"Since we're terrestrial animals, we often think of the ocean as homogenous. But in fact there is a rich variety of complex and different ecosystems within the ocean."
- Dr. Melanie L. J. Stiassny, Curator of the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life

The resources below explore what lives in different parts of the ocean, from coral reefs to deep sea vents.

		Dive Into Worlds Within the Sea Activity for grades 3 through 8 Which squirmy little creatures does the spiny lobster eat? Can you spot the weird greenish glow on the belly of the cookie-cutter shark? Show off your good thinking with a game of good linking.
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		Work the System Article for grades 3 through 8 Did you know that forests with leaves above the water can grow in the ocean? Grab the magical magnifying glass, and see how many different plants and animals you can find in this virtual mangrove swamp.
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		Create a Coral Reef Activity for grades 3 through 8 Did you know that, at their core, coral reefs are the skeletons of thousands of dead coral? Make your own coral reef diorama—with pasta, Play-Doh™, pipe cleaners, pom-poms, and hair curlers.
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		Let's Talk With Melanie Stiassny About the Oceans Article for grades 6 through 12 Living on land as we do, it's easy to forget this is a water planet. Yet life appeared about 3.5 billion years ago in the ocean, and instead of leaving, most things stayed there.
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		Life on the Reef Article for grades 6 through 8 In September 2000, marine biologists from across the U.S. gathered in the Bahamas to study creatures along one of the world's largest barrier reefs. They even got help from NASA. Dive in to their expedition findings.
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		Let's Talk with Cindy Lee Van Dover about the Ecology of Deep Sea Vents Article for grades 6 through 12 For oceanographers, the work they do at sea is just the beginning. Learn more about the discoveries made by one scientist who completed more than 100 dives to the sea floor.
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		Is It Alive? Activity for grades 6 through 12 Despite extreme temperatures and the absence of sunlight, you can find a variety of life on the ocean floor. Take a look at the amazing organisms that thrive in this unlikely environment.
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		Deep Sea Vents Gallery Exhibition Materials for grades 9 through 12 Take a virtual stroll through the Deep Sea Vents Gallery, which is part of the museum's Hall of Planet Earth. You'll see pictures and videos of some of our planet's most ancient forms of life.
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		Video Gallery: Life at the Deep Sea Vents Evidence and Analysis for all grades up to 12 Descend nearly two kilometers below the Pacific's surface to a place devoid of sunlight—but not life. See the crabs, fishes, and worms that live near the sulfide chimneys at the Juan de Fuca Ridge.
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		A Day at the (Barrier) Beach: My Expedition to Sandy Hook Article for grades 6 through 12 Which has more oxygen: ocean water that has been aerated by turbulence, or bay water that has been fed by oxygen-producing plants? This ninth-grader from New Jersey learns that getting the answer is not all that easy!
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		How Do Humans and Plants Interact in Tidal Wetlands? Article for grades 6 through 12 How is cordgrass able to survive the high salinity of a marsh when other plants can't? An amazing adaptation that lets it secrete excess salt, as this ninth-grader from Virginia discovered.
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		Tide Pools and the Life Within Them Article for grades 6 through 12 Wade through the tide pools of Doheny State Beach with this seventh-grader from California, and discover the many animals that thrive in this ever-changing world of sand and surf.
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		Letter from Stephanie: Antarctic Adaptations Article for grades 6 through 12 Unlike human visitors, Antarctica's plants and animals don't require high-tech gear. How have these organisms adapted to thrive—not just survive—in such an extreme environment?
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