Module 5

Investigating Coastal and Marine Environments
through Science

Resources

Resource 1

Science - A Curriculum Profile for Australian Schools

Strand: Working Scientifically

Level	Planning investigations	Conducting investigations	Processing data
1	1.13 Lists, without support, what is known about familiar situations and suggests questions for investigation. Plan investigations.	1.14 Carries out instructions and procedures involving a small number of steps. Carry out procedures involving a small number of steps.	1.15 Talks about observation and suggests possible interpretations. Process data.
2	2.13 Formulates questions to guide observation and investigations of familiar situations. List questions that can guide investigations of marine environments.	2.14 Conducts simple tests and describes observations. Conduct tests and describe observations of a marine environment.	2.15 Identifies patterns and grouping in information to draw conclusions Draw conclusions on a marine investigation.
3	3.13 Suggests ways of doing investigations, giving consideration to fairness. Identify different ways of doing marine investigations.	3.14 Organises and uses equipment to gather and present information. Organise equipment and presentation of information.	3.15 Argues conclusions on the basis of collected information and personal experience. Argue conclusions.
4	4.13 Identifies factors to be considered in investigations, controls which may be needed and ways of achieving control. Identify factors involved in marine investigation.	4.14 Collects and records information as accurately as equipment permits and investigation purposes require. Collect and record information accurately.	4.15 Draws conclusions linked to the information gathered and the purposes of the investigation. Organise data so as to draw conclusions related to the original aims.
5	5.13 Selects an appropriate pathway for an investigation, given its purposes and the resources available. Identify ways for carrying out a marine investigation and compare the resources required for each.	5.14 Uses instruments and techniques to provide accurate and reliable results. Conduct investigations which require correct use of instruments and techniques, in order to achieve accuracy and reliability.	5.15 Selects ways to present information that clarifies pattern an assists in making generalisations. Organise experimental data.
6	6.13 Plans procedures to investigate hypotheses and predictions for situations involving few variables.	6.14 Selects instruments and techniques to collect useful quantitative and qualitative information. Utilise quantitative and qualitative information during marine investigations.	6.15 Uses information as a stimulus for further investigations or analysis. Identify limitations in model used.
7	7.13 Identifies advantages and limitations of controlled experiments and describes alternatives. Identify advantages and limitations of controlled experiments and describe alternatives.	7.14 Takes account of the limitations of techniques and instruments and their influence on the accuracy and reliability of an investigation. Discuss the limitations of techniques and instruments when reporting results.	7.15 Identifies the limitations of particular forms of information and analysis Identify limitations in model used.
8	8.13 Identifies and considers ethical implications of investigative procedures. Discuss the need for investigations and their ethical implications.	8.14 Assesses dangers in particular procedures and equipment, taking responsibility for their safe and accurate use. Identify dangers with certain procedures.	8.15 Demonstrates rigour in handling of data. Discuss issues involved with handling data.

