Sardine

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sardine

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the diet?Omnivore; primarily feeds on phytoplankton, zooplankton, and small invertebrates
2. What is the conservation status?Least Concern for most widespread species, but regional stocks can face pressures
3. How do sardines stay safe from big fish and birds?Sardines swim in schools that can number millions. When a predator comes, they turn quickly and make a shiny, tight ball to confuse the attacker. Their silver color also helps them blend in with the light in the water.
4. Where do sardines live?Sardines live in warm and cooler ocean waters all around the world. They are often found near the edges of continents and in places where nutrient-rich water rises to the surface. They like the shelves of the ocean where food is plentiful.

Trophic Dynamics: The study of the feeding and energy transfer relationships within an ecosystem.
Upwelling: Oceanographic process where deep, cold, nutrient-rich water rises to the surface.
Keystone Species: A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.