1. I see Sea Otters 5th grade Webquest

2. Your Task- Your family recently took a trip out to California. While you were there you visited the central California coast. When looking out into the ocean you see a raft of sea otters. You recently heard that sea otters have become threatened. You want to learn more and let other people know about sea otters and what we can do to help! You and a friend will put together a brochure displaying information about these California Sea otters and their protection status!

3. Get to know this animal! Watch this short video introducing sea otters! Click me to watch your video! List three interesting facts you found out while watching this video (Answer all questions in your science notebooks!)

4. Listen to the sound otters make Look at a map of Sea Otter range on the California coastline

5. Read this article about sea otters http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals /mammals/sea-otter.html What is their scientific name? What is their current protection status? Name one other thing you found interesting about sea otters in the National Geographic article?

6. Need more information about why these sea otters are endangered? Read this article and answer the questions at the end! http://www.kidsplanet.org/tt/seaotter/pdf/re adthreats.pdf http://www.kidsplanet.org/tt/seaotter/pdf/re adthreats.pdf

7. Watch this clip from Fox News about Sea Otter populations Why do marine biologists think the numbers are dwindling? What would happen if the Sea otter population continues to decline?

8. Now go to The Sea otter Project website- Click on the About Sea Otters tab- http://www.otterproject.org/site/pp.asp?c=8pIKIYMIG&b= 28115 http://www.otterproject.org/site/pp.asp?c=8pIKIYMIG&b= 28115 Read the short summary of sea otters and look at the chart graphing sea otter population- Using the California Sea Otter population graph, record the numbers for each year in your science notebook

9. 1991- 1993- 1995- 1997- 1999- 2001- 2003- 2005- 2007- 2009- Using the numbers recorded graph/chart this data using either a bar graph, scatter plot, or any graph that you think well represents the data. Use a Microsoft Office Excel to record data and create your graph. Make sure you label each year, as well as the x axis and y axis. You will use this is your final brochure!

10. Okay so now you know there is to know everything about California Sea otters right? And you know that there population has been dwindling due to human interaction. So know let’s look at an organizations effort to promote awareness about Sea otter population.

11. Read this article about the “No-Otter Zone”- http://www.otterproject.org/site/pp.asp?c=8p IKIYMIG&b=3929449 http://www.otterproject.org/site/pp.asp?c=8p IKIYMIG&b=3929449 What is the no-otter zone? Where did they move the sea otters to? Did it work? Do you think this translocation benefits sea otters or humans more? Why?

12. Scan this brochure created by Defenders of Wildlife-

13. Under what two acts are sea otters protected in California? Why do you think the population of Sea otters in California keeps declining? What are some of the reasons the brochure mentions?

14. CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve completed the I see Sea otters Webquest! Congratulations. Now it’s time for you and your partner to get to work on creating your brochure. Make sure to use all the information you just gathered as well as your graphs.