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 seahorse themed day. The duration of this lesson can vary based on student and teacher needs.
Students will be able to learn about one of the most unique animals found in local saltwater habitats, the seahorse. They will create an art project using their knowledge.
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
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
There are two common seahorses in the Gulf, the dwarf and the lined. Read below for information on both.
The lined seahorse—also called the northern seahorse or spotted seahorse—is a small fish that lives in the western Atlantic Ocean. You can find it from Canada down to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Venezuela.
The dwarf seahorse is one of the smallest seahorse species in the world. It lives in shallow waters in the western Atlantic Ocean, especially around Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and parts of the Caribbean.
