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The Sonoran Desert Waters Institute began its education mission shortly after its inception. While still in its facility development phase, the SDWI has been providing marine education to school children in the Tucson area since 1989. Education about biodiversity and sustainability is the focal point of the Aquarium's outreach efforts. The overwhelming on-going success of its Education and Outreach Program is a constant reminder of the need for and want of marine education in the region.

El Acuario del Mar de Sonora comenzó su misión de educación poco después de su comienzo. Aunque todavía se encuentra en su fase de desarrollo de la facilidad, el Acuario del Mar de Sonora ha estado proporcionando educación marina a niños en escuelas del área de Tucson desde 1989. La educación acerca de la biodiversidad y sostenibilidad es el punto focal de los esfuerzos de alcance del Acuario. El éxito abrumador que sigue teniendo el Programa de Educación y Alcance es un recordatorio constante de la necesidad y deseo de la educación marina en la región.

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THE INVADERS
Outline of Instruction/Presentation

Pre-Visit Kit: (delivered to school two weeks prior to visit)

  1. Film: (First 14 minutes) “Arizona Lobsters” Capture and Cooking Tips
    SC(K-8)-S3C1 Changes in Environment
    SC(K-8)-S4C3 Organisms and Environments
     
  2. Website: Nab the Aquatic Invaders @ www.sgnis.org/kids/index.html
    (Arrest Rusty the Crayfish and Zeke the Zebra Mussel!)
    SC(K-4)-S3C2 Understand the impact of technology
    TECH(K-8)-S3 Technology Productivity Tools
    TECH(K-8)-S5 Technology Research Tools
     
  3. Definition Activity: Select one of the following activities, or one of your own choosing that will expose students too and reinforce their understanding of the five terms listed below. Use our definitions as a guide.
    R(K-8)-S3C1 Expository Text
     
    1. Provided form asks students to predict a definition, then research and define and finally determine an example in the Sonoran Desert.
    2. Using a flipchart (or the board if it can remain up until the visit) begin a
      concept map. Use the attached map as a guide.
       
  4. Copy of “Strangers In Our Waters” and “Global Hitchhikers”

Species:
A species is a group of organisms that share similar characteristics and can interbreed with one another to produce fertile offspring.
Endemic:
A species is regarded as “endemic” if it exists only in a specific area. Endemic species are frequently identified in areas that are geographically isolated like islands and mountain ranges or in extreme temperature zones.
Native:
A species is regarded as “native” if it has evolved in a specific area over a period of time; a naturally occurring species; indigenous. Species can be native to multiple areas.
Introduced:
A species is regarded as “introduced” if it is not native to a given place or area and instead has been accidentally or deliberately transported to this new location by human
activity. An introduced species may or may not be damaging to the ecosystem it is introduced to.
Invasive:
A species is regarded as “invasive” if it has been introduced by human action to an area where it did not previously occur naturally (i.e., is not native), becomes capable of establishing a breeding population in the new location without further intervention by humans, and becomes a pest in the new location, threatening the local biodiversity.

I.   Introduction. Explanation of the Sonoran Sea Aquarium and its association with the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. SSA teaches science through Arizona Natural History to include the Oceanography of the Gulf of California. “Science is a process for generating knowledge.” Our visit today is thanks to a grant from The Arizona Game & Fish Department.
     
SC(K-8)-S2C2 The Nature of Scientific Knowledge
   
II.  Initial inquiry question: (for classes with inquiry experience)
  “Today the Apache Trout, Arizona’s State fish, only survives in a few cold water streams in Northern Arizona. Crayfish, however, seem to thrive wherever they are introduced. Why do you think this is the case?” (Students can examine a model of an Apache Trout and a preserved crayfish and exoskeleton).
     
SC(K-8)-S1C1 Observation, Questions, and Hypothesis.
SC(K-4)-S4C4 Identify plant and animal adaptations.
    
IIl.  Review Terms: (Assess prior knowledge through use of a definition matching activity). Discuss definitions with class.
  Species
Native
Endemic
Introduced
Invasive
   
IV.  Categorizing Activity: Shoe/species sorting problem. Place a pile of single, assorted shoes (approx 15) in a pile on the floor. Challenge students to divide them into two piles by some agreed upon definition. Write the two categories on the board. Warn them that you have another hidden shoe that you must be able to add to one of their piles or the other based on their description. Time permitting, have students continue to sub-divide the piles as far as possible. Ultimately, the analogy can be drawn that single shoes represent species.
     
SC(K-4)-S5C1 Classify materials by their observable properties.
   
V.  Show/Discuss Invader Specimens:
  Crayfish:
Bullfrog:
New Zealand Mudsnail:
Quagga/Zebra Mussel: 		(preserved specimen)
(preserved specimen)

(picture)
     
SC(K-8)-S3C1 Changes in Environment
SC(K-8)-S4C3 Organisms and Environments
   
Vl.  Habitat Survival Activity:
This activity allows students to attempt to survive as native species in an ecosystem
without invasive species and then in the same system competing with an introduced invasive. It becomes clear that invasive species significantly decrease survival chances of native species once established.
     
SC(K-8)-S3C1 Changes in Environment
SC(K-8)-S4C3 Organisms and Environments
SC(5-8)-S4C3 Populations and Organisms in an Ecosystem
SC(K-8)-S4C4 Diversity, Adaptations, and Behavior
   
Vll.  Revisit Initial Inquiry Question: (if originally offered)
“Today the Apache Trout, Arizona’s State fish, only survives in a few cold water streams in Northern Arizona. Crayfish, however, seem to thrive wherever they are introduced. Why do you think this is the case?”
     
SC(K-4)-S1C3 Analysis and Conclusions
SC(K-4)-S4C3 Physical Systems
   
Vlll.  Leave Behind Activity: Haiku
Consider having your class write “Haikus” about the Invaders. The Sonoran Sea Aquarium would love to get copies! A haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. It’s like a picture with words and is an excellent exercise in syllabication. The rules are simple:

Haiku has three lines of poetry. The tricky part is that the lines have to have five syllables, then seven syllables, then five syllables again. Traditional Haiku should also include a seasonal word called a kigo; if you are thinking Spring then include a Spring-like word such as flower, budding, trees, raindrops etc. Here’s a rather lame example:

“Away Invaders!
Crayfish, Bullfrogs and Mussels
Go with the monsoon”
R(3-8)-S1C4 Vocabulary
W(3-8)-S3C1 Expressive Writing
   
lX.  Participate in Harvesting Crayfish?
     
SC(K-4)-S4C3 Organisms and Environments
   
(TBD, Organized school field trip or extracurricular, Saturday family activity with SSA)