 3 Properties of Earth Materials (grade 5) Standard 3 - Structure of the Earth and the Solar System (grade 4) Standard 4 Properties of Earth and Moon (grade 8) Standard 4 Structures and Forces of the Earth and Solar System (grade 6) Standard 5 Structure of the Earth and the Solar System (grade 7) Standard 5 Structure of the Earth System (grade 8) Standard 5 Earth s History 10

12 Shrink-Wrap Arm As the depth of the ocean increases, the pressure does also. Pressure in the Challenger Deep of the Marianas Trench is roughly equivalent to one person trying to hold fifty jumbo jets. Before completing this activity, discuss how water pressure increases as the depth of the ocean increases. To extend the water pressure lesson, complete the Bottle Pressure experiment. Materials Needed: Deep Bucket Several Trash Bags Water Fill a deep bucket with water Have several large trash bags available for student use. One at a time, each student places his or her arm in the plastic bag, holds the top of the bag around his/her arm, and places his arm in a bucket full of water. The student s arm will become shrink wrapped as the water pressure comes from all sides and pushes the bag against the child s arm. Bottle Pressure Here s another hands-on activity to help your students understand the impact of depth on water pressure. Pair this lesson with Shrink-Wrap Arm. Be sure to conduct this activity in a deep pan, over the sink, or outside. Materials Needed: 2-liter bottle Masking Tape Small Plastic Water Bottle Water Deep Pan Pen Allow students to complete this activity in small groups Use a pen to poke two identical holes in each 2-liter bottle. Make one hole two inches from the bottom and another whole three inches above the first. Stand one bottle in a deep pan, tape the holes closed, and fill the bottle with water. Remove the two pieces of tape. As the water shoots out, how does the flow change? (It slows down because there s less pressure as the water drains out.) Which hole squirts farthest? Why? (The bottom hole squirts farther because the deeper the water, the greater the water pressure.) Measure the water flow with a ruler. o Fill the small bottle with water to the same depth as the first and repeat the experiment to show that depth, not volume, cause greater pressure. 11

13 Scratch Art Materials Needed: Toothpicks Scratch Art Paper Pencils Paper Clips Reference Materials Paper Scratch art paper provides the perfect medium for etching pictures of Creeps from the Deep. The silhouettes of the deep sea creatures emerge from a black background, proudly displaying their bioluminescent abilities. Each student selects and researches a Deep Ocean animal. The student writes a description of the creature that includes its name, depth range, physical description, and special adaptations that help it survive in the depths of the ocean. To accompany their written description, students use a toothpick or bent paper clip to etch a picture of their creature on a piece of scratch art paper. Share the descriptions and pictures with the class. You may desire to display the artwork and accompanying descriptions on a class bulletin board. Scratch art paper can be purchased from Fun Express, School Specialty, or Oriental Trading Company. Bioluminescent Fish Craft (Flashlight Fish) Since the Deep Ocean is so dark, many creatures that live there produce their own light. The ability of a living organism to produce its own light is known as bioluminescence. 90% of all animals living below 2,300 feet are bioluminescent. Your students will enjoy creating their own bioluminescent fish that really create light! Materials Needed: Fun Foam Wiggle Eyes Tacky Glue Cool Melt Glue Gun/ Glue Scissors Pencil Mini pressure operated flashlight keychain (Available at Fun Express or Oriental Trading Co) Draw the outline of a fish or other sea animal on a piece of fun foam. Cut out and trace the fish on another piece of fun foam so that you have two identical fish. One foam fish will be glued to each side of the mini-flashlight keychain. The pressure-activated flashlights work best with this craft. You can position the flashlight to shine out of the fish s mouth, head, etc. Attach the foam fish body to each side of the flashlight with a cool melt glue gun (Adult supervision required). Add eyes, stripes, and other embellishments to each side of the fish with Tacky glue. Turn out the lights in the classroom and allow students to play with their bioluminescent fish. Have them imagine what it would be like to live in the Deep Ocean with no available light source besides bioluminescence. These fish can be used for the bioluminescent fish find game. 12

