TEACHER ANSWER KEY

Biscayne Nature Center for Environmental Education (BNCEE)

LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS
To the teacher: Your students may need some class time to complete each station (page) of the lab booklet. Afterwards, a class
reading and review of the entire lab booklet can be a rewarding experience as a follow-up activity to the CEE visit.

STATION NUMBER 1: PLANKTON SC.B.1.2.1, SC.B.1.2.2, SC.F.1.2.2, SC.G.1.2.2, SC.G.1.2.3, SC.H.1.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2,
SC.H.3.2.4
1. Answers may vary. Identified plankton is a larval crab. The color of the plant plankton (Diatoms) should be green or
golden brown. Most plants have a chemical in them called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll gives the plants their green color.
2. The oil returns to the top of the jar when you stop shaking.
3. a) float
4. b) sunlight to make food (Chlorophyll, a green chemical within most plants, captures the sun’s energy which enables the
plants to combine carbon dioxide and water into food. This process is called photosynthesis.)
5. a) plant plankton as food (Have the students write a paragraph explaining the picture at the bottom of the lab booklet
page.)
6. a. sun b. plant plankton c. animal plankton d. tiny fish e. large fish f. people

STATION NUMBER 2: ARTHROPODS SC.F.1.2.3, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4

1. No. A Tulip Snail does not have an exoskeleton or jointed legs.

2. Yes. A Spider Crab has an exoskeleton and jointed legs.
3. c. shrimp f. bug e. caterpillar
4. exoskeleton
5. jointed legs; exoskeleton

STATION NUMBER 3: SHARKS SC.F.1.2.3, SC.H.1.2.2

1. Bull=350cm; Tiger=740cm; Nurse=430cm; Blacktip=275cm; Brownbanded Bamboo=104cm
2. Graph completed using data from #1.
3. Tiger 4. Tiger; 390cm longer 5. b. saw
6. Drawings of Tiger, Lemon, and Megalodon sharks (point out that Megalodon is misspelled in the Lab Booklet).
7. 8

STATION NUMBER 4: SEAHORSES AND PIPEFISH SC.F.1.2.3, SC.H.1.2.2

1. b) They have gills and fins 2. a) jar A 3. plankton
4. b) fins; d) mouths; e) food they eat
5. The female puts the eggs into the males pouch where they are fertilized, and then he carries them in his pouch until
they hatch.

STATION NUMBER 5: FISH BEHAVIOR SC.H.1.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4

Results: For this station, the student’s answers may vary. Here the students are using the “scientific method” e.g., a
logical and orderly way of observing, used by all scientists. Have the students tally their results to formulate a class
conclusion. Based on their conclusion, which color would a fisherman paint the bottom of his fishing boat to attract fish?
Conclusion: Answers will vary.

STATION NUMBER 6: PROTECTIVE ADAPTATIONS SC.F.1.2.3

ACROSS: 1. adaptation 3. shell 5. poisonous 7. pincers
DOWN: 2. dorsal 4. tail 6. stinging 8. spines

STATION NUMBER 7: CHEMICAL TEST SC.H.1.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4

Results: The following materials contain calcium carbonate:
limestone, Key Biscayne sand, egg shells, Halimeda sp.
Silica sand and sawdust do not contain calcium carbonate.
A. It will bubble because it contains calcium carbonate.
B. Answers will vary.
C. The animals in the tank need calcium for shells, teeth, skeletons, etc.

STATION NUMBER 8: PROTECTED ANIMALS SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4

1. Carapace= 1 ½inches Tail= 2 ½inches
2. More than 3 inches 3. No 4. From: April 1 to August 5
5. Varies- (depending on date) 6. 2 ¾ inches 7. 3 inches
8. It is larger than legal size.
9. This picture is of a legal sized stone crab claw. (It should be colored)

STATION NUMBER 9: CRABS, CRABS, CRABS SC.H.1.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4

1. a) straight back b) under body c) under body
2. a) more than ten b) ten c) ten
3. a) no b) yes c) yes
4. horseshoe crab
5. the drawing should be of a horseshoe crab
6. 2 claws, 10 legs (including those with claws), eyes on stalks, tail that is folded under the body.
7. answers will vary

