Did you know that the greenish hue of the Hudson River Estuary is an indicator of health rather than toxicity? Microscopic plants and animals, called plankton, give the River this color. Plankton are the foundation of the Hudson River food web; they provide food and oxygen to a variety of organisms. In this lesson, students will learn about two categories of plankton — phytoplankton and zooplankton — and discover where in the Hudson River these tiny organisms are most abundant, and build their own plankton using common household items.
Themes: Plankton, Phytoplankton and Zooplankton, Buoyancy, Food Web, Water Quality
Ages: 8-14
Prep Time: 5 min
Activity Time: 30-40 min
Resources
Build Your Own Plankton Worksheet
Build Your Own Plankton Worksheet Answer Key
Plankton Identification Guide