BLOODY WATER.............

 Topic(s):

Science

Organisms and Environments

Images/Video Resources

Red Tide Fish Kill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e227i4z8_D4

Red Tide and You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsjcV5Rke40&feature=related

Scenario:

Red tides in the Gulf of Mexico are a result of high concentrations of Karenia brevis, a microscopic marine algae that occurs naturally but normally in lower concentrations. In high concentrations, its toxin paralyzes the central nervous system of fish so they cannot breathe. Dead fish wash up on Gulf of Mexico beaches. Dense concentrations appear as discolored water, often reddish in color. It is a natural phenomenon, but the exact cause or combination of factors that result in a red tide outbreak are unknown. Red tide causes economic harm and for this reason red tide outbreaks are carefully monitored. For example, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission provides an up-to-date status report on the red tide in Florida. Texas also provides a current status report.

Red tides (algae) bloomed late this summer along a 300-mile stretch of Texas' Gulf Coast, killing millions of fish and shellfish as well as making some people sick. State officials are calling this the worst red tide bloom in 14 years. The algae produces a poison that paralyzes fish and prevents them from breathing. There is concern that the deadly algae could impact or even wipe out this year's oyster harvest in Texas, which usually peaks during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

The red tides were first observed off the Texas coast in mid-August and have been growing steadily in size ever since. Red tides tend to bloom and subside rapidly, depending upon changes in wind speed and direction, water temperature, salinity, and rainfall patterns (as the algae doesn't do as well in fresher water).

The Texas Parks and Wildlife currently is asking for your help in educating people on possible measures to help reduce the red tide effects. Currently the TPWD is investigating the bloom that is suspected to have caused fish kills along a number of locations along the upper coast, including Crystal Beach, Galveston, Surfside, Sargent’s and Matagorda beaches. TPWD plans to conduct an overflight of the entire Texas coast before the end of the week to get an aerial view of the bloom’s extent. 

State of the Gulf: What's in the Water? Texas Parks and Wildlife

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vU-8Jqp4zs 

Task:

Sample Investigations/Teacher Resources:

PROGRESO

You are currently president of the Science Club in your school and are being asked to investigate preventative measures on reducing the effects of the red tide. You and your team will take the initiative to help enhance people's knowledge of ways to help reduce this deadly phenomena. Your findings will be posted on-line to assure that people around the world have a access to a better understanding of this topic. You will create a presentation to be approved by the Texas Parks and Wildlife department. Your presentation must have sufficient information to back up your recommendations.

Sample Investigations / Teacher Resources:NASA

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=893

Texas Red Tide 

http://gotexas.about.com/od/planninginformation/a/Texas-Red-Tide.htm

Science House

http://www.science-house.org/nesdis/algae/teacher.html#vocab

Student Resources:

Science Daily

http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/r/red_tide.htm

Red Tide Appears Early

http://southampton.patch.com/articles/red-tide-appears-early-this-summer 

Biology News

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2006/02/26/red_tide_impacts_increasing_for_endangered_manatees_and_humans.html 

Britannica

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/494585/red-tide 

Team Rubric

Rubric.doc

Presentation Rubric

PRESENTATION RUBIC.doc

Student Work:

Standards:

1. List your personal understanding, ideas or hunches.

Now that you are familiar with Red Tide you will write everything you know about Red Tide. Describe your thoughts or ideas about how to solve the problem. There are not incorrect answers in this step, just feel free to brainstorm your ideas.

2. List what is known.  With your team use all the information available in the scenario to list everything that you know about Red Tide. You do not have to conduct any research yet. Just use the information given and write the facts that you already know about Red Ride.

3. List what is unknown. With your team, make a list about what you do not know and would like to learn. List all the questions you will need to answer to solve the problem. 

 
4. List what needs to be done.
"What should we do?" List actions to be taken, e.g., question an expert, conduct research, go to a board meeting about topic. List possible actions. 

