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e-Journal

Red Tide: A Bad Bloom at the Beach (pp. 42–43)


Step 1. Questions

You have read about red tides, also known as harmful algae blooms, or HAB. Red tides are harmful to many animals. Scientists are trying to predict when future red tides will occur.

Write an essay in which you make inferences about what you have read. Use the article on pages 42–43 of your textbook. Also, you should research algae and its role in the ocean. Here are some questions to guide your research:
  • What are algae?
  • What is a red tide?
  • How can red tides harm animals and people?
  • How can scientists predict red tides?
Are you ready? Begin by visiting the Web sites listed in Step 2. Look for answers to the questions above, and write down what you learn in the boxes.

With teacher supervision, you may use search engines to research other Web sites. You also can research red tides at the library. When you are ready, follow Steps 3 and 4 to write your essay.


Step 2. Research

Research answers to the questions you were asked in Step 1. Visit these Web sites. Take notes about them on this page, too!


Toolbox Tip: Click here to learn how to move from one Web page to another.


What Are Algae?
At this Web site, you can learn all about algae. These tiny creatures are very important in the ocean. Learn about algae that are not harmful to other animals. The University of Manchester provides this site.
Take Notes:



Dangerous Red Tide
Read this article to learn about the red tides near Hong Kong. As you read the article, find out where in the ocean the algae appear and in what ways the algae harm fish. This Web page is maintained by the Pitara Kids Network.
Take Notes:



Marine Food Chain
Study this Web site's diagram of an ocean food web. You will see that algae are an important part of the food web. Many ocean animals eat algae. Algae are the creatures in the blue circles at the bottom of the diagram.
Take Notes:



Additional Sites

Beach Kids!
To learn about beaches, visit this Web site provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Click ABOUT BEACHES and then ABOUT EPA'S BEACH PROGRAM to learn how the government works to track and predict harmful substances in water.
Take Notes:



Harmful Algal Blooms
This Web page explains how red tides grow and turn the water a different color. This site also tells of the importance of algae in the ocean. Think about the ways in which algae can be either good or bad for the environment.
Take Notes:



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