Field Trips
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Science
- State Standards:
- NATIONAL/STATE STANDARDS:
Next Generation FLORIDA SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS
LA.4.2.1.2
SC.4.L.17
LA.5.2.1.2
SC.5.L.15
LA.6.2.1.2
The student will be able to: a) locate the Dry Tortugas, b) analyze the effects of overharvesting on various fish populations, and c) discuss reasons that make wildlife restrictions important to the survival of populations.
Background
Completing the activity "Locating South Florida's National Parks" is a good predecessor to this activity.
Like a strand of beads hanging from the tip of Florida, reef islands trail westward into the Gulf of Mexico. Almost 70 miles west of Key West lies a cluster of seven small islands called the Dry Tortugas. The Tortugas are known for their coral reefs, which develop in the shallow waters of the outer edge of offshore tropical islands. The Tortugas reef complex supports a wealth of marine life including sea fans, sea anemones, and many types of reef fishes. Supporting more than just marine life, birds like the sooty tern gather at Dry Tortugas each year by the thousands between April and September to nest.
Additional Resources
https://www.nps.gov/drto/faqs.htm
https://www.nps.gov/ever/forteachers/4-6-activity-guide.htm
Vocabulary
Habitat destruction, conservationLast updated: March 8, 2019