Plankton are so abundant in the ocean they outweigh all of the animals in the sea. In this three day activity, groups discuss and become familiar with plankton, capture females, and look for egg production on day three. 

Concepts

zooplankton, phytoplankton, observational skills

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Place learners in lab groups of three and use these same groups throughout the three days
• Great hands-on activity to include in unit on food webs, on climate change, or on ocean layers

Classroom Considerations

• Learners are to identify male and female plankton, capture a female which may be challenging; therefore, have some pre-caught female plankton for those groups who struggle
• This lab is best fit for older elementary through 9th/10th grades in high school
• If you cannot access plankton in a local waterway, you can order them from any biological supply company

Pros

• Includes powerpoint and learner data sheet
• Hands-on use of microscopes and viewing live organisms makes this very engaging for any age learner

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.6-8.1