Living World – The rocky shore

The rocky shore is a popular topic in primary school science. Below are some Science Learning Hub resources for primary teachers related to the rocky shore in the Living World strand of the New Zealand Curriculum that might be helpful.

Investigating life in the sea

After reading the introductory article, check out some of the creatures you can find on the rocky shore.

Cockles – Article

Sea stars – Article

Mussels – Article

Build a marine food web – Activity

The noisy reef

After reading the introductory article, check out what lives on the reef - and makes noise!

Noisy kina – Article

Crabs finding home – Article

Kina and the blue economy – Article from the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge looking at if we can use kina as a new food source.

Explore the various survey methods used by students, scientists and iwi in the Reef Life project in this Connected article.

Toxins

During 2009, several dogs died on Narrow Neck and Cheltenham beaches in Auckland. What killed them? Was it something from the rocky shore? Could it hurt humans, too? Find out more in the introductory article.

Kaimoana in the Hauraki Gulf – Article

Sea slugs and TTX – Article

Solving the dog death mystery – Article

Toxins and food webs – Article

Grey side-gilled sea slugs – Article

Monitoring shellfish – Article

Tracking toxins – Activity

Collaboration – Video

Testing for toxins in kaimoana – Video

Bioaccumulation in the sea – Interactive (Note – this is a Flash interactiuve, we are looking to replace)

The harbour is a precious place for all things marine, and [obtaining] more information about what is in it or going into it is important to protect it.

Alice Morrison

Where land meets sea – the Rena disaster

New Zealand is surrounded by sea. Our coastlines and marine resources need care and protection. What happens when disaster strikes? The introductory article follows what happened and the clean up.

Habitats in the Bay of Plenty – Article

Biodiversity in the Bay of Plenty – Article

Iwi and kaimoana – Article

Rena wrecked on reef: oil clean-up on-going – Article

Where do I live? – Activity

Introducing biodiversity – Activity

Rapid response to the Rena – Video

What now for the Rena? – Article about this Connected article.

Citizen science

Students and scientists teamed up to monitor Otago Harbour as part of their citizen science initiative:

Sediment and seashores – monitoring Otago Harbour – Article

Marine Metre Squared – Article

Making and using a quadrat – Activity