New Species

In science we have been studying a variety of animals including their habitats, strengths, weaknesses, etc. I skipped ahead in the curriculum so that we could focus in on things we might be seeing in Kenya. The girls were focusing on African land animals (many of which we will get a chance to see) and the boys have been studying ocean life in anticipation for Mombasa. This week we decided to combine art with science and dream up our own sea-creatures. We were all scientists who discovered a new species, but there were a few things we had to know about the new creature. Below are the responses of the kids and myself. You will just have to decide for yourself what picture matches which description. One never knows what strange creature might just wash up onto the beach from the Indian Ocean!

Elin's Creation

Name - Bottlenose Jelly
Size - 1 foot
Color - translucent
Food source - small shrimp/algae
Defense - electric/poison tentacles
              - sharp and powerful nose
Special ability - can move quickly in all directions
                        - invisible
Home - tropical coral reefs
Predators - reef sharks

Katelyn's creation

Name - Monster fish
Size - 10 inches grown-up
        - 3 inches as a kid
Color - blue
Food - jelly fish (tiny ones)
Defense - stingy things on the side
Special abilities - cut stuff with the stingy things
Home - Pacific ocean, close to the ground
Predators - whales eat it

Marianna's creation
Name - Stinger Viper Snake
Size - 1 in. as a baby
        - 1000 miles as and adult
Color - lots of different colors
Food source - lots of sharks in one day
Defense - It stings, scratches, hits, pecks
Special ability - it is a combination of lots of different animals
Home - in the sea (to eat), out of the sea, outer space
Predators - Polar bears eat it

Josh's creation
Name - Spiperm fish
Size - unknown (it is always changing size) <maximum 2 miles, minimum 2 mm>
Color - always changing
Food source - eats anything within 5 feet
Defense - teeth, stinging tentacles, poison and electric spikes
Special ability - changes color for camouflage and emotions
                        - extra speedy
                        - extra eyes
                        - second mouth underneath
                        - blow hole
                        - changing size
Home - Loch Ness lakes
Predators - Stinger Viper Snake

Zack's creation
Name - Viper Snake
Size - 20 feet
Color - blackish grayish
Food source - Spiperm fish, clown fish
Defense - hides in the dark places - nocturnal
Special ability - turns and twists easily
Home - in dark caves
Predators - Giant squid