Section 1

Resource: Living Estuary Poster/Map

Learning Objectives

Students understand the size, shape, and major

geographic features as well as the diversity of habitats

in Puget Sound. Students learn about where they live

in the Puget Sound region.

Activity

Have students use the Living Estuary poster/map to

locate and discuss the following:

Ocean water comes into Puget Sound from the Strait

of Georgia and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Where are

these two bodies of water?

Most of the ocean water that enters and leaves Puget

Sound goes through Admiralty Inlet. Look for it near

the town called Port Townsend. Does ocean water get

into Puget Sound at any other point you can find?

There are many different kinds of animals on the

poster. Some live on land, some in the water, and

some on the beach. How many animals can you find

on the poster? What is the home or habitat for those

animals? What connects all those habitats?

Where do you think most of the people around Puget

Sound live? Name some of the cities where you think

a lot of people live. Find your city on the poster.

How many rivers can you find on the map? Do all the

rivers go directly into Puget Sound or do they connect

to other rivers? Have you visited any of these rivers?

Section 2

Resource: Seattle Public Utilities Map

Learning Objectives

Students see the connection between the freshwater

watershed and Puget Sound. They learn what and where

local watersheds are and what watershed they live in.

They understand where their water comes from, how

it is distributed to people, and where it goes after use.

Students begin to see the multiple uses and competing

demands for water and learn how they can conserve

water.

Activity

Have students locate their home, school, and other

familiar areas on the map. Ask them to read, answer,

and discuss questions about the conservation

information at the bottom of the map.

Puget Sound Belongs to All of Us:

Teacher’s Guide to Activities

Lesson 15

Examining a Real Environmental Problem

Resource: Ecosystems Teachers Guide Pgs.160–172

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Section 3

Resource:

Puget Sound Book pgs. 5–12

Learning Objectives

Students understand that people are the problem

and the solution. They learn what each of us can do

on an individual basis to protect the Sound.

Activity 1

Students compare what they have seen and

learned from pollutants in their ecocolumns with

what happens when pollution enters an ecosystem

like Puget Sound.

Oil, gas, and other chemicals from cars and other

vehicles contaminate the muddy sand bottom in

Puget Sound. Toxic chemicals from oil and gas have

been found in some Puget Sound fish and shellfish

that people eat. Fertilizers washed off lawns and

gardens, and phosphorous from detergents also

end up in the Sound where they cause rapid plant

growth that can use up the oxygen that fish and

other animals need to stay alive.

Resource:

Washington Beaches Curriculum

from the Seattle Aquarium

pgs. 27–52

Learning Objective

Students learn what plants and animals live in two

major Puget Sound habitats.

Activity 2

Have students use the pictures and key to find and

identify plants and animals in each habitat.

Section 4

Resource:

Seattle Public Utilities Map

Learning Objective

Students understand the impact of deforestation in the

Puget Sound region. They see where trees have been

cut and what has replaced them.

Activity

Students look for forested areas, note distribution of

buildings, and consider the effect on wildlife. They find

wildlife, noting proximity to spreading development.

Then they find dams on rivers, and discuss the effect

of dams on salmon migrating up rivers.