Posted by Laurie Sullivan at 12/30/2009 7:00:00 AM

This hour and a half lesson began with the fourth graders listening to a biologist who works with the Jason Project. The biologist talked about abiotic factors in habitats such as water temperature and salinity and how these factors affect animals. We experimented with three types of water with varying levels of salinity and density. Students learned how fresh, brackish, and ocean water interact and connected this learning to the Chesapeake Bay. This lesson also connects to our school-wide theme of CHANGE. Changing levels of salinity affect plants and animals. Also, as many animals progress through their life cycles, they change environments in which they live. For example, the Gulf Manhedan lives in the ocean and then lives in the river. Students worked with these concepts in the “. Sign up for a FREE Jason Project account to access games, videos, and more! Click here to view all the photos from the lesson.