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© 2001 Knight Ridder Productions, Inc.

ave you ever been to the ocean? You probably wonder how big it is or whether it’s dark down below.

What lives in the ocean? Is the water good to drink?

People have been curious about the ocean since the beginning of time. Some spend their lives studying it. Others just love to go to the ocean to have fun.

The ocean IS fun, whether you’re sailing along the outer banks or wading in its shallow tide.

As you’re about to see, the ocean is also fun to learn about. In this special look at the ocean, we’ll discover a whole new world “down under” – without even getting wet.

The Oceans by Martyn Bramwell

Incredible Facts About the Ocean, The Restless Blue Salt Water by W. Wright Robinson

The First Book of the Ocean by Sam and Beryl Epstein

Shell by Alex Arthur

Let’s Discover the Sea, Raintree Publishers

Mammals in the Sea by Jacques Cousteau

Dangerous Sea Creatures, published by Time-Life Films

Faces of the Sea, published by the Miami Herald

World Book EncyclopediaWonders of Sea Horses by Anne Ensign Brown

Discovering Crabs and Lobsters by Jill Bailey

More Art & Children’s Crafts, The Australian Women’s Weekly

Written by Terri Darr McLeanIllustrated by Camille WeberDesigned by Chris Canfield

Water, Water Everywhere .................................. 3

By the Seashore ................................................. 4

Go Fish! ............................................................... 5

Fish Go to School, Too ....................................... 6

When is a Fish Not a Fish? ................................ 7

Oceans of Fun - Craft Activities ....................... 8

There She Blows! ............................................. 10

Strange But True .............................................. 11

Friend or Foe? .................................................. 12

Feathered Friends ............................................ 13

Exploring the Ocean ........................................ 14

Protecting the Ocean ....................................... 15

he ocean is a great body of water that covers much of the Earth’s surface. The

water is too salty to drink, but the ocean provides us with many other things including: food, energy, and minerals. Large ships use the ocean as a highway. The ocean is a great place for swimming, boating, and other fun activities.

The world has five oceans. The two largest oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific, border the United States.

• Find the Weather map in the Houston Chronicle. Locate the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Which ocean lies on the east side of the United States? On the west? Find and circle the state of Texas. Does it touch a body of water?

Even if you don’t live near the ocean, it is very important in your life. All rainwater comes from the ocean.

• In the space below, draw your own weather symbol for rain.

Playing in the waves is one of the most fun things to do in the ocean. Waves are caused by wind blowing across the top of the water. You can find out how waves begin with this simple experiment:

1. Fill a large bowl with water.2. Blow across the surface.

3. Watch as ripples move over the water toward the far side of the bowl.

4. The harder and longer you blow, the higher the ripples will grow.

Adapted from The First Book of the Ocean by Sam and Beryl Epstein

The ocean inside you

Did you know that you have a little bit of the ocean inside your body? The human body contains salt water, which is similar to the water found in the world’s oceans.

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and that lies along the ocean is called a beach. Many beaches are made of sand, much like the sand in

a sandbox. Others are made of pebbles or rocks. People all over the world visit the beach to play in the sand and swim in the ocean.

(Answers: crab, snail, oyster, scallop)

The beaches along the United States coasts are popular vacation spots. People travel from all over the world to visit beaches in Florida, Texas, California, Hawaii, and other coastal states.

• Pretend you are going on a trip to the beach. First, pick a Houston Chronicle comic character to go with you.

• Now, look through the Houston Chronicle’s advertisements, and make a list of things you and your friend would take along. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

The seashells you see on the beach were once the homes of living animals. As these animals grow, they leave their shells behind and make new ones.

• Unscramble the words below to learn the names of animals that

live in shells.

brac c __ __ b

laisn s n __ __ __

yersto o y __ __ __ r

loplsac s c __ l l __ __

• Now, make your own word scramble. From the Houston Chronicle, find letters that spell five ocean words found on this page. Copy the letters onto construction paper. Cut the letters out. Mix up the letters in each word and ask a friend to try to unscramble them.

When you walk along the beach, you can see the seashells that have washed up on the sand. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

• Plan a Show and Shell day for your class. Take turns showing off your shell collections. Can you hear the sound of the ocean inside any of the shells?

