I am going to show you how to make a fun and easy intertidal zone diorama that helps your child understand the makeup and creatures of the shoreline. Also, look at my page Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook.
The intertidal zone is one of the most unique ecosystems on Earth. It is the area along the shoreline that is underwater during high tide and exposed to air during low tide. Because the tides change every day, the environment in the intertidal zone is constantly changing.
The animals and plants that live here must be able to survive the crashing waves, salty water, bright sunlight, strong winds, and changing temperatures. Despite these challenges many organisms still thrive in this habitat.
To create my intertidal zone diorama, we used paper mache made from toilet paper- inexpensive, and always easy to find. It is a great art medium.
FUN SEASHORE BOOKS FOR KIDS
And adding books to your day can make this a full unit study or science outside day.
Next, add some of these books to your home library.
7 Seashore & Beach Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To
Choose a few of these seashore themed books to go along with your study of the beach and seashore. Whether you're looking for a spine for a unit study or literature, you'll love this roundup.
Join Danny Meadow Mouse, Jimmy Skunk, and Reddy Fox as they explore the seashore and take a closer look at the habits and habitats of the creatures they find. Discover the Seahorse, Shrimp, Crab, Anemone, Gull, and so many more.
The Burgess Seashore Book for Children is a wonderful way to introduce young ones to the fascinating world beneath us and is a perfect compliment to earlier books in this series, the Bird, Animal, and Flower books.
This edition is complete and unabridged with all of the beautiful illustrations by W.H. Southwick and George Sutton
What lives on the beach? What lives in the shallow water? Can you track a Fiddler Crab? Learn how to spot tracks, identify markings and discover secret hideaways at the seashore. Packed with fascinating fact files, stunning photographs and plenty of hands-on activities, it’s the perfect tool to find out about what lives in the different habitats where the land meets the sea. It even comes in a waterproof ziplock bag to keep it safe and dry during your seashore expeditions. What are you waiting for, head out to the sea and be amazed!
Seaside Naturalist is an illustrated guide to marine plants and animals includes the characteristics of protozoa, arthropods, sponges, mollusks, reptiles, birds, fish, and mammals.
Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages.
An intricate study of tide pool life is presented in text and pictures through the story of Pagoo, a her-mit crab.
Poetic in voice and elegant in design, this carefully researched book is sure to inspire lively questions and spark the imaginations of young readers. This beautiful volume will be equally at home being read to a child on a parent’s lap as it is in a classroom reading circle. EVERYONE LOVES SHELLS!: The perfect book for amateur naturalists, vacation-goers, and armchair travelers for whom beaches, and their shells, hold a special place in the heart.
The history of America at sea is presented through the travels of Seabird, a carved ivory gull.
We also included plastic sea animals.
CREATURES OF THE INTERTIDAL ZONE
And some made out of air-dry clay and paint to show you that you can use one or all of these to fill in your sea creatures and plants.
CRABS
One of the most common animals in the intertidal zone is the crab. Crabs are crustaceans with hard exoskeletons that protect them from predators and rough waves. They move sideways quickly and often hide under rocks or inside crevices to stay safe and moist when the tide goes out. Many crabs are scavengers, meaning they help clean the ecosystem by eating dead plants and animals.
STAR FISH
Sea stars use hundreds of tiny tube feet on the underside of their bodies to grip rocks tightly and avoid being swept away by waves. They are predators that feed on mussels and clams by prying open their shells. One amazing fact about sea stars is that they can regrow lost arms if they become injured. Some species can even regenerate an entirely new body from a single arm.
BARNACLES
Barnacles are small animals that permanently attach themselves to rocks, docks, and even whales. At first glance, they may look like shells or rocks, but they are actually crustaceans related to crabs and lobsters. Barnacles protect themselves with hard outer plates that close tightly during low tide to keep water inside their bodies. When the tide returns, they open and use feather-like appendages called cirri to catch tiny plankton from the water. Large groups of barnacles often form crowded colonies along rocky shores.
