Mission: Gulf of Maine Research

Step 1: Know the Task

Web Resources

Library Catalog

Kids Databases

Glossary

InfoTech/InfoLit

SPSD Home

What do I need to do for this project?

1. Research a Gulf of Maine species and its environment
2. Put what I have learned into a database
3. Work with other students to create a model of the Gulf of Maine food web
4. Write a report of my findings for the Gulf of Maine Science Journal

What species do I want to learn about?

See your teacher for a list of possible topics. Since you want to have as many kinds of species in your database as possible, all the scientists will want to study different species. If you have time, however, you may choose to do more than one species.

What information do I need to find out to complete this assignment?

Essential Question: How does my species function in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem?

1. Where does my species live? What type of aquatic environment (estuary, beach, tide pool, Gulf of Maine)? Does it go between one or more than one aquatic environment? What is that environment like? How does that environment fit into the Gulf of Maine system?

2. How does my species fit into the food web of the Gulf of Maine? What does my species eat? What eats my species?

3. How has my species adapted to its environment? What are some physical or behavioral features that fit with the environment?

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