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Many people like to catch fish for sport. Others like to keep fish as pets.

• Look up “fish” in an encyclopedia to see the many types of fish that live in the ocean. If you could pick one for a pet, which one would it be? Draw your pet fish in the fish bowl below.

Fish are very important to human beings. They provide food for us to eat. Plus, big fish eat little fish, and little fish eat plants. This is called a food chain, and it helps keep nature in balance.

• The four parts of this ocean food chain are pictured below. Number the panels in the correct order from one to four. Begin with the lowest part of the chain.

any animals live in the ocean. The most common are fish. Fish live in the water throughout their entire

lives. They have fins to swim and gills to breathe under water. Fish come in all shapes and sizes. Some are flat, and some can blow themselves up like balloons.

Fish come in all colors, too. The variety of fish that live in the ocean make it one of the most interesting places on Earth.

• On another sheet of paper, draw and color a fish. Remember that fish have stripes, circles, and all the colors of the rainbow. Use your imagination!

Copy your pet fish's name below.

________________________________

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Fins are a fish’s arms and legs. Most fish swim by moving their tail fins from side to side.

• Look through the Houston Chronicle for examples of the ways people travel. How many kinds of transportation did you find? __________ Could you use any of them in the ocean? __________

• Unscramble the letters below for the name of a fish that might like to live at your school!

o g l d i f h s

g __ __ d __ __ s h

All the fish that live together in a school are alike in size. Some schools have 25 or fewer fish, while others might consist of hundreds of millions.

• Count the number of fish in the school on this page. Then, with your class, find that number that many times in the Houston Chronicle. Then look for 25 numbers greater than 25. See who can find the largest number in the Houston Chronicle.

• Although fish in schools are usually alike, let’s make this school of fish different. Color three fish blue. Color two fish red. Color two fish green. And color one fish the color of your choice.

ome fish live alone in the ocean. Others live in close groups called “schools.” Fish travel together in

schools to protect themselves from other fish.

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When it’s a shellfish, of course!

ot all animals in the ocean are fish, and not all fish are true fish. Some animals with shells are called

shellfish but they’re really crustaceans. Crustaceans — crabs, lobsters, oysters, and shrimp — are animals with many legs and hard shells that protect their boneless bodies.

Crabs are an important part of animal life in the ocean. They have five pairs of walking legs. When they’re on the move, they walk or run sideways.

• Write a sports headline about a crab named Chester winning a big race against another ocean friend, Larry the Lobster. (Remember, a headline tells a little about a story and makes people want to read more. For example. look at other sports headlines in the Houston Chronicle.)

The oyster is another sea animal that lives in a shell. It is an important source of food. An oyster’s pearls are also valuable. They are most often used to make jewelry.

• The most valuable pearls are perfectly round in shape. They are used in necklaces and other jewelry. Look through the Houston Chronicle for pictures of other items that are round. Pick one that is valuable because of its round shape. Draw a picture of one. Share your picture with the class.

Have you ever eaten lobster? People all over the world love lobster for the tasty white meat found in its claws and tail.

• The popularity of lobster makes lobster fishing an important job in many areas of the United States. Using the Houston Chronicle's weather map or another newspaper map, locate the state of Maine, where millions of American lobsters are caught each year.

• If you traveled north from Maine, you’d be in another country where lobster fishing is also important. Can you name that country?

C __ N __ __ A

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You need:• 1 round clear plastic lid• Tissue paper• Stickers• Felt pen• Thread• Glue• Scissors

Instructions:1. Cut the plastic

lid in half.2. Glue the lid

halves together (insides facing).

3. Cover both sides of the lid with glue and place it in the center of a large rectangle of tissue paper (about 1 1/2 ft.).

4. Fold the tissue paper over the rounded edge of the lid.5. Glue and fold the paper around the curved edge

of the lid. Scrunch the paper to give it a bumpy appearance.6. Cut the paper hanging from the straight edge of the lid into

strips to make the jellyfish’s “legs.”7. Make eyes with stickers, or use construction paper

and a felt pen.8. Hang it in the window with thread and watch

the light shine through.

