Teaching Children About Dead Zones

Children are curious about the world round them, eager to help, and often more open minded than their adult counterparts.  For these reasons it is very important to teach children about environmental problems such as dead zones.  Dead zones are a complex issue that deal with watershed, decomposition, water density, and of course death of marine life, this subject is probably best suited for children 5^th grade or higher who have some previous knowledge of those area.  If the term “dead zone” seems too intense they can also be referred to as “hypoxic” or “low oxygen” areas.   

                Children learn best when they are encouraged to participate in discussions, ask questions, and engage in hands on activities. 

Here is a simple experiment, which can be done at home or in a classroom, to demonstrate water density.

This can also be done with two cups of fresh water (one hot and one cold).  The hot water will float on top of the cold.  Videos of these experiments, along with lot of great interactive information, can be found on the Science Museum of Minnesota website.  

After teaching children about dead zones have them fill out and color the sheet below.  Ask them to draw the animals they would find in each section of the water.  This is a fun way for them to demonstrate what they have just learned. 

 Sources: 

http://www.smm.org/deadzone/