Students can study the way sound travels on land and through the water whether they live near the ocean or well inland. The first part of this experiment is best performed outside. Ask students to walk away from you as you use a clicker or similar device to create sounds, then stop as soon as they can no longer hear it. Next, open an umbrella behind you to direct the sound farther. Ask students to begin walking again to determine how much farther they can go when the sound is directed. If you have access to a swimming pool, perform the experiment again with students using face masks and snorkels. Students should note any differences in the distance and speed sound travels.
To determine how well fish hear sounds, find an aquarium with several varieties of fish. Observe their reactions to every day sounds in the classroom for several class periods. Now try several sounds of different pitches and intensities near the aquarium and directed toward it. Note which fish react to which sounds and intensities. Perform this experiment over several class periods, introducing no more than two sounds to the fish each day. If you can find some microphones designed for underwater use, repeat the experiment and note what effects are different if any.
Have students create their own algal blooms either individually or in groups by adding a few drops of aquarium water to each of two containers holding three or four ounces of non-chlorinated water. Next add a few drops of liquid fertilizer to one of the containers and cover each with aluminum foil. Label the one with no fertilizer “Control” and the one with fertilizer “Nutrients.” Place both containers in well-lit location. Have students observe each container over a one or two-week period, keeping a record of what they see. At the end of the experiment, ask them to explain their findings.
Have students create their own reef using edible items. The University of South Florida recommends using a large yellow or chocolate sheet cake; the former to indicate a limestone layer while the latter will represent volcanic rock. Students will use othe edibles to create other features. Let students be creative. Some possible suggestions are cupcakes or muffins for brain corals, pretzels for branching corals, corn chips for sea fans, pink frosting for coralline algae and so on. Have students select other food items to represent fish, sponges and other marine life. The best part of this lab may be the cleanup as students can eat their creation.