Rockpool Ecosystem - Middle Tide

*Please note, early ClassVR headset models (155) may take longer to load this scene and performance could be affected.* Take an unforgettable trip to the coast! Your students will become miniature divers, exploring the hidden world of rockpools like never before. These tiny, yet vibrant ecosystems are brimming with life, where anemones sway, limpets cling, starfish twirl, shore crabs scurry, and hermit crabs hustle to find their next home. On this watery adventure, students will witness firsthand how the ever-shifting tides impact the climate and habitat as rockpool residents battle the constant changes to survive. It’s a thrilling peek into nature’s resilience and the wonders of the shoreline! **Note to Teachers:** This explorable scene will allow students to experience three *Rockpool Ecosystem* scenarios: high tide, middle and low tide. By exploring these three environments, students will understand how the changing tides affect the climate, the availability of space and shelter in a rockpool, and how lower tides create hazards that rockpool inhabitants need to overcome. # Learning Objectives 1. Describe the climate of a rockpool habitat as varied due to tidal shifts{.info} 2. Describe animal adaptation to the hazards related to tidal and climate shifts{.info} 3. Explain how living things are adapted to survive the shifting conditions in a rockpool habitat{.info} # Preparing for the Experience Before entering the *Rockpool Ecosystem* experience, ask your students what they already know about rockpools as habitats and biomes. Explain that rockpools are small ecosystems compared to larger ones like mountains, coasts, or deserts, but they are full of life. Despite their changing size, they provide ideal conditions for many small aquatic organisms, and because they are so close to the ocean, they are constantly changing with the tides. When the tide comes in, fresh seawater floods the pools, cooling them down and creating currents that can push or pull animals. Throughout the day, rockpool temperatures can change much more than in the open ocean, making the environment unpredictable. To survive, the creatures living there must adapt to these shifts. Rockpools shrink when the tide goes out, giving underwater animals less space and shelter. This can lead to crowding and make it easier for predators to find their next meal. Some creatures that move slowly, or not at all, may be left exposed to dry conditions until the tide returns. How do these creatures deal with their shifting habitat? **Preparation Questions** 1. What causes water levels to change in rockpools?{.task} 2. What causes the temperature change throughout the day{.task} 3. What type of living things can be found in a typical rockpool?{.task} # Step-by-Step Experience Guide Teachers can use this step-by-step guide to lead students through the experience once they are in the headset. Alternatively, students can use the guide below independently, or in a group. ## Navigating the Launch Deck{.objective .objective1}  Get ready to shrink down and dive into the wonders of rockpools! You've just arrived at the launch deck for miniature divers. Just ahead, you'll find a ladder at the edge of the water, which is your way in and out of the rockpool. When you're ready to move between rockpools, return here to use the portals. Before you take the plunge, let’s cover some basics. In this room, you’ll spot three important icons that show the low, medium and high tide. The icon above the descending ladder shows which rockpool you're currently in. Can you see the water level? To your right, the other two icons are portals that lead to the other rockpools. Walk toward them when you wish to be transported. But hold on, we won’t need those just yet! Now, it’s time to explore! Make your way to the ladder and dive in. But be careful; these creatures may be tiny, but now that you're small enough to join them, they might not seem so small anymore! Happy diving! ## Quick Fire Questions 1. How does tidal movement change the water level in this rockpool?{.task} 2. What effect could changing water levels have on the living things here?{.task} ## High Tide{.objective .objective2}  It’s time to dive into the rockpool. Take a look around as this rockpool is teeming with life! **Beadlet anemones:** to your right, these tiny tentacle-waving creatures might look harmless, but their microscopic needles pack a sting! They use them to catch small fish and crabs. **Starfish:** Clinging to the rocks on your left, these slow-moving hunters search for mussels and clams. They thrive in ever-changing rockpool conditions. As you continue to the middle of the rockpool you’ll see more rockpool dwellers. **Hermit crab:** Along the rocky floor, these opportunistic scavengers claim abandoned sea snail shells for protection, moving into bigger ones as they grow. What is another feature hermit crabs have that is very useful? **Limpets:** On the rock face you will see small, shelled invertebrates feeling their way around with their tentacles. These are limpets. Stuck to the rock face like tiny suction cups, these cone-shelled grazers feast on algae when the tide is high. **Shore crab:** Watch out! These feisty hunters will eat anything, from seaweed to mussels, even other crabs. Rockpools are their perfect hunting grounds. As you continue to swim to the other side of the rockpool, you will encounter our final rockpool dweller. The mussel. **Mussels:** Mussels are small soft bodied animals that cling to the surfaces of shallow waters like rockpools. During high tide their shells are open, allowing food particles to be captured as they drift passed. As they filter plankton and tiny particles, they play a vital role in keeping the rockpool waters clean. The rockpool is a buffet of food for the creatures that live in it as they depend on each other to maintain a stable community. It also provides shelter to small invertebrates and fish. During high tide, creatures spread out to hunt. But when the tide drops, survival gets tricky as water levels drop, temperatures rise and drying out is a real danger. Now, let’s head back to the launch deck and see what happens when the tide changes! ## Quick Fire Questions 1. What common features do rockpool creatures have to protect them against predators?