Dinoflagellate

Hi there, big fish!
This evening, we're going to be discussing Dinoflagellates. Living dinoflagellates are one of the most important components in plankton. They are small single-celled organisms, which swim freely in water with a forward spiraling motion. One of the many problems caused by dinoflagellates would be that they cause Harmful Algal Blooms. Consumption of seafood that is contaminated by these algal toxins results in various seafood poisoning syndromes, such as: paralytic shellfish poisoning, neurotoxis shellfish poisoning, amnesic shellfish poisoning, diarrheic shellfish poisoning, cuguatera fish poisoning, and azaspiracid shellfish poisoning. This can be cured by seeing a doctor immediately once these symptoms begin. 
Hope this was useful information!
Adios.
~Little Fish Leanne

Cephalopod

Howdy big fish!
Tonight we're going to discuss my favorite Cephalopod, the squid--scientifically named "Teuthida." You will find squid in just about all the major bodies of water. On account of reproduction, the females ink sac is hidden from view by a pair of white nidamental glands, which lie inside of the gills. There are also red-spotted accessory nidamental glands. Both organs are associated with shells and food production for the eggs. In addition, females also have a large translucent ovary. Squids make up a great deal of the food source for birds, a variety of birds, some sharks, and even sperm whales. The squids themselves feed on small fish, crabs, and shrimp. Three interesting facts about Cephalopods are: 
1. The squid as we know it today has evolved from some of the earliest known mollusks on Earth. 
2. Squid sometimes feed on other smaller squid.
3. There are more than 300 species of squid. 
Hope you learned something about my favorite Cephalopod! 
Sea ya next time!
~Little Fish Leanne

Plankton

Helloooooo big fish. 

Plankton. Plankton are a very important part of the marine food web. If it wasn't for plankton, some fish would have no food to eat, causing all of the other fish after it to starve due to decreases in population because of lack of food supply. Phytoplankton is microscopic plankton that makes its own food- aka a plant-type plankton. Zooplankton, on the other hand, is an animal-type of plankton that cannot make its own food. 

Hope you learned something from me today! Adios. 

~Little Fish Leanne

Marine Instrument

Hi big fish!

Today we're going to talk about a marine instrument called a Cruiser Speed and Distance Log. This tool is used by oceanographers associated with navigation. It is used to measure speed range in knot increments along with distance in meters. 

Bye!

~Little Fish Leanne 

Cnidaria

Hi big fish. :)
Tonight we're going to discuss the Cnidaria, otherwise known as the Jellyfish! Most Cniadrias are found near shallow waters due to their dependence on endosymbiotic algae. Prey of cnidarians ranges from plankton to animals several times larger than themselves. These invertebrates sexually reproduce, which involves a complex life cycle, as well as asexually reproduce. Here are 5 additional interesting facts about Cnidarias:

1. Jellyfish look like tiny umbrellas.

2. Some are nearly invisible to the human eye.  

3. A group of jellyfish are called a "bloom", "swarm", or "smack."

4. Jellyfish don't have brains. 

5. Although the word is mentioned in their name, Jellyfish are not actually "fish."

Hopefully you learned something new about this marine invertebrate! 

Catch ya on the flip side, big fish!

~Little Fish Leanne

Boat Design

Good evening, big fish!
This week we designed small boats that were to travel across a tub of water by fan. My partner Lauren and I decided to use a thick piece of foam for the base of the boat, a chopstick for the keel, a plastic stick for the rudder, another chopstick for the mast, and a tissue and a small piece of foam for the sail. We had to hold 20 marbles in our boat, so in order to hold them, we added half of an egg carton to the base of our boat! We chose this design because the tissue and foam on the sail allowed room to catch the wind and allow it to travel quicker, the foam and egg carton base was sturdy enough to float on top of the water for multiple runs/held the marbles in nice little compartments, and the chopstick keel and plastic rudder helped the boat to travel in a semi-straight line across the tub of water.
The final results of our boat turned out very well! Our average time was 2.69 seconds, which was the third quickest in our whole class! There is nothing I would have changed about our boat. It did a great job floating and staying upright, as well as traveling quickly across the tub of water. Yay!
Adios fishies.
~Little Fish Leanne

Early Ocean Explorer

Hi there big fish!
Tonight I will be discussing Captain James Cook's impact on oceanography. Cook's discovery was important to oceanography because he was the first explorer who had instruments to measure accurately latitude and longitude. Here are 5 interesting facts about this special oceanographer!
1. Cook's explorations increased European knowledge of the world.
2. He filled in many gaps on world maps. 
3. His contribution to eighteenth century science helped further exploration and discovery for many generations.
4. He was a skilled cartographer.
5. He was talented at math and navigation.
I hope this helped teach you more about this wonderful early ocean explorer!
Wave-ing goodbye,
~Little Fish Leanne