octopus garden

OCTOPUS GARDEN
SEA LIFE™ Grapevine Aquarium
Self-Guided Educational Resource Guide
First Grade
Welcome to SEA LIFE™ Aquarium!
OCTOPUS GARDEN has been created by SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium.
Arrival and Entry: As you enter the Aquarium, pick up a Quiz Trail card for each student. Check
out the Show guide on the LCD screens in admission for scheduled creature feedings.
Safety: Our #1 concern is safety, so please abide by all safety precautions posted.
For more information, check out www.sealifeus.com
Background Information
Enter the amazing world of cephalopods! A marvel of brain power, incredible hunting abilities, and
unbelievable defense mechanisms make cephalopods masters of the ocean environment.
Cephalopods
Creature
Shell
Limbs
Ink sac
Lifespan
No
Eight
arms
Yes
Six
months
to five
years
No
Eight
arms and
two
tentacles
Yes
One to
two years
Internal
(cuttlebone)
Eight
arms and
two
tentacles
Yes
One to
two years
External
Up to 90
tentacles
No
Around
15 years
+
Octopus
Squid
Cuttlefish
Nautilus
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What is a cephalopod?
Cephalopods, which means, “head foot”, are mollusks and closely related to animals like snails, slugs, and
clams. They have well developed senses and large brains, in fact cephalopods are considered to be the most
intelligent invertebrate on earth. These animals are also known for their ability to change color faster than a
chameleon, and can even change their texture and body shape. If for some reason those camouflage
techniques do not work, they can disappear in a cloud of ink. Cephalopods are amazing creatures with three
hearts that pump blue blood, use jet propulsion, and they're found in all oceans of the world.
How smart are cephalopods?
Cephalopods are regarded as one of the most intelligent invertebrates and have a well-developed brain.
Some cephalopods are even capable of solving complex problems and believed to have long-term memory.
What is the smallest and largest cephalopod?
The largest cephalopod, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, or the Colossal Squid, is longer than a city bus (up to
50 feet!), while the smallest cephalopod, Idiosepius notoides, the Pygmy Squid, could fit on your fingernail (16
mm).
Discovery Worksheet
SEA LIFETM staff members spend a lot of time with our cephalopods. Now you can see how we interact
with them!
Octopus garden demonstration
Check the show guide for times.
Answer these questions during the Octopus Garden feed show:
1. What do cephalopods eat? _______________________________________________
2. What are some ways we keep the animals healthy and stimulated at SEALIFE?
____________________________________________________________________
3. How do the animals react to human presence? ____________________________________________
4. Name four animals living in the Octopus Garden. __________________________________________________
At SEA LIFE™ Grapevine Aquarium
Discover SEA LIFE
Journey from Texas harbors to the deep ocean tunnels, to shallow touch pools.
Explore incredible living creatures--sharks, rays, and seahorses…. Don’t miss
these amazing highlights!
Creature Feedings
Before you enter SEA LIFE, check out the What’s Going on Today” board.
Visit a creature feeding. Which creature was your favorite?
__________________________________________________________
Fin Facts
Enjoy the Fin Facts panels. Write your favorite fact here.
________________________________________________
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Quiz Trail
Learn as you go! Write or draw about what you learned.
Theater
Check out a 15-minute short in our theater!
Touch Pools
Discover creatures at the Touch Pool. Which creature did you see or
touch?
________________________________________________
Conservation and Research
Visit the Touch Pool to learn that every little bit helps!
Roll a coin!
Help SEA LIFE and the Turtle Hospital with their turtle rescue and rehabilitation work.
Check out our cinema and learn how SEA LIFE is helping.
What else can you do to help?
_______________________________________________________________________
Get Ready For Your Visit
Ask an expert!
Have you ever wondered how many hearts an octopus has?
During your visit, you can learn some amazing and interesting facts about cephalopods!
As a group, try and find the answers to these three questions while on your journey through SEA LIFETM, and as a
bonus see if you can find the one and only Lego octopus.
1.
How many hearts does an octopus have?
2.
Do Octopus poses long-term or short-term memory, or both?
3.
Other than octopus, what are three other examples of cephalopods?
4.
As a class come up with a question to ask one of the staff members at SEALIFE.
