welcometoyourwatershedtides-southsloughnerr.docVIP

Tides of the EstuaryAdapted from TIDES Activity 4- South Slough NERR Time requirement: 45 minutes Summary of Activity: This lesson is designed to give an introduction to how tides and tidal cycles work by having students visualize, act out, reading and graph how tidal cycles work. Context is given to tides by way of discussing and understanding how they influence life around the estuary and open coast. Concepts to Teach: Tidal cycles, interconnectedness and balance Standards Addressed: 3.2P.1, 4.2E.1, 5.1E.1, 5.2P.1 Goal: Students will develop an understanding of the fundamental role and ways that tidal forces play on the waters and habitats of the estuary. Specific Objectives: Students will be able to describe the tides and the forces that influence their height and frequency. Students will be able to accurately read a tabular and graph form tide table and identify at least two high tides and two low tides by time and elevation. Students will be able to describe at least three ways the tides influence life and activities in the estuary. Vocabulary: (definitions in Additional Resources section) Ebb, elevation, flood, gravitational force, head of tide , intertidal, sub-tidal, slack tide, tidal cycle, tidal flow tidal range, turbidity Required Materials: Three balls of small, medium and large size to represent the moon, earth and sun respectively Rope and/or flexible wire (see activity description) Tide tables for your local area /weather/tides/tides.html Graph paper or graphs included in the resource folder for either 1 day or 4 days Rulers “Living on the Estuary” Part II …………………………………………………………………….. Background: Tides caused by gravitational forces of the sun, moon and earth play a vital role in how the coastal ecosystems are shaped. While they are readily predictable, the fundamental way in which they work is often difficult to understand due to a number of factors. Being able to visualize tides through diagrams, acting it out, rea