Imagine that you are standing on a beach looking out over the vast expanse of seemingly featureless ocean that lies before you. If you turn around and look at the land on which you are standing, it seems filled with life. Birds hover overhead, trees dot the landscape as far as you can see and perhaps you might be lucky enough to see a few other animals scurry past. Indeed, the surface of this planet we call Earth seems filled with life. However, looks can be deceptive.
If you think of where the creatures you can see live, you'll realize that they inhabit a very thin veneer of the surface. Various worms, bugs and other creatures that are better left alone may dig a few feet below the surface into the rich topsoil. Birds while gliding happily through the sky, must find a place to perch, to build a nest and to find food. Even the most adventurous bird can only perch as high as the tallest tree. So life on land really only exists in a band perhaps several hundred feet thick.... regardless of the actual elevation of the land surface itself.
Back in 1960 when people descended to the deepest part of the ocean for the very first (and last) time, they turned on the outside lights and there, in front of the viewport at a depth of over seven miles (35,802 ft (10,912 m)), was a strange looking little fish looking back at them and probably wondering who these visitors were. This "flatfish at the very nadir of the earth" was living at a place where the water pressure was more than 8 tons per square inch, or the equivalent of one person trying to support 50 jumbo jets. Just to give you a sense of scale, at that depth you could cut Mount Everest off at sea level and put in on the ocean floor at the bottom of the Marianas Trench, where that little fish was swimming, and there would still be over a mile of water over the top of it.
BIG SQUID
So when you consider the fact that life in the oceans can be found from the surface all the way down to the very bottom of the deepest submarine trench, it is not surprising to realize that the oceans represent over 99% of the living space on Earth....we are indeed living on what is truly an Ocean Planet.
(http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/SeaWiFS/ )
DIVE I
N HEREThere are three special WHY questions to start...
Why should we care about the Ocean(s)?
Why study oceans from space?
What color is the Ocean? (and why do you need a satellite to tell you.)
The comments box is open
What do you think?
What more would you like to learn? ( any surprises ?)
How does this information help your understanding?
1
I would love to learn more about the giant squid they are very facinating creatures that live near the bottom of the ocean and feed on deep-sea fish and other squid species. They can grow to be very large hence the name and are sometimes called by saliors kraken. I learned alot and hope to learn more,
ReplyDeleteKailee Ferret
That is amazing that, that little fish can survive that extreme pressure! It would be interesting to learn more about the giant squid.
ReplyDeleteJess Means blue pd 5
I think if we don't protect the oceans many animals would die. We still have much too learn about the ocean. I would love to learn more about the animals especially the deep water ones becuase it is fasinating the way they live. We kinda need a satellite becuase i think the ocean is actually different colors from heat in certain spots.
ReplyDeleteMichael S., P.5, Blue
I'd like to learn more about the ocean's mysterious creatures at the very bottom of the ocean. There might be different life in other oceans to.
ReplyDeletebruce kurtz red
i would like to learn more about the giant squid. it sound like a interesting animal.why we need to study oceans from space is because the ocean is to be to study from were we can stand so we need to go higher up i think.
ReplyDeleteKirsten Elin
Blue class period 5
The water cycle is run by the sun. If the sun was not there then water cannot evaporate. Plantes could not grow in order to produce oxegen. Basicly all life we know would be distroyed.... Exept the sea life that does not need the suns rays to survive.[sqid,under-water spiders,and a few more. Not many would survive because either the animals food need the suns rays or the animal itself.
ReplyDeletePosted By: Shannon Martin
Hey gang ... First names and class please.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise great responses. There's a lot we are learning about the giant squid ... there must be some great fights deep in the dark ocean between the giant squid and its primary predator the ..... ???
it's really interesting that the color of water is affected by phyto plankton. i'd like to learn more about them.
ReplyDeletekaitlyn class violet
i feel bad for giant squid seeing how it seems like it's much harder for it to move than it is for us. i wonder how squid can survive under so much pressure?!
ReplyDeletekaitlyn class violet
We NEED to care about the ocean because without the ocean the planet we call,"EARTH"would be a lifeless planet.Anyways it wouldn't be any fun without the ocean(to swim in,play in,to study about,and explore.)
ReplyDeleteWe study the ocean rather than space because space it's so far away and the ocean is all around us.
Michelle from 3rd Period Blue Class
The sperm whale is the giant squids main predator!!
ReplyDeleteThank you National Geographic Channel
Michael S. Blue
NOW WE ARE COOKING !! Such cool comments. It really helps me to know what you find most interesting and most surprising.
ReplyDeleteMichael you are so right about NG channel.
I know it is hard to believe Kaitlyn, but squid are actually one of the fastest "swimmers" in the ocean... even though they seem to be swimming --- backwards ?!?
Cool website Mr. V!!!! I love it!!
