"Students will learn the current classification system, binomial nomenclature, use of dichotomous key and marine diversity. Students organize objects into groups based on a classification system of their choosing. Students investigate many of the marine phyla and classes, construct a creature that will have the characteristics of these groups, attempt to classify the organism and present finding to the class.

Introduction Teacher Page

Students are part of a team of specialists whose mission is to determine the status of a particular species or group of related species and the effect that a proposed management strategy will have on the species. Your team has been invited to make a presentation at an international conference where other teams will be competing for project funding.

Save the Seahorse

Students participate in a Web Quest to determine what has caused the decline in the seahorse population in the Philippines, investigate methods for reversing the population trend, and present a proposal that will increase and sustain seahorse populations so that they do not become threatened, endangered, or extinct.

Numbering the Nassau Groups

Students explore the biology, population dynamics, and geographic distribution of the Nassau Grouper. Students use this information to hypothesize potential fisheries management strategies for the Nassau Grouper.

Sturgeons: Still Threatened?

Students participate in a Web Quest to find out what caused the decline of anadromous fish such as the short-nosed sturgeon, investigate methods for reversing the population trend, and present a proposal that will increase and sustain sturgeon populations so that they do not become endangered, or extinct.

What's Killing the Coral?

Students will participate in a Web Quest to find out what is causing the death of reef-building corals, investigate methods for reversing the trend, present a proposal that will increase and sustain coral reef populations so that they do not become threatened, endangered, or extinct.

Gobies: Going, Going, Gone?

Students will participate in a Web Quest to find out what has caused the decline in the goby population in the Philippines, investigate methods for reversing the population trend, present a proposal that will increase and sustain goby populations so that they do not become threatened, endangered, or extinct.

Topic Overview

In this group of lessons students explore cephalopods as a conduit to understanding adaptation and how organisms evolve over time by developing traits that help them to survive and reproduce. They also address species diversity within a group of organisms that are closely related, and addresses how and why those organisms have evolved various traits.

Introductory Activity: Where in the World is Ceph?

Students will determine what they know/believe about cephalopods. This lesson allows students to focus their thinking on the physical characteristics of these creatures, as well as the implications those characteristics have on each animal’s behavior.

Live Fast and Die Young

Students will explore the life histories of the four main types of cephalopods: how these animals develop, reproduce and behave as they conduct their daily activities. Students will research and articulate the variability among this class of animals, decide what factors favored those adaptations over time, and then have an opportunity to share their reasoning with others to demonstrate what they have learned.

Superior Sense-abilities

Students will discover that cephalopods possess the highest intelligence of all invertebrates. They are smart and fast, and have large brains. They are curious, can learn from their environment and like to play. They have very highly developed senses: touch, taste, smell, sight. Students will research and demonstrate how these animals use their senses to survive and prosper.

Aliens…or Masters of Disguise

Students will research and report on the myriad ways that cephalopods behave for survival.

WebQuest CEPH

In development --- coming soon.

Web Resources for OBIS Unit

Web resources to support this CEPH unit

IODE Ocean Teacher Page

The objective of Ocean Teacher* is to provide training tools for Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange. These tools are used during IODE Training Courses but can also be used for self training and continuous professional development.