lter. The air rising in the tube pulls water up the tube. The through the gravel, and passes under the platform and up the tube.
- 5. Water. If you live or work near the Sound, the easiest thing to do is to get water in empty jugs or buckets. You can also buy sea salts such as “Instant Ocean” from a pet store. For a Long Island Sound aquarium use a little more water and a little less salt than the package instructions recommend.
- 6. Cover. This keeps water from evaporating, and keeps animals from jumping or climbing out. Also it keeps children’s hands out and limits vandalism.
- 7. You will also need a small dip net and a few rocks for the animals to hide under, you will not need a heater or a light.
- ĐSet the aquarium in a cool place. You will not be able to move it once it is filled.
- ĐPlace the pump above and to the side of the tank so that it cannot fall in.
- ĐPlace the filter in the bottom as directed.
- ĐRinse the gravel very well trying to get out as must dust as possible.
- ĐAdd the gravel on top of the filter platform, fill the tank with water and start the pump.
- ĐLet the aquarium run for a day or two until the water is clear.
- ĐAdd one or two small crabs. They will run around for a week spreading bacteria into the gravel.
- ĐAfter a week, introduce the other animals gradually. Choose hardy animals direct from Long Island Sound. Many fish, mollusks, crustacea, and other animals do very well but be careful not to overcrowd the animals. A good rule to remember is no more than one or two inches of animal per gallon of water.
- ĐFish should be less than six inches long.
- ĐYour students can begin collecting intertidal animals from the beach, tide pools, and mud flats as you begin to take your class on field trips to the shoreline.
Mussels collected and broken open or chunks of canned tuna can be used for aquarium foods. Feed two or three times a week. Remove uneaten food after half an hour or it will rot and foul the tank.
Children love to be made part of the process of setting up an aquarium, feeding the animals, and maintaining the tank. When involved, they take a daily interest in observing activity and changes in the aquarium. Additional activities have been mentioned previously in this unit to continue study of the aquarium habitat throughout the year.
An excellent resource to the classroom teacher in New Haven is Schooner, Inc. This organization is a non-profit marine educational organization dedicated to the conservation and study of Long Island Sound and its tributaries. They trawl daily for animals from mid-April to mid-November and can help stock your aquarium with animals. Schooner, Inc. makes a point of working closely with the New Haven schools by providing hands-on programs to the classrooms and setting up outdoor shore trips. They also provide an excellent curriculum guide called Project Soundwise, A Curriculum and Teacher’s Guide to Long Island Sound for Grades K-4. Also a curriculum written for grades 5-8 has just been finished and will be available to teachers by 1996.
Peabody Museum Diorama Hunt
Peabody Museum of Natural History
Shoreline Diorama in the Hall of Southern New England
To identify some of the plants and animals that live in various wetland habitats.
Students will participate in finding and identifying animals and plants in a shoreline diorama.
The Peabody Museum of Natural History has outstanding exhibits which can be used as resources throughout the year. On the third floor there are numerous dioramas which reflect a wide variety of habitats such as; a mangrove swamp, a prairie, a desert, a tundra, a rainforest, and more. One diorama in particular can be used directly with this study of local wetlands. The shoreline diorama in the Hall of Southern New England shows three representations of local habitat communities, the seashore, the salt marsh, and the lowland farm including freshwater habitat. Some of the animals seen find their niche in more than one community such as the red-winged black bird, others have a very restricted niches and are limited to one single habitat, such