ReplyDeleteI am fasinated about the Giant Squid.
I thought it was only a legend.
And it swims BACKWARD!!!!!!
By, Maleah. Class, Violet. Period, 6.
This topic is very interesting...I think we better take good care of the ocean if we plan on living, we depend on all the phytoplankton to supply us with the oxygen they produce, now those are what you call awesome little animals! I would like to see how a sperm whale and a giant squid interact with each other... :D This information helps me understand that we live on a really small part of this earth, and that if we do not take care of this ocean of ours then the whole world will be at risk.
ReplyDeleteChris Tepetitlan BLUE class period 5
I wish i was a squid or a dolphin or something cool that lived in the deep parts of the water. I bet i would get eaten in about a week even if i was a shark.
ReplyDeleteAda Houk Green Ps i already wrote a commont but i wanted to share
The Sperm Whale is the Giant squids predador.it is intersting that a squid can survive under all that presure.
ReplyDeleteKirsten Elin
Blue class Period 5
the baby squid are preyed upon by deep sea sharks and fish. Sperm whales are good locators of squid, so scientists study sperm whales to learn more about the squids also. I learned this from wiki.
ReplyDeletejenna v. violet
It is amazing that very tiny fish can survive in such a highly perched area. Also I very much agree to the Ocean Planet, because Earth is 75% water. I have also heard the some scientists think the Earth should be called Ocean Planet, Aqua, or even Ocean!
ReplyDeleteAyden Marrullier P.2/Orange
I think its amazing that something like that is at the bottom the ocean right now.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is strange how fish can survive miles under the water with all the pressure on them and how there are small fish that we still don't even know about. I would want to learn more about the animals at the bottom of the ocean and what lies there and more about the giant squid.
ReplyDeleteJordan Loreth p.2 orange class
We should care about the ocean so we can live. If we don't take care of the ocean the phytoplankton could die. Then, we could die also because phytoplankton supports the whole food web in the ocean. Without phytoplankton, the ocean life will die off and without ocean life, we could die off too.
ReplyDeleteJac - Violet P.6
i think that the whole aticle is really intresting and i found out alot of stuff about the animals in the ocean and would like two learn more.
ReplyDeleteI think giant squids are pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteThey are so big!!!!!
I wonder what they eat?
If the gint squid lives down so deep it is so dark down their how can they see? If they cant see how do they catch their prey? - Taylor Myers period#3
ReplyDeleteWhat do giant squid eat? I think creatures from the sea are really cool! Espesially giant squid!!! Someday I want to see one in person
ReplyDelete- Madison Strong P.3
have the giant squid had to adapet to living so far under water. how do they survive with that much pressure, how does the sperm whale keep from getting crushed when the try to catch them.
ReplyDelete-wesley morgan yellow 3rd period
I think that your blog is awesome [green] from savannah bedillion
ReplyDeleteI like where you can click on words and it shows pictures and the defition or sentence about it. its awsome!
ReplyDeleteMr.V I like your website its cool. I like the giant sguid. Why is the colossan squid bigger then the giant squid
ReplyDeletefrom savannah green
thats cool that over 99% of the ocean represents the living space on earth
ReplyDeleteMarshall violet
I think 99% is alot for just oceans. it is so amazing the way it works. i didnt know there was a colossal squid along with a giant squid. i think we should care about the ocean because 1. it is a food source for many animals 2 it supplies hydroelectric energy and 3. many species of animals live there.
ReplyDeleteaneka p. yellow class
We should care for the oceans because they are a big thing for survival and with out it there would probaly be no life. I want to learn more about the deep sea life and survival. The info gives me another idea about the way it works down there. How interesting.
ReplyDeleteFrom, Juliane W Period 3 Yellow
there are so many awesome creatures at the bottom of the ocean. and we've only explored a small amount of it.who knows what else could be hiding down there
ReplyDeletekaitlyn class-violet
I think that the blog is very cool!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI really think that the giant squid is bigger than the collasal sqiud because the tentacles of the giant squid are bigger than the colasal squid.
ReplyDeleteAby (orange) P.2
Hey Mr. V, It's Juliane and I found a web site about the deep sea since it was the subject of question. It was www.thedeepbook.org. It was pretty cool. If you go to galary it shows a little info like the name of the creature and how deep the depth it was found at. Please check it out.
ReplyDelete-Juliane W p. 3 yellow
Juliane, I just love it when kids find new resources and let me know.. I will definitely include it in an upcoming blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks
and two bonus points for you!!
I was surprised to find out that 99% of earths creatures live in the ocean.
ReplyDeletePlease don't forget to ID yourself.
ReplyDeleteYou are quite right, it is difficult for us to understand that we are but a tiny part of the LIFE of this planet. The problem of course is that we such a HUGE impact on all other life and the planet itself.
