Remarkable Remarkable OysterOyster

Professional Development Professional Development

provided by the Chesapeake provided by the Chesapeake Bay Environmental CenterBay Environmental Center

Katey Nelson, Education Manager knelson@bayrestoration.org,

410.827.6694

Who thinks oysters are Who thinks oysters are amazing??!amazing??!

Today we are going to learn about a Today we are going to learn about a little critter that makes a BIG little critter that makes a BIG difference in the Chesapeake Bay.difference in the Chesapeake Bay.

Who already thinks oysters are Who already thinks oysters are amazing? Why?amazing? Why? Typical answers usually include: oysters Typical answers usually include: oysters

are tasty, provide habitat, filter waterare tasty, provide habitat, filter water If you don’t think oysters are amazing If you don’t think oysters are amazing

already, you will at the end of this already, you will at the end of this lesson!lesson!

Introduction to the Introduction to the Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay

Where do we live? Watershed AddressWhere do we live? Watershed Address Chesapeake Bay WatershedChesapeake Bay Watershed Over 16 million people live in the CB Over 16 million people live in the CB

watershed!watershed! Why do we care about where we live?Why do we care about where we live?

What if your neighbor dumped leftover What if your neighbor dumped leftover paint down the drain in front of his house? paint down the drain in front of his house? How would this affect the watershed?How would this affect the watershed?

Insert Map of School

Tie discussion to where their school is located in the Bay watershed

Grade the BayGrade the Bay How healthy is the Bay?How healthy is the Bay? How would you grade the Bay?How would you grade the Bay?

Use a grade scale your students are familiar Use a grade scale your students are familiar withwith

Scientists grade the Bay each year in Scientists grade the Bay each year in different “subjects”different “subjects” We are graded in Reading, Math, Science, etc. We are graded in Reading, Math, Science, etc. What “subjects” do you think the Bay gets What “subjects” do you think the Bay gets

grades for?grades for? Water quality, SAV, Oyster, Fisheries Water quality, SAV, Oyster, Fisheries

(rockfish/stripped bass and menhaden are 2 mj. (rockfish/stripped bass and menhaden are 2 mj. fisheries), Oxygen, COfisheries), Oxygen, CO22

http://ian.umces.edu/ecocheck/report-cards/chesapeake-bay/2010/summaries/lower_western_shore

http://ian.umces.edu/ecocheck/report-cards/chesapeake-bay/2011/

Threats to the BayThreats to the Bay Why is the grade so low?Why is the grade so low?

Discussion. If necessary, prompt students to Discussion. If necessary, prompt students to think about what color water they have seen think about what color water they have seen in the Bayin the Bay

Trash, marine debrisTrash, marine debris Oil, other toxins Oil, other toxins runoff, chemicals runoff, chemicals Sediment Sediment (brown water) blocks (brown water) blocks

sunlight. How does this affect plants? sunlight. How does this affect plants? animals?animals?

Nutrients Nutrients (green water) Algae (green water) Algae blooms! Runoff carries nutrients blooms! Runoff carries nutrients especially from fertilizers on agricultural especially from fertilizers on agricultural fields into the water, “feeding” algaefields into the water, “feeding” algae

Bay in the PastBay in the Past Think-pair-share: Picture the Bay in 1608 Think-pair-share: Picture the Bay in 1608

when Captain John Smith explored the when Captain John Smith explored the BayBay

Describe what you would see now. Why Describe what you would see now. Why does it look so different? does it look so different?

It is like we need a filter for the Bay…It is like we need a filter for the Bay… Does anyone know of an animal that Does anyone know of an animal that

might be able to filter the Bay???might be able to filter the Bay???

Oysters in the PastOysters in the Past

“The abundance of oysters is incredible. There are whole banks of them so that the ships must avoid them . . . They surpass those in England by far in size, indeed, they are four times as large. I often cut them in two, before I could

put them into my mouth.”Explorer Francis Louis Michel, 1701

One adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day!

The oysters in the Bay could once filter a volume of water equal to the volume of the Bay in 3-6 days. Today, that same feat would take over a

year.

Oyster BiologyOyster Biology Pass around oyster shellsPass around oyster shells What do we know about oysters? KWL What do we know about oysters? KWL

chartchart Hard shells, soft body (invertebrate), 2 Hard shells, soft body (invertebrate), 2

shells (bivalve). Hinge on one end, shells (bivalve). Hinge on one end, muscle inside allows shells to open and muscle inside allows shells to open and close.close.

Life functions, just like us! Why do they Life functions, just like us! Why do they have to open their shells?have to open their shells?