5. Develop a problem statement. You will be responsible for thinking and choosing one of the questions to solve the problem.  A problem statement should come from your analysis of what you know. In one or two sentences, you should be able to describe what it is that your group is trying to solve, produce, respond to, or find out. The problem statement may have to be revised as new information is discovered and brought to bear on the situation.

6. Gather information Use all the resources available (Internet, library, etc) to research about the problem/topic and find a solution.

7. Present Findings

****Determine how students will present findings****
You and your team will create a multimedia presentation using a Web 2.0 tool, such as Prezi, SpicyNodes, Slide Share, Power Point, Camtasia, Screencast, etc, that will demonstrate a preventative plan of action to help reduce this phenomena. Your presentation will be presented to the Texas Parks and Wildlife department for approval.

5.1  Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student conducts classroom and outdoor 

investigations following home and school safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and 

ethical practices. The student is expected to: 

(B)  make informed choices in the conservation, disposal, and recycling of materials.  

5.4  In Grade 5, investigations are used to learn about the natural world. Students should 

understand that certain types of questions can be answered by investigations and that methods, 

models, and conclusions built from these investigations change as new observations are made. 

Models of objects and events are tools for understanding the natural world and can show how 

systems work. They have limitations and based on new discoveries are constantly being modified to more closely reflect the natural world.  

5.9  Organisms and environments. The student knows that there are relationships, systems, and 

cycles within environments. The student is expected to: 

(A)  observe the way organisms live and survive in their ecosystem by interacting with 

the living and non-living elements; 

(B)  describe how the flow of energy derived from the Sun, used by producers to create 

their own food, is transferred through a food chain and food web to consumers and 

decomposers; 

(C)  predict the effects of changes in ecosystems caused by living organisms, including 

humans, such as the overpopulation of grazers or the building of highways; and 

(D)  identify the significance of the carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle to the survival of plants 

and animals. 

5.7 Solving problems. The student uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems. The student is expected to:

 (A)  use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences;

(B)  use appropriate software to express ideas and solve problems including the use of word processing, graphics, databases, spreadsheets, simulations, and multimedia; and

(C)  use a variety of data types including text, graphics, digital audio, and video.

 5.8  Solving problems. The student uses research skills and electronic communication, with appropriate supervision, to create new knowledge. The student is expected to:

(A)  use communication tools to participate in group projects;

(B)  use interactive technology environments, such as simulations, electronic science or mathematics laboratories, virtual museum field trips, or on-line interactive lessons, to manipulate information; and

(C)  participate with electronic communities as a learner, initiator, contributor, or mentor.

 5.9  Solving problems. The student uses technology applications to facilitate evaluation of work, both process and product. The student is expected to:

(A)  use software features, such as on-line help, to evaluate work progress; and

(B)  use software features, such as slide show previews, to evaluate final product.

 5.10  Communication. The student formats digital information for appropriate and effective communication. The student is expected to:

(A)  use font attributes, color, white space, and graphics to ensure that products are appropriate for the defined audience;

(B)  use font attributes, color, white space, and graphics to ensure that products are appropriate for the communication media including multimedia screen displays, Internet documents, and printed materials; and

(C)  use appropriate applications including, but not limited to, spreadsheets and databases to develop charts and graphs by using data from various sources.

 5.11  Communication. The student delivers the product electronically in a variety of media, with appropriate supervision. The student is expected to:

(A)  publish information in a variety of media including, but not limited to, printed copy, monitor display, Internet documents, and video; and

(B)  use presentation software to communicate with specific audiences.

 5.12  Communication. The student uses technology applications to facilitate evaluation of communication, both process and product. The student is expected to:

(A)  select representative products to be collected and stored in an electronic evaluation tool;

(B)  evaluate the product for relevance to the assignment or task; and

(C)  create technology assessment tools to monitor progress of project such as checklists, timelines, or rubrics.

http://magsx2.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/a-red-tide-dangerous-algae-bloom-video-included/ 

Red Tide by Marivel Garcia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.