I learned all about the giant squid and the sperm whale in oceanography. I can't belive that 99% of earths crertures live in the water. and we represent 1% of creatures are on land.
ReplyDeleteJase Payne
Orange class
I love your website Mr.V its really cool!!!!! I think that plankton affects the color of the ocean...no one knows if it does or not but i think it does im gonna make a hypothesis and say... If plankton is green or blue then those two colors are mixed together and makes the color of the ocean and how it is now.
ReplyDeleteMadison Strong
P.3 class yellow
Madison,
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent hypothesis. It is testable. It is written in a proper format.
AND....................
.... it is quite accurate based on your experimental data.
mr.v this wed page is the best i learned 6 new thing thati never new before like how the depth of the ocean can cut down mount everest to sea levle and how looks are deseptiptive.
ReplyDeletethats so amazing that the triangular fish can stay under 8 tons of presure! i would love to find out if it can go any deeper. branden{yellow}
ReplyDeleteMr.V, this website is full with all fun stuff! I think it's really interesting that the Earth is 99% of Ocean. I think that because most people(including me) would think that 99% of land makes up Earth.
ReplyDelete-Caitlin
per.4 (Green)
hey Mr.v your website is so awesome.I think i will like to learn more about whats in the ocean.and i think your class will be alout of fun -rachel williams period 4th (green)
ReplyDeleteWow... I did not know a trench was that deep! :O I would like to learn more about fishes,underwater plant life, and coral reefs.It helps me by understanding how very deep Marianas Trench was. Danielle (green)
ReplyDeleteMr.V, wow this website is amazing. it is all about the stuff u have talked about so far and alot u havent. i would have never known a flat fish ever exsisted.
ReplyDeletelexi(green)
Lexi, I am glad you found out some coooool stuff.
ReplyDeletethats a (1) point in the bonus box.
This website is pretty cool. I have alot to learn though! Can't wait to learn more! It will be so much fun!
ReplyDeletekailey (yellow)
Thats so amazing that such little fish can survive that extreme pressure!!! I would really like to learn more about the giant squid, it must be huge!
ReplyDeleteCooper yellow
wow this website is so so cool i learned alot about marine life and animals! i now no alot about the giant squid!
ReplyDelete-teagan
(yellow)
The only thing I'm wondering is how the fish can survive 8 tons per square inch? thats one person trying to support 50 jumbo jets!
ReplyDeleteCorwin(yellow)
I think thats amazing how the tringular fish can stay under water 8 tons of pressure. I want to learn if any other fish or animal can with stand that pressure.
ReplyDeletekenny yellow
Mr.V I think the site is way cool the links you put up are stuffed full of information like how deep the Marinas trench,
ReplyDeleteGary yellow.
Mr. V this is really really cool.I noticeed that it said in the blog that 99% of earth is covered with water i heard that from you after you said it 5 times. I never knew that our planet is truly called an ocean planet. thank you so much for sharing this information with me.
ReplyDeleteAmanda,Yellow
I think since that 99 percent of life is in the ocean that we should take better care of it.So we should stop littering and stop the destruction of coral reefs because most fish live in coral reefs.And we should stop littering because trash can poison fish.
ReplyDeleteBenjamin D. yellow
Timothy yellow,
ReplyDeleteThis website is awesome because you can see what they are like in the sea and how deep that you can see them in the ocean.
I think we should learn a little more (from where we are at this point.) about were the marine life lives.From what you said about 99% of earth being water it made me think that if we don't stop polluting the earth, and the sea level rises humans will die and there will be more room for sea animals to live.
ReplyDeleteLucas O. class (yellow)period 3
I love the website and all the pictures!
ReplyDeletemalone green
This is a really cool site with LOT'S of information. I hope we study a lot about the giant squid in your class. THEY ARE SO COOL!
ReplyDeleteVaughn (green)
Matthew green
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how a squid can with stand
that much pressure. Since Its so far
down what other animals are down there
it would have to eat something?
I think that there should be more games, also a bit more information about the sea. Like where it is at, and also why it is like, that deep. It shocked me when it said that 99% of the earth is made up of water. That must mean that there is alot of fish on the earth, probably many that we dont even know about.
ReplyDeletePaige, Period 4 (green)
I would like to learn more about the oceans and the mysterious life living in it. I think that it would be cool to learn more about the fish and the others creatures living in the ocean.I think that herer should be more games and activities to do.
ReplyDeleteHannah, peroid 4 (green)
I think that giant squid sound really cool if they only eat smaller creatures they must eat a lot of them and how often do they eat?
ReplyDeleteJonathan (green) pd 4
I think that we should learn more about were different species live in the ocean. Also, 99% of the living things on earth are in the ocean.