Eating- look at picture of mouth. What do Eating- look at picture of mouth. What do oysters eat?oysters eat?

Eats algae… wow- and we said we have a problem Eats algae… wow- and we said we have a problem with too much algae! Oysters can help us!with too much algae! Oysters can help us!

Oyster DanceOyster Dance Put your left and right shells together! (clap hands Put your left and right shells together! (clap hands

above head and together)above head and together) Open your shellOpen your shell Wave your cilia (wave your hands and wiggle your Wave your cilia (wave your hands and wiggle your

fingers)- 3xfingers)- 3x Pull it in (pretend to grab food above head, clench Pull it in (pretend to grab food above head, clench

fists and pull food into mouth)- 3xfists and pull food into mouth)- 3x Digest (push food down from mouth towards Digest (push food down from mouth towards

stomach)- 3xstomach)- 3x Tell students you are breaking down the plankton and Tell students you are breaking down the plankton and

using all the edible parts to give you energy.using all the edible parts to give you energy. Now ask where does the left over, inedible material go?Now ask where does the left over, inedible material go?

Pack it up (pretend to pack up waste into ball)- 3xPack it up (pretend to pack up waste into ball)- 3x Scat it out (push hands down together to the left Scat it out (push hands down together to the left

then right, with a little hop in between)- 3xthen right, with a little hop in between)- 3x

Oyster GameOyster Game Demonstrates several of the Demonstrates several of the

issues that caused or are issues that caused or are causing oyster populations causing oyster populations to declineto decline Over-harvestingOver-harvesting Over-harvesting due to Over-harvesting due to

technological advancestechnological advances Hand tonging (historical – Hand tonging (historical –

present), hand dredging, present), hand dredging, mechancial tonging, hydraulic mechancial tonging, hydraulic tonging (1958)tonging (1958)

SedimentationSedimentation Oyster reefs used to be 3D which Oyster reefs used to be 3D which

kept living oysters off the bottom kept living oysters off the bottom and out of the depositional areasand out of the depositional areas

Diseases (MSX and Dermo) Diseases (MSX and Dermo) 1960s- present1960s- present

Timeline:

1. Hand tonging

2. Dredging

3. MSX

4. Dermo

5. Hydraulic tonging

Oyster Reef CommunityOyster Reef Community Another amazing thing about oysters- Another amazing thing about oysters-

oysters create habitat for others, oysters create habitat for others, including baby oysters!including baby oysters!

Look for evidence of benthic (bottom-Look for evidence of benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms on oyster shells dwelling) organisms on oyster shells using guide sheetusing guide sheet

Oysters RestorationOysters Restoration

Artificial ReefsArtificial Reefs Reef ballsReef balls Old oyster shellOld oyster shell

Marylanders Marylanders Grow OystersGrow Oysters http://www.oysthttp://www.oyst

ers.maryland.gers.maryland.gov/ov/

HatcheriesHatcheries Better survival Better survival

rate for spatrate for spat

ExtensionsExtensions Oyster Reef Mural (Art)Oyster Reef Mural (Art)

http://www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/documents/popup.pdfhttp://www.deq.state.va.us/coastal/documents/popup.pdf Grading the Bay (Science)Grading the Bay (Science)

http://ian.umces.edu/ecocheck/report-cards/chesapeake-bay/2010/summaries/lower_western_shore

External Anatomy Lab (Science)External Anatomy Lab (Science) Adapted from Adapted from

http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/issues/chesapeake/oysters/edhttp://www.mdsg.umd.edu/issues/chesapeake/oysters/education/anatlab/lab_e.htm ucation/anatlab/lab_e.htm

Graphing Oyster production (Math)Graphing Oyster production (Math) http://www.sultanaprojects.org/http://www.sultanaprojects.org/

LineGraphofMDOysterHarvests19522007.pdf LineGraphofMDOysterHarvests19522007.pdf Comparing 1608 Chesapeake Bay with current Comparing 1608 Chesapeake Bay with current

(Social Studies and Reading)(Social Studies and Reading) http://www.johnsmith400.org/http://www.johnsmith400.org/

The_Chesapeake_Bay_in_1608.pdfThe_Chesapeake_Bay_in_1608.pdf

Adaptations for Grade Adaptations for Grade LevelsLevels

How will you adapt these activities How will you adapt these activities for different grade levels?for different grade levels?

Materials Provided from CBEC:Materials Provided from CBEC: Artifact Guide SheetArtifact Guide Sheet Benthic Organisms Guide SheetBenthic Organisms Guide Sheet External Anatomy LabExternal Anatomy Lab Remarkable Oyster PPTRemarkable Oyster PPT