Strand: Working Scientifically

Level	Evaluating Findings	Using Science	Acting Responsibility
1	1.16 Relates observations and interpretations to other situations. Evaluate findings.	1.17 Identifies ways science is used in daily life.	1.18 Collaborates with others in the care of living things.
2	2.16 Cooperatively suggests possible improvements to investigations in the light of findings. Cooperatively evaluate marine investigations.	2.17 Describes the ways people in the community use science. Describe ways people in the marine field use science	2.18 Explains ways that applications of science protect people.
3	3.16 Evaluates the fairness of a test designed and carried out. Evaluates the fairness of a marine investigation.	3.17 Compares ways of solving problems and finding explanations. Identify ways of solving problems and finding explanations	3.18 Identifies ways science is used responsibly in the community. Identify ways science is used responsibly in a marine environment.
4	4.16 Reviews the extent to which conclusions are reasonable answers to the questions asked. Compare conclusions with the original aims of marine investigations.	4.17 Describes techniques used to extend the senses. Identify techniques used in exploring the oceans and other marine environments.	4.18 Identifies the information needed to make decisions about an application of science. Determine the information required to make a judgement about an application of science.
5	5.16 Identifies and considers factors that influence and confidence in a conclusions. Critically evaluate experimental findings and conclusions.	5.17 Identifies factors that influence people's perceptions of science. Investigate factors which influence people's understanding of marine science.	5.18 Proposes and compares options when making decisions or taking action. Achieve alternative solutions to a problem
6	6.16 Assesses conclusions in relation to other evidence and sources. Compare experimental findings and conclusions.	6.17 Reports on factors that have made possible or limited the work of particular scientists. Assess the achievement of marine scientists and the contexts which they worked.	6.18 Analyses costs and benefits of alternative scientific choices about a community problem. Analyse costs and benefits of alternative scientific choices about a community problem.
7	7.16 Discuss the limitations of conclusions. Identify limitations of conclusions.	7.17 Analyses the influence certain scientists have had on the ways we think about the world. Analyse the influence marine scientists have had on our thoughts about the world.	7.18 Reports on actions taken by scientists over concerns about responsible applications of science. Assess the involvement marine scientists have in environmental issues.
8	8.16 Evaluates the implications of investigation for other people and the environment and considers ethical questions. Discuss social implications of investigations.	8.17 Analyses the interactions between scientific developments and the beliefs and values of society. Analyse the interactions between scientific developments and beliefs and values of society.	8.18 Identifies and reports on the information need to make a responsible decision about a scientific endeavour. Identify and report on the information required to make a decision about marine endeavour.

Resource 2A

Investigating Plankton from the Mangroves

Plankton are producers and lower order consumers in the carbon cycle. A plankton trawl can be carried out from a jetty inside a mangrove forest at dusk. Once collected they should be transferred to seawater in a tank and can be observed using a dissecting microscope.

Activities

• Draw two zooplankton and phytoplankton species that you find in the plankton samples.

• Explain how plankton move in the water.

• Draw a simple food chain using the species identified from the study area?

• What human activities may affect the number of plankton in your sample?

Resource 2B

Change and the Mangroves

Background Information

Mangroves are fragile and lots of human activities could seriously threaten them. Now that you have done some reading about the mangroves you have been sent out to check the state of the mangroves at different places along the Australian coast. Try and think about some reasons for what you see.

Location 1

You walk through the mangrove forest and onto the mudflat and you only see one or two crabs. It is winter.

Cause:

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Effect on the environment:

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Should anything be done to help the situation? What?

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Location 2

You observe that many mangrove trees have lost their leaves. It is summer time and the roots of the mangrove trees look healthy.

Cause:

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Effect on the environment:

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Should anything be done to help the situation? What?

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Location 3

You record that the whole of the area past the mangrove trees has an enormous amount of algae. It is February.

Cause:

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Effect on the environment:

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Should anything be done to help the situation? What?

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Resource 2C

Field Excursion to the Mangroves
- Junior Secondary

Saltmarsh

1. Draw the red plant which is found in this area.
2. Some of the snails are found underneath these plants.
3. How do they feel? (smooth, bumpy etc.)

The Mangrove Forest

1. Draw a leaf of the main mangrove tree in the area. Find out from an identification book the name of this tree.
2. Lick the leaf. How does it taste?
3. Name some of these plants and animals.
4. Run a transect, from the land to the sea run a transect and every 10 m put down the 1 m quadrat and count the animals and plants under the quadrat.
5. Measure the air and soil temperature at each quadrat.
6. Fill in table below.

Back at School

1. Graph your results (number of organisms and temperature).
2. Did the animals or plants change in number throughout the forest?
3. Where were the animals in greatest abundance?
4. Think of some reasons for this and write them down.

Organism/ Temperature	Quadrat 1	Quadrat 2	Quadrat 3	Quadrat 4	Quadrat 5

Resource 2D

Investigating Common Barnacles in the Mangroves

Background Information