Deep Sea Survivor

Learning Guide

A simple guide to lead you through the kickoff, the core challenge, and everything in between.

Mai’s Tips

1. For younger children, focus on the 'squishy' pressure and 'darkness' concepts. For older children, introduce terms like 'bioluminescence' and discuss the chemical processes behind deep-sea vents.
2. Encourage older children to think about the physical properties of their creature's materials – why did they choose clay? How does water inside the bottle demonstrate pressure?

Photo by Caroline O.marcel on Pexels

1Introduction 5 min

• Begin by asking your child to imagine what it's like in the deepest parts of the ocean, where no sunlight reaches. This dark, mysterious place is called the abyss. It's important because animals living there have to be super special to survive.

  Ask them: "What do you imagine it's like way down deep in the ocean?"

  Then, encourage imaginative thinking about the conditions: "What do you think it feels like to be there?", "How dark do you think it is?"

  Prompt them to consider life there: "What kind of challenges do you think a creature would face in a place like that?"

  Done: Your child shares their thoughts or asks questions about the deep sea.

Done when: Student engages with the initial questions, sharing their thoughts or questions about the deep sea.

Photo by Steve A Johnson on Pexels

2Explore & Plan 8 min

• Introduce the main challenge: building a deep-sea creature that can survive. First, gather your materials: a clean, empty plastic bottle with a lid (a water bottle is good), water, modeling clay (waterproof is best), and various small toys or objects (waterproof, like small rocks or marbles).

  Now, guide a discussion about the three big problems deep-sea creatures face and how to solve them. Ask:

  "How will our creature handle the immense pressure? The weight of all that water can squish things!"

  "What about seeing in the total darkness down there? There’s no sunlight at all."

  "How will our creature find food in a huge, empty space?"

  Encourage your child to brainstorm ideas for their creature's features based on these challenges, either by sketching or talking it through.

  Done: Your child has discussed the challenges, brainstormed adaptations, and all materials are ready.

Done when: Student has discussed the main deep-sea challenges and brainstormed some potential adaptations for their creature, and materials are ready.

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels

3Discussion 6 min

• Now, let's dive deeper into those challenges. Ask your child to explain:

  "Why is pressure such a big deal down there, and how do you think creatures avoid being squished?"

  If they're stuck, prompt them: "What if a creature had a very flexible body?"

  Explain that pressure is the immense force pushing down from the weight of all the water above. Deep-sea creatures need special adaptations – features or behaviors that help them survive – to handle it, unlike us on land who aren't under such heavy water.

  Next, ask: "What clever tricks might they use to glow in the dark or sniff out a meal when it's pitch black?"

  Prompt if needed: "Have you ever seen a creature with big eyes? Why might that be useful here?"

  Finally, ask them to share: "What ideas did you come up with for your own creature's superpowers?"

  Done: Your child can explain at least two deep-sea challenges in their own words and suggest potential adaptations.

Done when: Student can explain in their own words at least two challenges of the deep sea and offer potential adaptations.

Photo by Meri Verbina on Pexels

4Activity 9 min

• It's time to build your deep-sea survivor! Help your child use the modeling clay and small toys to sculpt and assemble their creature directly inside the plastic bottle. Encourage them to think about the adaptations discussed in their design choices.

  Once the creature is settled inside, carefully fill the bottle completely with water. Make sure there are no air bubbles trapped inside.

  Then, close the lid tightly and securely.

  Now, observe your creature's deep-sea world. Ask: "What did your creature do when the water was added?"

  Further observe by gently squeezing the bottle: "What happens when you gently squeeze the bottle?" and "Does your creature float or sink?"

  Done: Your child has built their creature, filled the bottle with water, and made initial observations of its behavior.

Done when: Student has constructed their deep-sea creature in the bottle, filled it with water, and observed its initial behavior.

Photo by Riccardo Marchegiani on Pexels

5Summary 2 min

• Celebrate your child’s effort and creativity! Emphasize that they have designed a creature capable of surviving extreme conditions, just like real scientists and engineers.

  Ask them to reflect on the experience:

  "What was the most surprising thing you discovered about deep-sea life or about your own creature today?"

  You can also ask: "What was the hardest part of designing your creature?" or "If you could give your creature one more superpower, what would it be?"

  Done: Your child shares at least one key takeaway or observation from the lesson.

Done when: Student shares one key takeaway or observation from the lesson.

Your Notes