Hobbies And Interests
Drawing
A diagram of a real kelp forest ecosystem uses a sheet of 11 ½-by-17-inch paper. Fold it in half lengthwise twice and then open it up to form four equal parts. Draw a kelp plant so the paper is vertical and the plant is divided equally into four sections. Use colored pencils and diagram the kelp plants parts. Add different organisms that are found in the different sections of the plant. For example, draw abalone at the holdfast or anchor of the kelp.
Diorama
Paint the inside of a medium-sized box blue to create a kelp forest diorama. Kelp can be crafted from paper mache and glued in place so it looks like it is in the ocean. Add animals, such as sea urchins at the roots of the kelp and sea otters diving in the water looking for shellfish. Each creature can be crafted from play dough and paper mache and placed into the diorama to depict that life is like in a kelp forest.
Ocean Bottle
Create the ocean waves of a kelp forest with a craft that doubles as a science experiment. Remove the labels of a 2-liter bottle and wash it out. Squeeze hot glue onto the roots of a plastic aquarium plant and insert into the side of the bottle. Fill the bottle halfway with water. Add a few drops of blue food coloring and a 1/4 teaspoon of glitter. Swirl around to mix. Place plastic sea creatures, such as fish and starfish, into the bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with vegetable oil and glue around the edges of your bottle cap after it is screwed on. Turn the bottle on its side to create a wave inside your ocean bottle.
Mural
Designate a wall in your school or community for a kelp forest mural craft. Hold a contest for the best design and then ask students to help paint a mural that recognizes the importance of kelp forests and educates the community about the ecosystem. Wash and sand the wall before applying a coat of primer before the project begins. Draw out the winning design with pencil or marker onto the wall and then divide the painters into groups to work on the painting. Use acrylic paint because it is fast drying and permanent.