You need:• A small balloon• 1 1/2-inch strips of paper• Shallow pan• 2 cups flour• 1 cup water• Scissors• Paint

Instructions:1. Blow up and tie balloon.2. Mix flour and water in shallow

pan until smooth paste forms.3. Dip both sides of paper strips

into paste.4. Apply strips to balloon in

two layers.5. Allow to dry 24 hours.6. Paint the octopus’ body

and legs.7. Paint a funny face on the

octopus’ body.8. Poke a hole to deflate balloon.

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You need:• A styrofoam cup• Five 6-inch pieces of yarn• Pencil• Scissors• Patterns of fish (6)• Construction paper• Crayons• Tape

Instructions:1. Trace and color the fish patterns below onto construc-

tion paper.2. Cut out the patterns.3. With your pencil, poke a hole in the top of your cup;

poke four more holes around the bottom edges of cup.4. Knot one end of each piece of yarn.5. Thread one piece of yarn through each of the four holes

in the bottom edges of the cup, with the unknotted ends dangling.

6. Thread the last piece of yarn through the top of cup with unknotted end at the top.

7. Tape the fish on the dangling ends of the yarn.

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The largest whale can grow up to 100 feet long! But some whales are only 10 to 15 feet long.

• With your teacher’s help, go outside or in the lunch room and measure 100 feet. Describe how big a whale can grow.

• The blue whale on the right is 12 inches long. Cut it out and use it as a ruler to measure things in your classroom. Measure to the closest number.

How long is your pencil? __________________________

How long is your desk? ___________________________

How long is a friend's shoe? _______________________

Whales, as well as dolphins, look a lot like fish but they are not fish. They belong to a group of animals called mammals. People are mammals, too.

• Whales have the same senses that people have. They can see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. Using your the Houston Chronicle, find:

Things we see Things we hear Things we feel Things we smell Things we taste

• Now, as a class, talk about some of the things whales and dol-phins might see, hear, feel, smell, and taste in the ocean. Ask your teacher to make a list on the chalkboard.

Even at birth, whales are big. A blue whale gains about 200 pounds a day during its first few months of life.

• Make a big-and-small chart. Using the Houston Chronicle, find pictures of big and small things. Draw small items on one side of a piece of construction paper and big items on the other. Label each side correctly with "BIG" and "SMALL."

ome of the smallest animals in the world live in the ocean. So does the world’s largest animal: the whale. Not

even the giant dinosaurs that once lived on Earth were as big as some types of whales. The blue whale is the biggest whale of all. It weighs up to 50 times more than an elephant.

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any strange creatures live in the ocean. There are sea horses, kissing fish, starfish,

and flying fish. There are sea cucumbers, sponges, and sand dollars, too. There are even fan worms, purple sea urchins, and giant spider crabs! These unusual creatures make the ocean a mysterious – but exciting – place.

One strange creature you’ll find in the ocean is an octopus. It has eight dangling “arms” but can be as small as a man's fist. Octopuses are sometimes called devilfish.

• The first four letters in octopus, OCTO, mean eight. Find the number 8 eight times in the Houston Chronicle. Tell on which page each number was found.

• Sometimes octopuses change colors to show how they feel. When they’re scared, they might turn white. If they’re excited, they might turn orange. Look through the Houston Chronicle and find pictures of people who are happy and people who are sad. How do you know how they feel? What color would you use to describe how they feel?

The sea horse is another unusual animal that lives in the ocean. It looks like several animals rolled into one. Complete the sentences below to see for yourself. (Fill in the blanks with the words provided.)

The sea horse’s head and neck look like a ____________.It has a tail like a ___________________________________.The sea horse has a pouch like a ____________________.It has a spiny, knoblike body like an __________________.The sea horse wears a crown like a __________________.

Monkey Kangaroo Armadillo Horse King

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Sharks have a bad reputation! They are known for their attacks on people. Truth is, fewer than 100 shark attacks are reported each year throughout the world.

• Most of the time, sharks will leave people alone. Still, people should follow these rules when swimming in the ocean:*

— Never swim alone. — Never swim with an open wound. Blood attracts sharks. — Never swim in the ocean at night or if the water is dirty.

