CAREER CONNECTIONS: Explore "a day in the life" of an Oceanographer, Aquarium Manager, or Scuba Diver

1.  Watch all of the videos on this lesson. 
2.. STOP AND DISCUSS  these questions as a class/ group after each video:  
 * What is at risk for SEA ANIMALS if we continue polluting the oceans and rivers? How can an oceanographer help identify this problem? How can an aquarist help convince people that sea creatures are worth protecting?   How does a scuba diver help an oceanographer and an aquarist?
  *What is at risk for HUMANS & LAND ANIMALS if we continue polluting the oceans and rivers?
3.  LIST all the oceans of the world.   Which oceans most affect the United States? 
4.  Name a RIVER that runs through your community, city, or state.    WHAT EFFECTS could it have if that river became seriously polluted/ POISONED by industry dumping practices?
5.  Discuss POLLUTION FROM FARM RUN-OFF (from fertilizers & pesticides used on farms in any community). 
6.  What are PESTICIDES made to do?     What are FERTILIZERS made to do?    Do EITHER OF THESE PRODUCTS contain substances that are HARMFUL TO HUMANS, land animals, birds,or fish? 

VOCABULARY:   Write definitions for each term.

         environment                     marine                        aquatic                      coral reef 
     
saltwater                freshwater               brackish water                 estuary                         delta

                creek                     stream                            river                   plastics               micro-plastics   

Algae                        Kelp                 invertebrates                 vertebrates               oceanographer

         scuba                    snorkel                       aqua-scaping                  NOAA                  phytoplankton

marine biologist                        oceanographer            aquarist                      atoll                      lagoon         
 

1.  Learn the earth's oceans by memory. ( THE OCEANS SONG!)

2.  Write a fictional "job application" to one of these places applying for a job as a summer intern: 
* NOAA  ( to help work on the boat OKEANOS)
* The Riverbanks Zoo Aquarium complex
* The Greater Cleveland Aquarium (Cleveland, Ohio) 
* The Aquarium of the Pacific
 Describe what you've learned about these entities through your RESEARCH on the various sites, and how you feel you could help them. ( Remember: if you have NO EXPERIENCE, you may have to do more of the drudgery jobs...but make your case, though, that YOU WANT TO WORK AND LEARN!)  
3. FEATHER RESCUE PROJECT:  ( to be done with a partner) 
* Buy a small bunch of feathers in a craft shop, and using twist ties or tape, pull them together in a "bouquet" formation, like flowers. 
* pour I cup of cooking oil in a large bowl,  & add 1 cup of water to it.   
* pretend like your bunch of feathers is a GULL that has just landed on the water, & dove down to catch a fish...( so DUNK your feathers under the oil/ water mixture & swish it around)
* the GULL won't be able to fly covered in oil, so, pull it out of the water and try to clean the oil OUT OF THE FEATHERS with a non-toxic liquid...it must be something that won't hurt the bird's lungs to breathe it, or won't produce chemical burns on its' skin.    Try ordinary dish soap?  bath soap? 
(Also...WHAT KIND OF CLOTH SHOULD YOU WIPE THE "GULL" WITH, TO GET THE OIL OFF? must be soft enough not to hurt the animal)
[This project demonstrates the kind of caution we need, in order  to keep sea creatures out of trouble from human activity...oil spills from refineries, ocean oil wells, etc. )