Coastal Habitat

This scene takes the form of a coastal habitat. Here, you can explore cliffs, a sandy beach and the sea. You might notice the tide going out and leaving wet sand in the intertidal zone, and the gently sloping sandy beach heading up to the cliffs which have been weathered and eroded over the years. This dynamic environment can be changed by erosion during winter storms, or deposition of sand by the waves.

# Learning objectives

Be able to explain different tides{.info}

Be able to describe the different types of plant life that can be found in a coastal habitat{.info}

Be able to describe the different types of animal life that can be found in a coastal habitat{.info}

# Tides{.objective .objective1}

In this section the coastal habitat changes regularly as the tide comes in and washes out twice through each 24-hour cycle, with two high tides and two low tides each day. In this activity students are asked to enter the scene to try to find the intertidal zone. They should consider: How they were able to find where it is? And what does it look like?

# Plant Life{.objective .objective2}

In this section plants living in coastal areas need to tolerate the salty conditions. Strong winds often blow in over the sea, so in exposed coastal areas it is common to find small plants and shrubs. Soils can be poor with low levels of nutrients, and very sandy, meaning they do not always hold water well. In this activity students are asked to enter the scene to identify different types of plant life. They should think about Where within the habitat can you find plants growing? And what about these locations make them a suitable location for plants to grow?

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# Animal Life{.objective .objective3}

In this sections gulls make their nests of twigs and grasses in the sand dunes and cliff areas around the coast. Other birds, such as sand martins, make holes in the cliff face itself and create nests there, coming out to feed on the small insects they find flying over the water. In this section students are asked to enter the scene to find the different animals living in this section of the coast. The students should consider what is challenging about this habitat for animals who live here?

# Teacher Resources

### Download Teacher Notes

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/790900/files/Coastal%20Habitats+Teachers+Notes+Only.pdf?date=1675268494&size=769034&md5=d5a2f824cfb5c798eff78bb7f761c463)

### Student Quiz Answers Document

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/790901/files/Coastal%20Habitats+Quiz+Answers.pdf?date=1675268576&size=395455&md5=91c4cb63e01177f3d2fa08deda27e028)

### Download Student Quiz Document

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/790902/files/Coastal%20Habitats+Quiz+Only.pdf?date=1675268713&size=95425&md5=7a9c1322215e513427c0c52e5880ea19)