STATION NUMBER 10: UNIVALVES AND BIVALVES SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4

1. b) bivalves 2. numbers of univalves and bivalves may vary
3. Florida horse conch 4. a) univalve
5. Some differences between the shelled animals are their shape, color, pattern, size, design, etc.
STATION NUMBER 11: MANGROVES SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4
PART 1
1. buttonwood 2. zone 3 3. zone 1
4. red mangrove Red mangroves need prop roots to keep themselves upright in the waves and wind.
PART 2
LEAF A: White Mangrove, zone 3 LEAF B: Buttonwood, zone 4
LEAF C: Red Mangrove, zone 1 LEAF D: Black Mangrove, zone 2

PART 3
*1. They provide homes, feeding grounds, and breeding areas for many marine organisms and birds that thrive in Biscayne
Bay.
*2. They protect the coast against storm winds, waves and floods.

STATION NUMBER 12: FISH IDENTIFICATION SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4

1. Sergeant major 2. Pork fish 3. Great barracuda 4. Green moray eel
The rest of the answers will vary.

STATION NUMBER 13: TURTLES SC.F.1.2.3, SC.G.2.2.1, SC.G.2.2.3, SC.H.1.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4
1. Shell A: Green Turtle, Shell B: Loggerhead Turtle, Shell C: Hawksbill Turtle, Shell D: Green Turtle
2. 1996 = 90 nests, 1997 = 111 nests, 1998 = 161 nests, 1999 = 66 nests, 2000 = 93 nests
3. a. 1998, 161 b. 1996, 90
4. 1
5. Green, Cape Florida State Park
6. Item #1 is a Portuguese man-of-war. Item #2 is a plastic bag. Some turtles eat Portuguese man-of-war and plastic bags in
the water could appear to be these animals. If eaten, this form of pollution can kill sea turtles.
7. Answers vary

STATION NUMBER 14: ECHINODERMS (Spiny Critters) SC.F.1.2.3, SC.G.2.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2

I. Answers for this section will vary.
Location of mouth:
Sea urchin- bottom Sea star- bottom Sea Cucumber- end

II. Vocabulary Quiz

A. regeneration (2) B. Aristotle’s lantern (3) C. evisceration (1)

STATION NUMBER 15: SANDS FROM MANY PLACES SC.D.1.2.4, SC.H.1.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4
1. Students should have two drawings, one of tiny shell animals and one of broken rock pieces.
2. A. Key Biscayne sand contains rocks and shells.
B. California Beach sand contains rocks
C. Sarasota Beach sand contains rocks
D. Mugi, Japan sand contains rocks.
3. rocks and shells
4. Key Biscayne

STATION NUMBER 16: GREASE SC.D.2.2.1, SC.H.3.2.4

1. Answers vary
2. Grease sticks to the top of the pipe first because the grease floats.
3. Sewer lines overflow.
4. It can flow into oceans, lakes and rivers and kill animals. (wildlife)
5. Clean pipe: good water flow, Diagram= clear pipe
Grease building up: less water flow Diagram= partially filled pipe- blockage at top of pipe
Grease blocks pipe: almost no water flow Diagram= almost completely blocked pipe
6. wash garbage drain clog
7. $600,000
8. Paper towels can be thrown in the garbage. Cloth towels release the grease into the water system when washed.

STATION NUMBER 17: SEA SICK SC.G.1.2.2, SC.G.1.2.7, SC.G.2.2.3, SC.H.1.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.3.2.4

Change in variable Observations

Add food 0
Add antibacterial water conditioner -
Increase pressure in tank +
Change filter 0
Increase temperature 0
Change composition of seawater ++

The variables that had a positive (+ or ++) effect on the animals were:
1. increase pressure in tank 2. change composition of sea water

Extra credit:
1. #8 oxygen #16 sulfur #11 Sodium #1 Hydrogen
2. A) puffer B) inflates or puffs up
C) This would be helpful in avoiding predation if he appears too large to be eaten.
3. A) It eats a fly B) tongue C) changes color D) camouflage