Tue 28: Jellyfish

They don’t have a brain or a butt, but jellyfish are cool…

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Below are some talking points and activities to pass the time, all relating to today’s story.

Talking points

Discuss the ideas presented in the story with your family—at home or over video conferencing. Find ways to involve as many people as possible, especially those who you know are isolated by the lock-down.

  • Look slowly through the photos and try to pick a couple that you find the most interesting. What do you think is particularly fascinating about the jellyfish you chose? Do you wonder “what is…” “what does…” or “why” when you look at them?
  • Why do you think some jellyfish have tiny fish hanging out beside them/inside them? Do you think there is any danger to the fish? Do you think it benefits the jellyfish in any way?
  • What do you think of the jellyfish’s anatomy, described at the very start of the article—including a mouth that doubles as an anus? What does it have, and what can you figure out about its lifestyle from its body features?
  • Jellyfish look likely to become far more numerous as fish stocks get lower and the sea warms. How do you feel about eating jellyfish? What might the texture be like? How about the taste? What are some ways you could try preparing jellyfish to make it more appealing to eat?
  • Many jellyfish can move intentionally by jet propulsion—taking in water through the bell and squirting it out the back. Remember what happens when you blow up a balloon, then let it go? Can you think of any other sea creatures that might use jet propulsion? How about types of transport or technology?

Task—Make a String Jellyfish Painting

In this painting, you will create a jellyfish. You will work upside down on the paper, creating the head at the bottom of the page.

  1. Near the bottom of your paper, place a thick blob of paint in any two colours of your choice.
  2. Take a drinking straw or a piece of tubing and blow through it onto the paint. Blow the paint down the page. Keep doing this until the paint has spread out into a shape like the head of a jellyfish.
  3. Take a length of string and dip it into paint on a palette or dish. Use a paintbrush to work the string into the paint and make sure it is well covered.
  4. Pick the string up and lay it carefully onto the paper to make a print that looks like a jellyfish tentacle. You will need to cover it in paint again several times. finish when you think your jellyfish has enough tentacles.

Send us a picture of your string jellyfish painting!