Thank You from Parkside Elementary

May 4, 2018
 
Dear Marine Science Donors,
 
Thank you for the great experience at Puget Sound and for donating money to
allow us to go on this fieldtrip. We saw many types of plankton and sea life. Next,
we learned facts about Puget Sound and facts about the animals that live in the
Puget Sound. Last, we learned how to protect the Puget Sound.
 
We saw lots of different types of plankton and sea life. We learned about
phytoplankton and zooplankton. We participated in a Plankton Throw and
collected plankton samples. Then we used microscopes to look at the plankton
samples. We had a teacher explain which planktons turn into plants or animals
like jellyfish, octopus, and crabs. There was a scuba diver who dove into Puget
Sound and showed us a rock fish, an octopus, camouflage crab, sea anemones,
feather sea pens and gigantic sea stars.
 
We learned lots of information about Puget Sound. There are 3.5 billion people
who live in Puget Sound. Puget Sound is mostly 600 feet deep with the deepest
part being 930 feet. Puget Sound was carved by large glaciers hundreds of years
ago. We learned some pretty neat facts about animals like barnacles, sea slugs,
sea chiton, crab, and horse clams. Barnacles glue themselves to a rock and use
their razor tongues to scrape algae off the rocks for food. When crabs open their
claws, it means they are ready to fight and attack. We saw a red rock crab crush a
mussel shell.
 
Puget Sound is very important to many people and animals. It's important for us
to protect it. Here are some ways we can. First, if we have dogs or animals, we
will clean up after it and scoop their poop. Next, we can do our part by picking up
garbage at the beach. We can also help by reducing car use by walking, biking or
carpooling.
 
We just want to say "THANK YOU" for making it possible for us to go on this
amazing Marine Science Float Experience. It was great because we saw many
types of plankton in a microscopes and Puget Sound marine life. Next we learned
facts about Puget Sound and the animals who live in it. Last, we learned how to
protect Puget Sound. Some of our favorite things we got to do was how we got to
zoom in on planktons using microscopes. We also got to go on the boat for the
first time and explore it. Another favorite was how we got to see the diver
underwater. Last, we touched animals like sea stars, giant sea cucumbers, and get
slimed. Thank you very much!

 
Sincerely,
Parkside Elementary
Grade 4