14 Bioluminescent Fish Find Game For this game, students will pretend to be Deep Sea creatures that can see only the bioluminescent flashes of other creatures in the Deep Sea. Using these flashes, students will locate all the other members of their species. Materials Needed: Flashlight for each student Flash Pattern Cards Before class, make a flash pattern card for each student. You should have 2-4 cards of each flash pattern. Examples of flash patterns include, but are not limited to: - Long, Long, Short, Long - Short, Long, Short The words short and long refer to the duration of a flash of light. Explain to students that some Deep Sea creatures must rely on bioluminescence to locate other creatures of a similar species. Some scientists think that each species of Deep Sea creature flashes its own unique bioluminescent pattern to locate a mate. Distribute a flash pattern card to each student and explain that the flash pattern is unique to their species of Deep Sea creature. The goal of the game is to find all the other similar species in the classroom. Distribute a flashlight to each student. On your signal, students should get up from their desks and walk around the room, flashing their assigned signal with their flashlight. When members of a similar species locate each other, they should stay together. This game can be played with the classroom lights on or off, depending upon your preference. If students previously completed the Bioluminescent Fish Craft, they can use their creation instead of a large flashlight. Conclude the game with a discussion of the challenges of life in the Deep Sea. 13

15 Hydrothermal Vent Demonstration What is more fascinating than little-studied underwater chimneys in the deepest parts of the ocean that spew burning hot water and minerals and smell like rotten eggs? Your students will be enthralled with a study of hydrothermal vents (a.k.a. black smokers and white smokers) and the life that survives in this harsh environment. This activity provides a visual example of how hydrothermal vents erupt. Material Needed: Tall clear jar Red and Green food coloring Balloon Cold and Hot tap water 2-3 pennies/ washers for weight Fill a tall jar almost to the top with very cold water. Stretch the neck of a small balloon and drop in a few pennies (for weight). Squirt three drops of red and green food coloring into the balloon. Fill the balloon with very warm tap water (just enough to give it shape without stretching it). Holding the balloon with the neck pinched closed, gently set it on the floor of the water filled jar. Let go and watch! A column of black water will stream out of the balloon just as water heated by the inner earth flows up through a black smoker into the cool water around it. If you watch long enough, distinct blobs of color start to sink back down, just like the metals that rain back down on smokers. Discuss with your students the unique creatures that make their home in this harsh habitat. 14

16 Make a Bathymetric Map Pair this activity with the Senses and Sonar lesson for a more enriching learning experience. Materials Needed: Bathymetric map example One ball of clay per student Crayons or markers Two sheets of drawing paper per student Thin fishing line piece per student 1 Pencil per student Present the following information to students:! Voyages to the bottom of the sea are quite costly and timeconsuming. It would take a long time and a lot of money to journey to the ocean floor enough times to gather enough information to map the ocean floor. So, how do we have maps of the ocean floor? Oceanographers bounce sound waves off the ocean floor and time how long it takes the sound waves to bounce back. In deeper parts of the ocean, it takes longer for the sound waves to bounce back. Scientists call the process sonar. Ocean animals like dolphins and toothed whales use a similar process. Oceanographers can use special computers to graph the information gathered by sonar to create a picture or map of the ocean floor. It would be hard to carry a 3-D model of the ocean floor with you all the time, so map-makers have a different way to show the depths of the ocean on a flat surface. This is a bathymetric map of the ocean floor. (Show example)it is similar to a topographic map of the earth s surface. Each of the rings represents a change in height of the ocean floor. The closer together the rings are, the steeper the land. If the rings are far apart, the land is relatively flat. Land of the same height range will be included in the same ring. Sometimes the maps are color-coded and areas of similar height are the same color. We are going to build our own mountains and make a bathymetric map of them so that we can understand how the process works. Distribute the materials (see above) to students and encourage them to shape their clay into a mountain. Once the mountain is complete, mark its peak with a dot. Use a marker to draw a straight line that passes through the dot while running from "north" to "south" across the mountain. Use a different color marker to draw a second line running "east" to "west" perpendicular to the first. The mountain should now appear to be divided Into quadrants. These orientation lines will be important later. Draw 7 or 8 equidistant rings around the center dot. 15