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Classroom enrichment
At SEALIFE, animals are given “toys”, to enhance and provide environmental stimuli essential to maintain
wellbeing. Not only do the animal’s use these props to maintain a health life, but also to learn. In your classroom
what might be some objects or “toys” that you use to learn?
Cephalopod defense
Cephalopods use a variety of adaptations to defend themselves.
Can you match each defense to its user?
Remember, some cephalopods may use more than one.
Octopus
Cephalopod
Cuttlefish
Squid
Nautilus
PICTURES IN THIS AREA
A. ink B. Jet/jet propulsion C. Camo
D. Auto-missing limbs E. Hiding
F. Color distraction G. External shell
Answers: Octopus- a,b,c,d,e Cuttlefish- a,c,f, Squid- a,b,c,f Nautilus- e,g
Build This
Now that you have learned of the octopuses need for “toy’s” to stimulate its mind (enrichment), and of the several
defense mechanisms cephalopods use to defend themselves; what do you think the perfect habitat for this animal
would look like. You can use anything available or even draw the ideal habitat.
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About Octopus Garden
Educational Objectives
Amazing Cephalopods is a 30-minute educational workshop designed in conjunction with a selfguided tour of Sea Life Aquarium and the Octopus Gardens exhibit. It is intended to introduce
students to members of the class Cephalopoda; specifically Octopus, Squid, Cuttlefish, and
Nautilus. Students work together as a group to identify adaptations that these creatures use to
survive in their aquatic environments
TEKS: FIRST GRADE
110.12. English Language Arts and Reading
Students work together in a group setting, following simple rules, to discuss and decide on the
unique capabilities of this class of creature. Students are expected to listen attentively to
speakers and ask appropriate questions.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(27) Listening and Speaking/Listening. Students use comprehension skills to listen attentively to others in formal and informal settings.
Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to:
(A) listen attentively to speakers and ask relevant questions to clarify information; and
(B) follow, restate, and give oral instructions that involve a short related sequence of actions
(28) Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of language. Students continue to apply
earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to share information and ideas about the topic under discussion, speaking
clearly at an appropriate pace, using the conventions of language.
(29) Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students work productively with others in teams. Students continue to apply earlier standards with
greater complexity. Students are expected to follow agreed-upon rules for discussion, including listening to others, speaking when recognized,
and making appropriate contributions.
112.12. Science
Students will observe marine organisms in an aquarium environment and note food, water, shelter, and other necessities. They will discuss
appropriate safety precautions when being near wild animals, (i.e. refraining from banging, tapping, yelling, or flashing cameras for animal
health and safety, refraining from reaching hands into open tanks, and washing your hands after touching appropriate animals.) and
demonstrate safe practices. They will sort animals into groups based on physical and behavioral characteristics (i.e. nocturnal or diurnal
animals.) Students will discuss adaptations that animals have that help them survive in their environments (i.e. the Mimic Octopus is a master
of disguise that can camouflage itself to imitate not only its surroundings but other creatures.)
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student conducts classroom and outdoor investigations following home and school safety
procedures and uses environmentally appropriate and responsible practices. The student is expected to:
(A) recognize and demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations,
including wearing safety goggles, washing hands, and using materials appropriately;
(B) recognize the importance of safe practices to keep self and others safe and healthy.
(2) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student develops abilities to ask questions and seek answers in classroom and outdoor
investigations. The student is expected to:
(A) ask questions about organisms, objects, and events observed in the natural world;
(B) plan and conduct simple descriptive investigations such as ways objects move;
(E) communicate observations and provide reasons for explanations using student-generated data from simple descriptive investigations.
(9) Organisms and environments. The student knows that the living environment is composed of relationships between organisms and the life
cycles that occur. The student is expected to:
(A) sort and classify living and nonliving things based upon whether or not they have basic needs and produce offspring;
(B) analyze and record examples of interdependence found in various situations such as terrariums and aquariums or pet and caregiver.
(10) Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and processes that help them
survive within their environments. The student is expected to:
(A) investigate how the external characteristics of an animal are related to where it lives, how it moves, and what it eats.
113.12. Social Studies
Students will work together as a group to discuss physical and behavioral characteristics of the class Cephalopoda and reach a consensus.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
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(19) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of
settings. The student is expected to:
(A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages,
choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution; and
(B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, generate options, predict outcomes, take
action to implement a decision, and reflect on the effectiveness of that decision.
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