Bring the magic of the underwater world into your classroom and inspire a new generation of conservation-minded marine biologists! The more your students learn about all life on Earth, the more inspired they will be to protect it.

Deep-Sea Diving

The deep sea is the largest environment on Earth — but it is the least explored. It is difficult for people to venture to the great depths because the water pressure becomes crushing, temperatures are near-freezing, and there is no light. This extreme environment is host to a variety of unique animals that scientists are just beginning to learn about.

One of the most interesting features of some of the creatures that live far beneath the sea is that they glow in the dark, or are bioluminescent. Just as a firefly creates its own light, these creatures rely on their own ability to make light in order to survive in an environment that is always dark. Look up loosejaws, black dragonfish, siphonophores, blackdevil anglerfish, and other bioluminescent water creatures. What do they look like? Why do they use bioluminescence? Do they use it to attract mates or prey? Do they use it to see?

After you have learned about these amazing glow-in-the-dark creatures, have each student pick their favorite and use wax color crayons to draw a picture of it. Be sure to have the kids press very hard with their crayons so that all the drawing is filled with color EXCEPT in the spots where the creature glows. Next use black tempura paint to paint over the entire drawing. It should leave the crayon exposed but make it nice and dark around the fish, just like it would be in its natural habitat. When the pictures have dried, give them the big surprise. You're going to make them bioluminescent! Use glow-in-the-dark paint and have the students only put it where the creature really has it. Is there a dark room you can take your creatures to? How different is it in the dark? Finally, have a discussion about what will happen to these creatures if the ocean is polluted.

Compact Disc Aquarium

You can have your own beautiful classroom aquarium without the hassle of caring for fish or cleaning a tank. Have plenty of picture books on hand to look at the beautiful colors and shapes of the fish that live in oceans and lakes. Search online for tropical fish photos and you will find many more than you can use. Can your students guess their names? Some of them sure are funny! After you've looked through and read a little about the amazing variety of fish in the world, make your own aquarium based on what you've seen. The best part is that you'll be reducing pollution and protecting the planet and all its fishy inhabitants by reusing old CDs to make your fish! Ask for scratched CDs from your school library, other staff members, or parents. You'll need:

Cut lips, top and bottom fins, and a tail out of construction paper. For very young children, you may want to have some templates to choose from or even precut pieces. Glue them into place on the writing side of one CD so they extend past the edge. Glue a long piece of yarn going up from the middle of the CD out the top. Glue the second CD directly on top of the other CD, writing-side down, so the sides with writing are both on the inside of the fish. Cut a rectangular piece of tissue paper and fold it like an accordion small enough to slip through the middle hole. Pull it through and fluff it open for the side fins. Now paste on some eyes and your fish is ready to swim! Hang your fish from the ceiling for an aquarium above your heads. When sunlight hits the CDs, it makes beautiful reflections of light!