17 Holding the fishing line taut, use it to slice through the clay along the lines you have just drawn. You should now have 8 or 9 layers. Place the bottom layer on a fresh sheet of paper and outline it. Be sure to mark where the orientation lines meet the paper. Make sure that the correct colors are lined up. Take the clay off the paper. Center the next layer within the outline, using the orientation lines to make sure the clay is in the right position. Outline this layer. Repeat with the remaining layers. Remove the last layer and explain to the students that they've begun making a bathymetric map. Assume that the base of the mountain was at 2,000 feet below sea level. Assign elevations to the remaining levels. The intervals must be consistent. Color each layer and create a map key. 16

18 Senses and Sonar: This activity works well in conjunction with Make a Bathymetric Map and helps students understand how scientists can "see" the ocean floor with sonar. Materials Needed: 6-10 common household items. Paper and Pencil for each student 6-10 boxes with lids Before class, gather 6 boxes with lids and place one common household item in each box. Label the boxes 1-6. Hand students a piece of paper and instruct them to make six columns down the paper. Label each column "Box 1", "Box 2", etc. Walk around the room shaking one box at a time. Instruct students to list what they hear as you shake each box. Encourage them to describe the sound, not to attempt to name the objects. Repeat for each remaining box. Students may have difficulty describing sounds. Provide help as needed by asking these questions: a. Are there many objects or a few? b. Is the object as big as the inside of the box or smaller? c. Is the object hard or soft? d. Does it slide, tumble, or roll? e. Is the object uniform or does it roll one way and tumble the other? f. Does it sound like metal, glass, plastic, etc.? g. Is it heavy, light or in between? After all boxes have been examined, ask student to share their descriptions. As students share their responses, build a list of terms on the board and categorize the terms. Students should see that the terms describe various properties including: number, size, shape, texture, mass, and composition. Point out the wide range of information they obtained from just sound waves, using their sense of hearing. Tell the students that all the objects in the boxes are common household objects. Instruct them to make inferences about the identity of the object in each box. Ask for student responses. Point out that one can interpret sound waves in several ways. No one interpretation is necessarily right. After discussing each box, open the box and let them check their inferences. Explain that they were able to interpret sound waves to see something hidden from view, just as sonar is used to see the hidden world of the ocean floor. Explain that sonar was not the first way scientists tried to see the ocean floor, but is the best way we have available to us today. This could segue into the Ocean Exploration Museum lesson. 17

19 Ocean Exploration Museum Materials Needed: Internet Access Reference Materials Craft supplies In groups, have students research the history of Ocean Exploration. As a class, create a mini-museum of Ocean Exploration. The museum can include 3D models, video, pictures, or any other elements you deem appropriate and practical. Invite other classes in the school to visit your mini-museum of Ocean Exploration. A few notable advances in Ocean exploration that could be explored are: Rope method of oceanic depth discovery Diving Bells SCUBA Bathysphere Bathyscaph (Trieste) Submersibles ROV Hardsuit 2000 SONAR The explorers, inventors, and scientists associated with each of the previously listed achievements in Ocean Exploration can also be spotlighted in the mini-museum. The following websites may help your class during the research phase of this project:

20 Design an Adapted Deep Sea Animal Materials Needed: Reference Materials Poster board Crayons/Markers Study the adaptations of various residents of the Deep Sea that help them survive in their environment. Now the fun begins! On a piece of construction paper or poster board, draw your own animal that is specially adapted to living in the Deep Ocean. Consider adaptations that help the animal eat, find food, and avoid becoming lunch in the deep ocean. The sky is the limit be creative and have fun with the project. After all pictures are complete, present the animal to the class, tell its name, and explain what special adaptations that it has that enable it to survive in the depths of the ocean. The creatures can also be fashioned from three-dimensional materials (modeling clay, paper maché, etc.) 19

