Make a Model of a Barnacle
Make a Model of a Barnacle is from Marine Science by Blair Lee, M.S. Expected out in 2024.
There are more than 1,400 species of barnacles living along the coast, on sea life, such as whales, and on the bottom and sides of boats. There are even barnacles at hydrothermal vents! They attach to surfaces by secreting a cement-like substance that is the most powerful natural glue known.
Barnacles are filter feeders. They use featherlike appendages called cirri to filter food, like plankton, from the water. For barnacles that live in intertidal zones, when the tide is out, barnacles close their shells to keep their bodies from drying out or being eaten by birds. When the tide comes in, they open their shell to catch food from the water.
From: 9 Fun Science Activities. Click here to find links to the other 8 activities!
Materials for Make a Model of a Barnacle
- 1 sheet 6-inch x 6-inch (15 cm x 15 cm) sheet of paper: Yellow, white cream or black if you have one of those colors. These are the most common colors for barnacles.
- 4-ounce container of Playdough or other modeling clay: White or cream if you have it. The shells of barnacles are made of white calcium carbonate.
- 2 pipe cleaners cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths
- Hot glue or another glue
Procedure for Make a Model of a Barnacle
1.) Make an origami fortune teller.
- Fold the paper in half both ways.
- Fold the paper along both diagonal.
- Fold each of the 4 corners into the center.
- Flip it over and fold the 4 corners into center.
- Open the pockets.
2.) Put a ball of clay in each pocket to help keep the pockets open and not squashed flat.
3.) GENTLY wrap clay around the origami fortune teller. You can stick a pencil through the clay to open any pockets that become squashed.
4.) Use hot glue, or another type, to glue the pipe cleaner “cirri” into the open mouth of the barnacle.
Check out more articles through the Ask Blair Page on this website. This article was submitted in April 2023 and was not published in the July issue of the SEA Homeschoolers Magazine.
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