Life in extremity - Outline

1. Engage -15mins

Start the opening from different aquatic systems like, lake, pond, river, sea and ocean
Explain them about what is the importance of water, then why do we need the aquatic animals
and plants and their adaptations (take an example of kids 1st day at school and gradually how
they adapted to the school environment, friends teacher, games & studies etc)

Next slide goes to video

Then show them the video of aquatic adaptation of marine life

2. Explore -20 mins

Show the picture of marine aquatic zones like Photic, Aphotic, Benthic and explain the
importance of light and the light penetration limits to the depth of 200mts and then others
zones from 200-100mts, what are the marines life present and how they have adapted for
surviving without light.
Photic = top layer; light can penetrate (plants, consumers)
Aphotic = water below photic zones (consumers)
Benthic = bottom of the body of water (scavengers, decomposers)

Activity 1:
Materials:
Display few pictures of different zone of fishes on the slide. Give students a paper, and ask the
students to look at the pictures and note special features the animal has for surviving in its
habitat.

In the next slide, note the common features under those animals and compare with students
answers under the correct animal. Explain these features are adaptations with respect to these
zones.
Explain that behaviors also help an animal survive in their habitat.

3. Explain -15 mins

Next slide
Ask the students question, what special behaviors the animal might have adapted to help it
survive.

Activity 2: Take the example of two fishes one from aphotic zone and other from benthic zone
and explain how in darkness these fishes carry on their routines like eating, hunting and mating
etc.
Reasons for illumination like cell type, coloration illumination mechanism etc
4. Elaborate -20 mins

Activity 3:
We will give the templates to students or ask the students groups to design an imaginary
animal. They can use the clay, paper and crayons, markers, straw, led lights and other art
supplies like batteries. Let each group give a name to their animal and develop an animal fact
sheet.
In the animal fact sheet, the students should write the habitat, diet, gender, behavior and
physical characteristics. The students will finish and display the animals to the other students
and examine the animals and make predictions about habitat, behavior, and diet based on the
animal's visible characteristics.

Evaluate -15 mins

Let me show the pictures of few different fishes and ask the "why do" questions about animals
to the students. Let them answer the reasons.
For example: Why do zebras have stripes? Why do angler fish has an illuminating light on the
head.