Post 114.
New research from Tel Aviv University and the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat found plastic additives were disruptive to the larval development of corals and other coral reef organisms in Eilat. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/11/221129112701.htm) The Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve offers an important site of recreation and ecology in Israel. While this (and many reefs) offer scuba divers access to natural beauty of a reef ecosystem, Eilat offers (human) visitors access to Wading pools, bridges for observing the reef, and other lookouts for observing wildlife. (https://en.parks.org.il/reserve-park/eilat-coral-beach-nature-reserve-2/) Coral reefs actually create their own music, which is analyzed by scientists to understand how healthy these ecosystems are. (https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/scientists-trained-ai-to-listen-to-reef-songs) In my book, I suggest experiences with the beauty of non-human life provides opportunities for students to cultivate ecoliteracy—the critical understanding of the non-human world, interactions between humans and non-human animals, plants, and places, and insight into ways to challenge the ecological crises we face as beings of Mother Earth.
Ocean plastics produce a distinct ecological crisis. As of 2021, there were at least 363,762,732,605 pounds of plastic pollution in the oceans, including at depths of 11 km. (https://www.earthday.org/fact-sheet-plastics-in-the-ocean/) No part of the oceans, seas, lakes, and riverways have avoided our human-made plastic waste.
The website, Childhood 101, shares “15 Under the Sea Rhymes, Finger Plays & Action Songs” that can be used in elementary schools. (https://childhood101.com/ocean-sea-rhymes-finger-plays-action-songs/) Songs and rhymes as common and uncommon as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” “I’m a Little Fish,” and “All the Fish” can be used in an elementary music classroom as is, or modified to increase student empathy-for and understanding of the ecological crises humans must begin to challenge and reverse. Here are some examples I modified from the Childhood 101 for this post:
Row, row, row your boat, gently downward gaze;
Sea anemones, corals, clownfish; turtles, starfish, and rays.
Row, row, row your boat, feet above the reef;
Take good care of the plastics we share, and give this this reef relief.
(To the tune of “I’m a Little Teacup”)
I’m a little fish o, watch me swim.
Here is my tail, and here is my fin.
Through the coral reef, who with me sings,
The melody of life joy brings.
All the fish are swimming in the water, swimming in the water, swimming in the water,
All the fish are swimming in the water, all day long.
Schools of fish are…
Watch the fish, they’re…
Save the fish, they’re…
Caring dolphins…
Peaceful turtles…
Cheeky lobsters…
Gently tread, we’re…
ds
Image: Eilat Dolphin Reef
New research from Tel Aviv University and the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat found plastic additives were disruptive to the larval development of corals and other coral reef organisms in Eilat. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/11/221129112701.htm) The Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve offers an important site of recreation and ecology in Israel. While this (and many reefs) offer scuba divers access to natural beauty of a reef ecosystem, Eilat offers (human) visitors access to Wading pools, bridges for observing the reef, and other lookouts for observing wildlife. (https://en.parks.org.il/reserve-park/eilat-coral-beach-nature-reserve-2/) Coral reefs actually create their own music, which is analyzed by scientists to understand how healthy these ecosystems are. (https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/scientists-trained-ai-to-listen-to-reef-songs) In my book, I suggest experiences with the beauty of non-human life provides opportunities for students to cultivate ecoliteracy—the critical understanding of the non-human world, interactions between humans and non-human animals, plants, and places, and insight into ways to challenge the ecological crises we face as beings of Mother Earth.
Ocean plastics produce a distinct ecological crisis. As of 2021, there were at least 363,762,732,605 pounds of plastic pollution in the oceans, including at depths of 11 km. (https://www.earthday.org/fact-sheet-plastics-in-the-ocean/) No part of the oceans, seas, lakes, and riverways have avoided our human-made plastic waste.
The website, Childhood 101, shares “15 Under the Sea Rhymes, Finger Plays & Action Songs” that can be used in elementary schools. (https://childhood101.com/ocean-sea-rhymes-finger-plays-action-songs/) Songs and rhymes as common and uncommon as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” “I’m a Little Fish,” and “All the Fish” can be used in an elementary music classroom as is, or modified to increase student empathy-for and understanding of the ecological crises humans must begin to challenge and reverse. Here are some examples I modified from the Childhood 101 for this post:
Row, row, row your boat, gently downward gaze;
Sea anemones, corals, clownfish; turtles, starfish, and rays.
Row, row, row your boat, feet above the reef;
Take good care of the plastics we share, and give this this reef relief.
(To the tune of “I’m a Little Teacup”)
I’m a little fish o, watch me swim.
Here is my tail, and here is my fin.
Through the coral reef, who with me sings,
The melody of life joy brings.
All the fish are swimming in the water, swimming in the water, swimming in the water,
All the fish are swimming in the water, all day long.
Schools of fish are…
Watch the fish, they’re…
Save the fish, they’re…
Caring dolphins…
Peaceful turtles…
Cheeky lobsters…
Gently tread, we’re…
ds
Image: Eilat Dolphin Reef
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