Tide Pool Critter Lessons
A Note for Using These Resources:
These lesson plans were sourced from books that are targeted towards classroom or field trip environments. Feel free to adapt the procedures of these lesson plans however you may need to in order to fit your learner’s environment. Have fun exploring!This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) draw and label the parts of a fish,
2) describe how a fish sees, hears, smells, and moves underwater, and
3) compare how a fish and a scuba diver survive underwater.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, a diagram, and detailed lesson procedures to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of fishes.
For further exploration, check out the fishes in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) draw and label the parts of a snail,
2) describe similarities and differences between the adaptations of humans and snails,
3) infer how snails protect themselves from predators, and
4) infer how snails keep from drying out when the tide goes out.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, diagrams, and detailed lesson procedures to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of marine snails.
For further exploration, check out the snails and other mollusks in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) identify different crabs,
2) draw and label the parts of a crab,
3) infer how crabs see, hear, touch, and smell,
4) describe how crabs eat and catch prey,
5) describe how crabs protect themselves from predators and from drying out, and
6) describe how a crab molts.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, diagrams, detailed lesson procedures, and enrichment activities to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of crabs.
For further exploration, check out the crabs and other crustaceans in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) draw and label the parts of a barnacle,
2) draw a picture of a barnacle eating,
3) describe how a barnacle protects itself from predators, and
4) write a story about barnacles at high tide and at low tide.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, diagrams, detailed lesson procedures, and enrichment activities to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of barnacles.
For further exploration, check out the barnacles and other crustaceans in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) identify several seaweeds,
2) draw and label the parts of a seaweed,
3) list what seaweeds need in order to grow,
4) identify animals that eat seaweeds, and
5) list reasons why seaweeds are important.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, a diagram, detailed lesson procedures, and enrichment activities to explore and brainstorm the characteristics of seaweed.
For further exploration and enrichment, check out the video about kelp forests in the “Explore by Habitat” section of our website. Also, check out all the different kinds of algae in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
Sea Stars Take Their Stomachs Out for Lunch
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) draw and label the parts of a sea star,
2) identify what sea stars eat,
3) describe how a sea star eats shellfish, and
4) describe how a sea star moves.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, detailed lesson procedures, enrichment activities, and diagrams to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of sea stars.
For further exploration, check out the sea stars and other echinoderms in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) describe, draw, and label pictures of sea anemones,
2) identify what sea anemones eat,
3) draw a sequence showing how a sea anemone captures its prey, and
4) describe how a sea anemone keeps from drying out when the tide goes out.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, detailed lesson procedures, enrichment activities, and a diagram to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of sea anemones.
For further exploration, check out the sea anemones and other cnidarians in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
Hermit Crabs Rent Shell Houses
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) label the parts of a hermit crab,
2) describe how a hermit crab finds a new shell house, and
3) describe how a hermit crab protects itself from predators and from drying out when the tide goes out.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, detailed lesson procedures, a diagram, and a comic-writing activity to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of hermit crabs.
For further exploration, check out the hermit crabs and other crustaceans in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) draw and label the parts of a sea urchin,
2) identify what sea urchins eat,
3) infer how a sea urchin protects itself from predators, and
4) describe how a sea urchin moves.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, detailed lesson procedures, a diagram, and enrichment activities to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of sea urchins.
Although sea urchins aren’t often found at Haystack Rock, you can check out the other echinoderms in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia for further exploration.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.
This lesson is adaptable for learners in grades K-5. After completing this lesson, learners will be able to:
1) identify different shore birds,
2) draw and label the parts of a gull,
3) infer what gulls eat, and
4) describe how shore birds behave at high tide and at low tide.
This lesson plan includes a “What am I?” guessing game, detailed lesson procedures, a diagram, and enrichment activities to brainstorm and explore the characteristics of gulls.
For further exploration, check out the gulls and other birds in our Haystack Rock Species Encyclopedia.
This lesson plan was obtained from Once Upon a Seashore by Gloria Snively.