A pink conch shell, Is like a strawberry ice cream cone, But it doesn't smell, nor does it taste like one. Measure and stake out the length of the animals in the schoolyard. Have students measure themselves and calculate how many of their body lengths it would take to measure up. This calculation may also be done with weight. Discuss how much of our foodcomes from the oceans and have students research the species they used in their recipes.
Award prizes for the most creative recipe, most unusual sea creature or plant used, etc.
Ask the students what they could do to change this. Some ideas may be not ordering ocean fish in a restaurant or store, asking local restaurants to take the fish off their menus, writing letters to educate legislators and regulatory agencies, or writing an article for the local newspaper to bring attention to the issue. Ask each student to research the ideal ecological niche, or preferred habitat, of an ocean animal and paint or draw the animal they are researching. When the drawings are ready, tell the students in general terms what environmental conditions exist at each level on the mural. For example, at the benthic level there is no sunlight and tremendous pressure.