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23 Decoding the Deep Challenge With a team, complete the Decoding the Deep Challenge. 1.) If you ever saw a cow jump over the moon, write A in spaces 1 and 15. If not, write W in those spaces. 2.) If X comes before H in the alphabet, write T in spaces 5, 7, and 23. If it comes after H, write I in those spaces. 3.) If 140 is less than 12 dozen, Write A in spaces 10, 21, and 35. If it is more than 12 dozen, write E in those spaces. 4.) If most abyssal (VERY DEEP) marine animals will eat whatever they can find, write L in space forty-five and thirty-one. If they are picky eaters, write N in those spaces then put an S in space ) If the Mariana Trench is in the Arctic Ocean, fill in space eleven and the space to the right with an M. If the Mariana trench is in the Pacific Ocean, write L in the previously mentioned spaces. 6.) If the deepest part of the ocean is warm, write D in space 42 and J in spaces 2 and 16. If it is cold, write O in space 42 and H in spaces 2 and ) Write the 13 th letter of the alphabet in Space ) In spaces 24 and 27, write the first letter of the word nautilus. 9.) If you prefer spaghetti with worms, write a K in spaces 6 and space If you would rather eat spaghetti with noodles, write an S in those spaces. 10.) If pressure is greater in deep water than in shallow water, write an A after the first H in the puzzle. If pressure is greater in shallow water than deep water, write an E in this space. 11.) Write an R in the space that can be divided by 11 two times evenly. Write the same letter in the space that can be divided by eleven three times evenly. 12.) Spaces nine and thirty-two need attention. If there is no life near thermal vents on the ocean floor, add a T to those spaces. If there is life near thermal vents on the ocean floor, write C in those spaces. 13.) Write the letter that is halfway between Q and W in spaces 8, 36, 40, and space 98 divided by two. 14.) If the Oklahoma Aquarium is next to the Mississippi River, write F in spaces 13, 17, 25, 34 and 37. If the Oklahoma Aquarium is located next to the Arkansas River, write E in those spaces. 15.) Using the letters of the word MAID (in order), put the first letter in space 29, the second letter in space 19, the third letter in space 28, and the fourth letter in the last space of the fourth word. 16.) The letter that is in space 24 must also be in space ) If maps of the ocean floor are called bathymetric, fill in space 4 with the same letter that is in space 49. If maps of the ocean floor are called topographic, use the letter in space 33 to complete the first word. 18.) Word 8 needs to be completed. Go back to the beginning of the alphabet to fill in the missing spaces. 19.) To find the letter for space 41, write the letter that comes immediately before the letter to the left. 20.) If mudskippers and Catfish live in the Deep fill in space 39 with O, space 48 with the letter that comes before O, and 47 with the letter that comes immediately before the letter to its right. If Viperfish and Hatchetfish live in the Deep, fill in spaces 39 and 46 with I, space 48 with the letter that comes before I, and 47 with the letter that comes immediately before the letter to its right. 21.) It is time to complete the second to last word. Count the alphabet backwards to the 4 th letter and write it in space ) If you are more than 70 months old, write an N in the last remaining space. If you are younger than 70 months old, fill in the space with an E ? Write the answer to the question you just decoded on this page and send someone to your teacher with the paper. The first team to accurately decode the question and write the correct answer will win this challenge. 22

24 CREEPS FROM THE DEEP Answer Keys Answers to Deep Sea Discovery 1.) Tripod Fish 2.) Gulper Eel 3.) Angler Fish 4.) Vampire Squid 5.) Sea Cucumber Answers to Decoding the Deep Challenge: Mystery Question: What is it called when a marine animal creates its own light? Answer: Bioluminescence 23