Where in Alaska?
Using art to illustrate marine life along the coast
Grade: 3rd - 5th
Goal:
Students will be able to discuss the characteristics of
a mammal and the physical adaptations of marine mammals.
They will also be able to identify and discuss anatomy
and morphology of different pinnipeds. Emphasis will be
placed on basic art technique to produce good visual representation
of the pinniped.
Objective: Students will be able
to…
Identify the characteristics of a mammal and the physical
adaptations of marine mammals.
· Investigate the basic physical adaptations of
pinnipeds and demonstrate their knowledge of the geography
of Alaska through hands-on craft activities.
· Read and create a map of coastal Alaska to locate
various habitats that seals and other marine animals utilize.
Standards:
Geography - A-1, A-3, B-1, B-2, C-3
Arts - A-3, D-6
Materials:
· Bake-able clay. This may be purchased at a craft
store or ordered on line at www.clayfactoryinc.com.
· Map illustrating the coastline of Alaska
· Overhead projector
· Reference books on North Pacific marine animals
· Hot glue gun for attaching animals to maps
· Scissors, crayons, glue, etc.
Activity 1:
Before students begin to create their clay seals, discuss
the characteristics of mammals and marine mammals.
Mammals:
1. breathe air
2. give birth to live young
3. mammary glands to nurse young
4. have hair or fur
5. have a backbone
6. warm blooded
Marine Mammals: possess all of the above characteristics
as well as…
1. often have blubber
2. hydrodynamic shape
3. tolerate tremendous pressure at depth
4. kidneys are specialized for dealing with the absence
of fresh water.
5. efficient use of oxygen (higher blood volume with increased
myoglobin in the muscle tissue).
The following information should be discussed
with students while creating their clay seals. As you
follow directions on creating your seals, go over the
various body parts and their functions.
Body shape - for seals, the rounded,
torpedo-shaped body design is hydrodynamic which makes
them less resistant in the water. This body plan also
allows the seals to slide rapidly on the ice in order
to escape potential predators.
Vibrissae - "whiskers"
in pinnipeds are very well developed and very sensitive.
They are used for tactile purposes (to feel objects),
and they are also used to detect vibrations in the water.
Front flippers - used mostly for
steering while in the water and pulling their bodies along
while on land. They have nails to help move around on
the rocks and ice as well as for defense. They also use
their front flippers to scratch. Each flipper has five
digits just like human hands.
Rear flippers - used for propelling
through the water. They use a lateral thunniform motion
where one flipper will close while the other sweeps through
the water in a back and forth motion. They also have nails
on the rear flippers, but they are not known to suit any
purpose. Each flipper has five digits just like human
feet.
Blubber -a thick layer of blubber
underneath their skin which helps them keep warm. A seal's
body temperature is about one degree warmer than ours.
Blubber also helps to keep them floating on the surface
when they are resting. At the ASLC, researchers study
blubber because pollutants tend to collect there and blubber
thickness can indicate the health of the animal.
Four main functions of blubber:
· Insulation
· Food storage
· Hydrodynamic shape
· Buoyancy
Eyes / Ears - eyes are large and
highly sensitive to allow the animal to peer through the
murk of coastal waters. Ears of a seal are internal and
all that is observable are little holes on either side
of its head. This helps to reduce water resistance and
also helps to conserve heat.
1. Roll your clay into a round, smooth ball. |
2. Taper one end. This end will be the head end. |
3. Make the other end pointed. This end will be
the tail end. |
4. Bend the neck up. |
5. Bend the head down. |
6. Using your paper as a knife, split the tail into
two pieces. |
7. Push the flippers down flat and split the mouth
open. |
8. Pinch out two front flippers and bend the nose
up. |
9. Make a small, round nose and two eyes. Add other
details. |
Congratulations, you have just
created a clay harbor seal.
Did you notice how your seal does
not have any ears? The ears of a harbor seal are internal
and all that is observable are little holes on either
side of its head. This helps to reduce water resistance
and also helps to conserve heat.
Is your seal's body short and fat?
Harbor seals have a thick layer of blubber underneath
their skin, which helps to keep them warm. The water at
the Alaska SeaLife Center is kept at approximately 45-50
degree Fahrenheit (about the same as our Discovery Touch
Tank). Incredibly, a seal's body temperature is about
1 degree warmer than ours is! This layer of blubber also
helps to keep them floating on the surface when they are
resting.
If you wish to make the flippers
more realistic looknig then be sure to divide them into
five little sections. Just as we humans have five digits
on each hand and foot, so do seals. You can also add little
nails to the front flippers. These nails are mainly used
for climbing out onto the icy shores, tearing fish and
scratching.
Did your seal look different from
the others in teh room? There are many different types
of seals. Some examples are; elephant, harp, ribbon, ringed,
Hawaiian monk, and bearded seals.
Bake your seal at 275 degrees for
20 minutes in a pre-heated oven. We use "Sculpty"
polimer product by Polyform.
Activity 2:
Reproduce a map of the Alaskan coastline
and create a transparency of the map. Use an overhead
projector to draw an enlarged version for a bulletin board
or classroom wall.
Students will label the map (cities, villages,
Gulf of Alaska, islands, etc.). Once the map is labeled
students can research the different types of marine animals
that are found in Alaska. Have students draw and color
pictures of the different animals and attach them to the
appropriate part of the map.
Extension activities:
· Identify and compare the characteristics of the
coastline that would attract a seal as a "haul-out"
location. List the characteristics.
· What type of area do these animals prefer?
· Describe the diversity /variation of the coastline.
· Are there people anywhere near these environments?
How close are they? What is the size of the population?
Graph this information.
· List geographic areas.
· Have students' research and include other marine
species, including polar bears, sea otters, sea birds
like puffins or guillemots, etc.
