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Why Estuaries Matter

Provided by: The Nature Conservancy |Published on: May 3, 2023

Articles/Websites Grades 6-8, 3-5

Synopsis

This video and article explains the ecological, cultural, and economic importance of estuaries, particularly in the life cycle of salmon and other important species in Oregon.
Students will learn about the risks to these coastal habitats, the benefits that estuaries provide, and how supporting and protecting estuaries can benefit everyone.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Geography

Authors: The Nature Conservancy

Region: North America, USA - West, United States, Oregon, Oregon Coast

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

The video ends with a speaker giving a list of ways to get involved with conservation, which is helpful for encouraging students to take action.
The video uses music and artistic cinematography to help viewers appreciate the function and beauty of estuaries.

Additional Prerequisites

Students should know what an estuary is and should be familiar with the importance of biodiversity.
Some students, including multilingual students, may need definitions for the terms habitat, marsh, swamp, nursery, ecological, restore, restoration, and spawn.
Multilingual students and/or students who struggle with auditory processing may benefit from the closed captioning function and/or slowing the video playback speed.
For the article, multilingual students can use the Google Translate Chrome extension to translate the article into their strongest language for reading.

Differentiation

This video and article can supplement a lesson on habitats and habitat restoration. Students can discuss the importance of estuaries as a habitat, ways to restore these habitats, and habitat restoration as a climate solution.
After watching the video, students can research native plants that would support estuaries or other habitats in their area. Students can discuss how planting these native plants can contribute to better habitats, reduce carbon emissions, and fight the effects of climate change.
For a hands-on project, students can plan a trip to plant native plants in a restoration area with a local organization.
Students in language arts classes can write a persuasive essay or letter to a friend, convincing them to go out and get involved in conservation and restoration.
After reading the article, students studying animals and/or biology can map out the life cycle of a salmon, highlighting an estuary's important role in the salmon's journey. They can then show how it is impacted if a salmon is unable to use an estuary as a stopover point.
After reading the article, students can do further research on tide gates and discuss intended vs. unintended consequences of tide gates.
Students in geography classes can create maps of local estuaries and discuss ways to preserve those habitats.

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About the Partner Provider

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world.