Dear E-mail Pal, 

Question:

Can you make a difference?  I mean, can you really improve the state of our ocean?

Introduction:

It seems a long time since we last e-mailed each other! I’ve been on vacation at the ocean. It was so beautiful and I had a great time. The problem is that I kept seeing and hearing how our ocean and the animals that live there are being put into danger by the activities of humans. One day, I saw a bunch of trash from a fast food restaurant that people had just left on the beach. Another day, some people on jet-skis came and made all sorts of noise. Later, I noticed a gas slick near the marina. These were just a few of the many human-caused problems that affect our ocean and the animals that live there. It was discouraging. Then, I ran across an article on the, Oceans Act of 2000. This article describes how congress has created a group of people to develop a plan to help the oceans and the animals that live there. The best part is that they are looking for kids to help develop this plan. I want to work together with you and other students in your class to help our oceans. Read the article, Oceans Act of 2000, and then get started.

I’m so excited that we’re going to be working together. As you read, our main goal is let others know about an animal that lives in the ocean or relies on the ocean and how it is being affected by problems that humans are causing. 

 

Here is the article that I ran across on the Oceans Act of 2000.

 

---Breaking News Alert---

Congress Passes the Oceans Act of 2004
Tuesday, July 25, 2003
Student Edition

Washington, D.C.- The OceanQuest Organization is pleased to applaud the United States Congress for passing the Oceans Act of 2000.  The Ocean Act of 2000 will create a National Commission to bring together students, ocean authorities, environmental experts, government policy-makers, and industry representatives to take a close look at our countries ocean policies.  Roger Rufe, President of the Center for Marine Conservation, states,

"Our heavy reliance on the ocean for food, energy, tourism, recreation, and trade has increased.  This has increased the threats to our ocean habitats and the animals that live there.  Coastal development, over fishing, and increased pollution signals the need for a more coordinated strategy to protect and manage our nation's ocean resources."

Our company, the OceanQuest Organization, is asking you to join a  team of your fellow students to explore your local ocean, conduct hands-on experiments, and engage in research.  Your mission is to explore one animal that relies on the ocean.  You will need to:

1. Choose an animal that relies on the ocean to explore further.

2. Create a life-size mural of your animal's habitat and the animal.  

3. Write an essay to report your findings.

4. Create a web page from digital images of your mural and your report.

The important role that you will play for our team will inform, inspire, and empower others to speak and act for the oceans. We will present your findings and the findings of your fellow students to the National Commission that will be created by the Ocean's Act of 2000.  Our hope is that your hard work will convince the commission to develop a comprehensive plan to protect our oceans.  Together, we can make a difference!

Tasks:

To let others know about an animal that lives in the ocean or relies on the ocean and how it is being impacted by problems that humans are causing we need to create a web page to teach others about what we know. We will need to:

Task 1: Choose an animal that lives in the ocean or relies on the ocean.  See Mission 1: Choose a Marine Animal to Explore  to explore further.

Task 2: Create a the background (habitat) for the life-size mural of your Animal. See Mission 2: Where Does Your Animal Live? to explore further.

Task 3: Create the animal for the life-size mural of your Animal.  Make sure that you include your

• Animal in action,

• And some of the other plants and animals that live there.

See Mission 3: Investigate Your Animal! to explore further.

Task 4: We will need to write a report describing our animal, the impact of humans on this animal, and some possible solutions to the problems humans have caused.  Use images of our life-size animal and our report to develop a web page that will teach others about what we know. See Mission 4: Tell the World About Your Animal! to explore further.

This sounds like something that we can do!

Missions:

Mission 1: Choose a Marine Animal to Explore

I've got this great idea!  Why don't we go on a virtual field trip to the New England Virtual Aquarium.  We could learn a lot more about the ocean and the animals that live in or near it.  Once we have some time to explore we can choose our favorite animal to study.   Click here if you want to go on the virtual tour with me!

 

 

 

 

 

Mission 2: Where Does Your Animal Live?

If we’re going to make the background for our mural look realistic we’re going to have to learn more about the habitat that our animal lives in.  Let's go back to the Virtual Aquarium to explore our animal for a little bit to find out what habitat it lives in.   Then, we can learn more about where our animal lives and what other plants and animals live there. Finally, we can create the background for our life-size animal. Click here if you want to learn more about your animal's habitat!

 

 

 

Mission 3: Investigate Your Animal!

Throughout this mission we will need to learn more about our animal. Once we have learned about our animal we will need to create our life-size mural of our animal.   Click here if you want to learn more about your animal!

 

 

 

Mission 4: Tell the World About Your Animal!

OceanQuest has asked us to share what we know about our animal, it's habitat, environmental problems facing our animal, and solutions that we can implement to help our animal with the National Commission (Ocean Act 2000) and the rest of the world.  They think that our hard work just may convince others to develop a comprehensive policy to save our animal and the ocean that it lives near or in.  We will need to create a web page to share our important findings with others. Click here if you want to create a web page to share our important findings!

 

 

Revisit the Question:

Can you make a difference?  I mean, can you really improve the state of our ocean?

Sincerely,

Your E-Mail Pal