Nutrients are so rich that animals reproduce quickly and grow huge compared to their non-vent cousins. That's what students' parents learned in school. But then scientists discovered chemical-based hot water vents in 1977. Even with high-tech submarines and submersibles, humans have explored just a tiny fraction of the world's oceans. The discoveries are just beginning.
Children can also write their own ocean news articles.
Hot water vents appear where the crust is spreading on the ocean floor. To demonstrate, slightly crack a hard-boiled egg and show how the pieces shift around. Review the flow of energy in food pyramids. Then have students research a vent creature in MSB Explores the Ocean and reference books. Three-foot worms rise from the sea floor.