ReplyDeleteGavin
period 4(Green)
in think giant squids are so cool i want to see one some time i wish giant squid were seen all the time they are so big and they eat smaller preys. why don't they eat bigger creatures. i like giant squids we should learn more about them.
ReplyDeletekyle
period#4 (green)
Furkan green
ReplyDeleteI think the deep sea diagram is cool.Wierd deep sea fish and other life.A lot about the sea.
i would like to lean more about the wave links
ReplyDeletebart,4,green
I would like to learn more (from where we are at this point) about what lives in the oceans depths.
ReplyDeleteAllyson, Green
I think that it is soo cool that over 99% of the World is covered with WATER! The Big Squid is pretty cool to.
ReplyDeleteJ.B. class (violet) Period 6
Awesome this is one awesome website its amazing all the facts about the giant squid and mostly all the stuff.
ReplyDeleteTiffany violet)
i thought that it was very educational. and that it explained alot about the seas past.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great website. I am looking forward to this class and you are a cool teacher!
ReplyDeleteIan, violet p.6
This website is very interesting it gives me alot of information to.
ReplyDeleteTiffany (violet)
I would like to learn about fishes by going to the beach and watching them.
ReplyDeletemaria (violet)
i would like to learn more about the giant squid. I think this information will really help me achieve in Mr. V's class. I have always wanted to know if the giant squid are really real because a lot of people say they are fake some say they are real.
ReplyDeleteTyler Malinowski
Violet
I would like to learn more about the giant squid. It looks so cool.Also the color of water ismany colors though a satelite.
ReplyDeleteChristian H. class voilet period 6
I think we should learn more about fishes by going to the beach and watching them in the water.
ReplyDeletemaria (violet)
I would like to learn about sharks, whales, jellyfish and squids.
ReplyDeleteNathaniel D. (Violet)Period 6
I would like the learn more about the giant squid. How deep down in the ocean does the giant squid live? What kind of small animals does it eat? Has it ever attacked humans?
ReplyDeleteJosh G.(Violet)Period 6
WOW it is amazing that those little fish could stand that much pressure and that the world is made up of that much water that is really amazing!!! i wonder hom much it would be after a ice age???
ReplyDeleteI think that the information taught me alot. the ocean is clear i would not have known that. This class is going to teach me alot it already has.
ReplyDeletelike i did before i say my opinion is those facts are amazing. This information helps me understand by reasoning with facts not just opinions.
i think that is amasing how deep the ocean is and how animals live down there that deep. i would like to know more about the giant sqiuid becase i never thought there were such thing becaus i see shows about them and the just look so fake and i think they are just get paid to do that and know i kniow they are real from this one artical. daalton-green
ReplyDeleteWE SHOULD KEEP ARE OCEAN CLEAN NOW THAT WE KNOW ALL THE SO MANY ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN ARE OCEANS. I FOUND A GOOD WEBSITE ABOUT THE BENTIC CREATURES (MARINEBIO.ORG)
ReplyDeleteJENNAH YELLOW
Marinebio.org is a great site Jennah... I really like the whale shark video on the home page.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I will add it to my "favorites."
That a "two pointer" in the bonus box for sure.
i think it was a verry cool artical andi really want to learn more on the big squid. i understood because it was so detailed and interesting.
ReplyDeleteMalone green
Hey Mr. V I just read Look up look down look all around and I thought that the fact about how we think that ocean is so empty and the earth so full of life, but there is more life overall in the ocean wa really cool.
ReplyDeleteSam Red
Amazing , huh!?
ReplyDeletePut a point (1) in the box
This site is very intriguing and I learned a lot. I love this site and hope you keep updating it. It has a lot of information I didn't know.
ReplyDeleteGage Loverne
I thought the fact about 99% of the ocean representing living space on Earth was interesting. And I think we should learn more about the life living in the ocean.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth G.
Red
Gage, I am glad you like this site there are lots of things in many places for you to visit.
ReplyDeletePut ( a point in the bonus box )
thanks
MR V
Elizabeth we will be learning more about life in the ocean
ReplyDeletePut ( a point in the bonus box )
thanks
MR V
I always thought that the land population was larger than the ocean population. I figured this because we (humans)are destroying and polluting the ocean population by fishing and by provoking hazardous oil spills. I learned alot just by taking 5 minutes of my time and reading a simple article. GRANT DEBIASE, RED 3/9/11
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing what you can find out in just 5 minutes reading time!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a two(2)pointer for the bonus box.
Mr.V~
ReplyDeleteThis blog os the best I have ever seen!!!!I have always wanted to learn about the bottom of the ocean but never really had any enthusiasm about the learning processs. But now that I have your class, I will be able to learn about it with the proper facts, opinions and whatelse.I want to thank you for teaching us about what we wonder about most.
Megan Kronsperger/Per.2/Orange