K-2

Gulf Shrimp

Implement this lesson:

Use this lesson when discussing animal ecosystems, habitats, or other environmental TEKs. This lesson can be used as part of a larger local theme i.e. Oceans Week. It can also be used for a shrimp themed day. The duration of this lesson can vary based on student and teacher needs. 

Learning Objective: The students will be able to identify shrimp and understand the basic life history of the shrimp by completing the parts of a shrimp, shrimp have/can/are, and by learning facts through books and watching videos. They will create a suncatcher.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

Science TEKS 

K.10(B)  identify basic parts of plants and animals  

K.10(A)  sort plants and animals into groups based on physical characteristics such as color, size, body covering, or leaf shape 

1.9(B) analyze and record examples of interdependence found in various situations such as terrariums and aquariums or pet and caregiver  

1.10(A)  investigate how the external characteristics of an animal are related to where it lives, how it moves, and what it eats

2.10(A) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics and behaviors of animals help them meet their basic needs   

2.10(B) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics of plants help them meet their basic needs such as stems carry water throughout the plant   

 2.10(C) investigate and record some of the unique stages that insects such as grasshoppers and butterflies undergo during their life cycle 

ELA TEKS

K.3(B) use illustrations and texts the student is able to read or hear to learn or clarify word meanings

K.5(B) generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information with adult assistance 

K.5(E) make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society with adult assistance 

1.9(D) recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including: (ii) features and simple graphics to locate or gain information

1.6(C) make and correct or confirm predictions using text features, characteristics of genre, and structures with adult assistance 

2.6(B) generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information 

2.6(I) monitor comprehension and make adjustments such as re‐reading, using background knowledge, checking for visual cues, and asking questions when understanding breaks down

Overview:

Gulf Shrimp (Brown, White, and Pink Shrimp)

The Gulf of Mexico is home to three main types of shrimp that are important to both the environment and the economy: brown shrimp, white shrimp, and pink shrimp. These shrimp live in bays, estuaries, and offshore waters, and they play a key role in marine food chains and commercial fishing.

Types of Gulf Shrimp

Brown Shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus)

  • Brown or tan in color with a purple or greenish tail
  • Most active at night
  • Found in muddy or sandy bottoms of bays and the Gulf
  • Spawn offshore; young shrimp move into coastal marshes and seagrass beds
  • Peak harvest season: May to July
  • Slightly stronger flavor due to their diet

White Shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus)

  • Light gray or white body with greenish or blue-tinted tail
  • Prefer softer, muddier bottoms in estuaries and shallow waters
  • Tend to grow larger than brown shrimp
  • More common in late summer and fall
  • Peak harvest season: September to December
  • Mild, sweet taste—popular in restaurants and seafood dishes

Pink Shrimp (Farfantepenaeus duorarum)

  • Pink-colored body with a dark spot on the tail fan
  • Often found near Florida and the eastern Gulf, but also present along Texas coasts
  • Spawn in deeper waters, with juveniles moving into estuaries
  • Peak harvest season: late fall to early spring
  • Tender texture and mild flavor

Life Cycle

  • Eggs hatch in deep Gulf waters
  • Larvae drift with the currents toward coastal areas
  • Young shrimp grow in bays, marshes, and estuaries
  • After a few months, they return to deeper Gulf waters to spawn
  • Life cycle is short—most live less than a year

Role in the Ecosystem

  • Shrimp are an important middle link in the food chain:
    • Eat algae, plankton, and small organisms
    • Are eaten by fish, birds, crabs, sea turtles, and dolphins
  • Help mix and oxygenate the sediment as they burrow
  • Shrimp larvae are food for larval fish and filter feeders

Importance to Humans

  • Commercial shrimping is a major industry in Texas and the Gulf Coast
  • Caught using trawl nets from boats
  • Support thousands of fishing jobs and seafood markets
  • Also harvested by recreational shrimpers
  • Shrimp are sold fresh, frozen, or processed for food around the world

Conservation and Challenges

  • Shrimp populations can be affected by:
    • Overfishing
    • Bycatch (accidentally catching other animals)
    • Pollution and runoff in bays
    • Climate change and rising water temperatures
  • Regulations help protect shrimp:
    • Size limits and closed seasons
    • TEDs (Turtle Excluder Devices) on shrimp nets to protect sea turtles
    • Gear limits and area restrictions to prevent habitat damage

Fun Facts

  • Shrimp are crustaceans, like crabs and lobsters
  • They swim backward by flipping their tails quickly
  • Brown shrimp are the most abundant of the three types
  • Shrimp are often used as bait in recreational fishing
  • A large shrimp is sometimes called a “jumbo”, especially in seafood markets

Possible Books:

  • Sammy Shrimp by Suzanne Tate
  • Three Little Shrimp by J. Steven Spires
  • Giovanni and Scampi the Shrimp by Aaron T Watene
  • Sherri the Shrimp Saves the Day by George J. Linsenmeyer III
  • The Adventures of Gumbo the Shrimp Book by NJ Ciaccio

Procedure

  1.  On a large chart paper the class will generate questions about shrimp
  2. Students fill out shrimp have/can/are writing paper with teacher guidance
  3. Read books on shrimp including Suzanne Tate’s Sammy Shrimp. Students can read other books on shrimp from the library. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dnv0uDtOu4
  1. Students use various shrimp books to fill out the parts of a shrimp paper
  2. Color shrimp pages and word search for supplemental if time permit
  3. Create a shrimp ‘ocean port hole’ based on shark port hole

Shrimp Port Hole:

  • Chart paper
  • Washi tape
  • Contact paper
  • Scissors
  • Solid black paper
  • Blue tissue paper
  • Circle tracer
  • Shrimp tracers
Reference Craft
Shrimp Writing PaperShrimp Labeling Activity

Questions to Ask:

  • What do you know about shrimp?
  • Have you ever seen a shrimp?
  • How do shrimp move?
  • Do we have shrimp live nearby? 
  • Can shrimp harm us?
  • What ecosystem does a shrimp live in?
  • What is a shrimp habitat?
  • What does a shrimp need plants to survive in an ecosystem?
  • Is a shrimp living or non living?
  • What does a shrimp eat? What eats it?

Evaluation:

Students will complete a shrimp labeling activity of body parts and list the facts they learned on writing paper.

Extensions:

  • Students write a fiction or nonfiction story about a shrimp
  • Students create their own model of a shrimp using maker space materials
  • Students complete various shrimp worksheets and lessons
  • Students can read other books or research about other types of shrimp

Lesson by: Amy Tapia