{.task} 2. Why aren’t these creatures huddled together?{.task} ## Middle Tide{.objective .objective3}  Wow, what an adventure! Now that we’ve seen life at high tide, let’s explore what happens when the water level starts to drop. Walk up to the middle tide icon to teleport to a different time of day. From the launch deck, dive into the rockpool and look around. Notice anything different? The water level has dropped! Kelp and mussels are now exposed on the rock face. Since they can’t move, mussels tightly close their shells to stay hydrated and protected from predators. Look to your right. Can you see the Beadlet anemones? Some didn’t move fast enough and are now above water! To survive, they retract their tentacles into a bulb-like shape, reducing water loss and avoiding predators. As you swim further, space is getting tight! Many creatures will have moved further into the rockpool, remaining in the water to stay safe. Looking back, you can clearly see how mussels and anemones use their adaptations in response to the tide dropping. Now, let’s head back to the launch deck; it’s time to explore low tide! ## Quick Fire Questions 1. Which invertebrates are still active in medium tide{.task} 2. Which invertebrates have moved as the tide has dropped?{.task} 3. How have mussels responded to the lower tide?{.task} ## Low Tide{.objective .objective4}  The final dive awaits! Back on the launch deck, step through the low tide icon and then head to the ladder and dive in for one last adventure. Wow! The water is extremely low, and the sun is blazing! Conditions have changed drastically; let’s see how these incredible creatures cope. Some of the starfish didn’t reach the water and are baking in the sun! But don’t worry; they can withstand the heat by soaking up water beforehand. Scientists are still figuring out exactly how, but they believe soaking up the water helps keep them cool in these conditions. Due to the receding water, many hermit crabs have gathered at the bottom, while limpets clamp down tightly to rocks, waiting for the tide to return. That seagull is struggling to pry a limpet off; talk about strong survival skills! Limpets use their strong muscles to clamp tightly onto the rock. In this low water, mussels and anemones are now fully exposed. Mussels have sealed themselves shut and anemones have tucked away their tentacles to stay safe from predators and dehydration. Low tide may be short-lived, but these creatures are tough, built to survive the daily cycle of rising and falling water. What amazing little survivors! ## Quick Fire Questions 1. What do you notice about how starfish deal with the hot sun during low tide?{.task} 2. How did limpets respond to protect themselves against low tide and predators?{.task} ## Teacher Copy of Quiz with Answers Students should determine if these statements are true or false: 1. Hermit crabs live in the same shell all their lives. **[False]** 2. Limpets move fast to catch prey as they hunt. **[False]** 3. Beadlet anemones have stinging tentacles used to catch prey. **[True]** 4. Rockpool wildlife moves when the tide drops to stay in the water. **[True]** 5. Water levels in a rockpool are affected by the coastal sea near them. **[True]** 6. Rockpool wildlife has more room as the tide drops. **[False]** 7. Mussels close their shells when they are out of the water at low tide. **[[True]** 8. Limpets use their strong muscles to clamp tightly on a rock face at low tide. **[True]** 9. Beadlet anemones catch seagulls as a source of food. **[False]** 10. Starfish cannot survive out of water. **[False]** # Extended Learning Now that students have explored the three different scenarios — high, middle and low tide in a rockpool, let students take the time to consolidate what they have observed and learned. Create an infographic summarizing the key features of a rockpool as a habitat: - Highlight the typical wildlife that can be found in a rockpool - Annotate the infographic describing how the conditions can change during a change in tide level - Annotate the infographic describing the hazards wildlife face with the changing tides - Annotate the infographic describing the features rockpool dwellers must deal with the changing conditions in a rockpool # Cross-Curricular Links **Geography** By exploring this scene, students should observe and discuss rockpools as a biome. Students should create an infographic outlining the typical physical conditions of a rockpool, the typical climate, and how tidal movement affects the physical conditions within it. **Literacy** By exploring this scene, students can make notes of the atmosphere, how they feel exploring rockpools, and the visual features they can identify. Using the scene as inspiration, students should be asked to write a poem about rockpools. **Art & Design** Create a landscape piece of a typical rockpool, using a choice of style. Students could use pastels, pencils, charcoal or watercolors. # Teacher Resources ### Download the Teacher Notes Below [](https://avnfs.com/dxCcXIQW4Bihxi5_cJgVvyjjvPihxRdXvdmSph-wj9g?size=6513139&type=application%2Fpdf&name=Rockpool+Ecosystem+REBUILD+Teacher+Notes+-+Teacher+Version.pdf) ### Download the Student Notes Below [](https://avnfs.com/4JcUhNJOXGXcVYU-sHwCPbos3iyTnEZ2dVuNrikqfVM?size=5366939&type=application%2Fpdf&name=Rockpool+Ecosystem+REBUILD+Teacher+Notes+-+Student+Version.pdf)