You won’t be able to spot a shark. — Leave the water immediately if you see a shark. — Never grab or hurt a shark, even if it’s small and seems

harmless.Can you think of any other rules? Make a shark safety poster.

Jellyfish are spineless ocean creatures that have a powerful sting. Some types of jellyfish look more like plants than animals. They have bell-shaped bodies that open and close like an umbrella when they swim.

• Find words in the Houston Chronicle that begin with each of the letters in the word “jellyfish.” Copy the words in the blanks below. Next to each word, write the page number on which you found it.

J ______________________________

E ______________________________

L ______________________________

L ______________________________

Y ______________________________

F ______________________________

I ______________________________

S ______________________________

H ______________________________

eople once believed that monsters lived in the ocean because many ocean animals look scary. Some ARE

dangerous. The great white shark, for example, is the most feared animal in the sea. It is big and powerful and can eat sea turtles, fish – even dolphins - if they get close enough.

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Penguins are fat, feathery birds that live in cool areas along the ocean shore. They cannot fly, but they are good swimmers and divers. Penguins love to have fun. One of their favorite activities is floating on ice.

• Pete the Penguin is planning a night out. Help him decide where to go. Look through the Houston Chronicle's entertainment or weekend sec-

tions for a place to have dinner and a fun activity to attend afterward. Hint: Penguins love to eat fish, shrimp, and lobster.

henever you go to the ocean, you will see the many birds that live nearby. Birds of the ocean depend on fish

and other animals for food. Some even drink the salty water.

Sea gulls are great scavengers. They search the beach for food that

people or animals have left behind.

• Let’s see if your class would make good scavengers. Instead of searching for food, though, let’s search for numbers in the Houston Chronicle. As a class, find the

following:

— A number over 10

— A number less than 1,000

— A number between 10 and 100

— A telephone number

— Numbers in an address

— A fraction

— A money number

— A number written in letters or words

Pelicans are large water birds. Their appetites are just as large. They use the pouches under their bills to scoop small fish out of the ocean.

• Although pelicans love seafood, our pelican wants to try your favorite foods. Go shopping through the grocery ads for food you love to eat. Draw a picture of your favorite food.

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ecause we depend on the ocean for so many things, it’s important to find out as much as we can about

it. People who explore and study the ocean are called oceanographers. They discover new and exciting things that help us understand the ocean better.

The ocean can be studied in many ways. Some oceanogra-phers explore the ocean floor. Others study the waves and tides. Still others study the plants and animals that live in the ocean.

• Talk about what it would be like to be an oceanographer. Then pick a newspaper comic strip character you think would make a good oceanographer. Draw the character on a piece of construc-tion paper, and draw ocean scenery around him. What is he studying?

• Unscramble the words below to find out which subjects you need to study to be an oceanographer.

incesceS C __ __ __ C __

athmM __ __ __

Some oceanographers travel deep into the ocean to take photographs. Photographs provide valuable information about the ocean.

• Find a photograph in the Houston Chronicle that provides readers with important information. Describe to a classmate what's hap-pening in the photo.

• Now, draw or describe in writing some-thing you would like to photograph in

the ocean. For extra credit, write a cutline — the copy that pro-

vides information about the photo — for the photo you would take.

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The biggest threat to the ocean is people. Sometimes people are careless and spill things into the ocean. At other times, people deliberately dump garbage and other items into the water.

• Unscramble the word below to find out what this careless and deliberate dumping of wastes is called. Hint: It also harms the air and land. The word is mentioned in all the activities on this page. Some letter have already been filled in.

O L P L U I T O N P _ L _ _ _ _ _ N

• Watch your Houston Chronicle for stories about pollution. Talk about how harmful pollution is and what might happen if people continue to pollute Earth’s water, land, and air.

s you’ve learned, the ocean is a very important part of our world. That’s why we must do everything we can

to protect it. We must take care of the water, as well as the plants and animals that live in and around it.

Pollution is very harmful to the animals that live in the ocean. Many are called endangered animals because they are in danger of dying out.

• Connect the dots from A to Y to discover one of our endangered ocean friends, the manatee. They are gentle, peaceful animals that have only one enemy – people.

15This program is generously provided by PARADE® Magazine.

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