Crystal Cove

Inside the Outdoors ® at Crystal Cove takes place at Crystal Cove State Park, one of the few protected stretches of coastline in Orange County. Your students will explore the coastal bluffs, examine the sandy beach, and investigate the tidepools.

Curriculum enrichment for 6th grade: California Science Content Standards Ecology (Life Sciences), Investigation and Experimentation
5th Grade: 6a
6th Grade:   5a, 5b, 5c, 5e, 7a, 7d

The tidepools are sure to bring excitement for your students. Sixth grade students acquire a greater understanding and appreciation of our coastal environment.

Tidepools
Students learn about the environmental factors that affect tidepool organisms. Using clue cards and pictures to find living things in the tidepools, they discover the adaptations of various organisms in the intertidal ecosystem.

Classification
Students learn about the major phyla of invertebrates found in tidepools. They classify shells and preserved specimens using common characteristics and learn the life history of some of the animals in the tidepools.

Bluff Ecosystem
Working in teams, students discover the functions of several organisms in this ecosystem and classify them according to their notes. Students also learn how these animals and plants interact and depend on each other for survival.

Beachcomber
Students classify several objects they find on the beach as natural or unnatural and discuss the origin of the materials and their function, if any, on the beach.

Creature Feature
Students use their creative talent to build a creature in the sand that has the characteristics of one of the invertebrate phyla.