MUSSELS AND CLAMS
Mussels attach themselves to rocks using strong, thread-like fibers called byssal threads. These threads help them stay anchored even during strong waves. Clams, on the other hand, bury themselves in sand or mud for protection. Both mussels and clams are filter feeders, meaning they filter tiny food particles and plankton from the water.
SEA ANEMONES
Soft-bodied animals related to jellyfish and corals. They may look like underwater flowers, but they are actually predators. Their tentacles contain stinging cells used to capture fish and small marine animals. Sea anemones are commonly found in tide pools where water remains trapped during low tide. Some species can survive out of water for short periods by keeping moisture inside their bodies.
SEAWEED AND ALGAE
Seaweed provides shelter and food for many marine creatures. It is flexible, allowing it to bend with waves instead of breaking. Some seaweeds also contain air bladders that help them float closer to sunlight for photosynthesis. Different colors of algae grow at different tide levels depending on how much sunlight and water they need.
OYSTERS
Shellfish, found in some intertidal zones, especially in estuaries and coastal wetlands. Oysters attach themselves to rocks and to each other, forming large oyster reefs. These reefs provide shelter for fish, crabs, and other marine animals. Oysters are filter feeders and can clean large amounts of water every day by removing algae, dirt, and pollutants.
SEA CUCUMBERS
Soft-bodied marine animals related to sea stars and sea urchins. They move slowly along the ocean floor using tiny tube feet. Sea cucumbers are important because they help clean the ecosystem by eating decaying matter and organic material found in the sand. After digesting the nutrients, they release cleaner sand back into the environment. Some sea cucumbers can even defend themselves by releasing sticky threads or parts of their internal organs to distract predators.
SEA SPONGES
Sponges attach themselves to rocks and remain in one place for their entire lives. They survive by filtering water through tiny holes in their bodies and collecting microscopic food particles. Sponges provide shelter for small fish, shrimp, and other marine creatures. Even though they may look like plants, sponges are actually animals and are very important for keeping ocean water clean.
IDEAS TO EXPAND THE INTERTIDAL ZONE DIORAMA
Next, look at more activities to add to this study.
- 5 Tide Pool Facts and Create An Edible Tide Pool Diorama Ideas
- Create Your Own Easy Sand Dollar Edible Cookies
- Discover the Fun: How to Make Beach Sand Slime at Home
- How To Make A Simple Sea Urchin Craft: Echinoderms For Kids
- Free Summer Unit Study For Kids and Fun Starfish Craft
- Learning Through Art: The Life Cycle Of A Sea Star Stages & Survival
- Fascinating Life Cycle Of A Sand Dollar & Hydro Dipped Craft
HOW TO MAKE A FUN INTERTIDAL ZONE DIORAMA
You will need:
- Toilet Paper
- Water
- School glue
- Plastic ocean animals- crab,
- Clay
- Bowl
- Strainer
- Craft paints/brushes
Use a scrap of cardboard from a leftover box as a base.
Soak the entire roll of toilet paper in a bowl of water until soaked through then remove the center. Depending on the size of your diorama you may need two or more
Squeeze out excess and allow it to drip in a strainer until the majority of the water is out.
Tear toilet paper into small pieces and place them back into the bowl (without the water) and then mix in about one cup of white glue. Stir the mixture until it forms a thick pulp.
Use your pulp to recreate the ocean floor at the shoreline, creating a gentle slope at one end by laying it on thickly and then adding less paper as you go. I included some dry paper at the start to help as filler, the water and glue will bind it all together.
Use a roller to squeeze out excess moisture and press everything together so it sticks well.
To smooth everything out a bit better I finished with a layer of dry toilet paper and pressed it into the wet.
After shaping the design, allow it to dry completely, which may take one or two days.
After your ocean floor is dry you can paint it to resemble sand and allow that to dry for an hour or two.
Now you are finally ready to add your ocean creatures. While everything is drying it is the perfect time to gather your plastic sea creatures, make some from leftover paper mache, or clay and finish them off with paint. This is great for sea weed, sea cucumbers, sponges, and to create the body of a hermit crab
We were also able to incorporate shells that we had from previous beach trips to make a hermit crab, a snail, and even an oyster with a pearl.
Place everything where you would like it and you have a simple intertidal zone diorama model.
