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Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Phylum Porifera

For Students 9th - 10th
Click on the name of the class of sponge you want to know about, and you'll see a picture and a description of it.
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Graphic
University of California

Ucmp: Uc Museum of Paleontology/ Fossil Records of Porifera

For Students 9th - 10th
Takes a look at the fossils of sponges, and describes what they mean in terms of evolution.
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Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Morphology of Sponges

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the University of California discusses the structure of sponges and how these primitive animals manage to exist.
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Mn Step: Sponge Lab: Experimenting With Absorption

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the properties of synthetic and natural sponges in this activity, to determine the capacity of each to absorb water. Afterward, they discuss other questions they have about sponges, and complete an assessment in...
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Handout
Sheppard Software

Sheppard Software: Sponges

For Students 9th - 10th
This site gives an in-depth description of a sponge, including its behavior, appearance, reproduction, and classification. The site includes photos and illustrations and an interactive quiz to test your understanding.
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Handout
Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botantical Garden: Sponges!

For Students 4th - 9th
This site from The Evergreen Project gives an easy to understand description of the Sponges.
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Sponge

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia offers detailed information on sponges, or poriferans, animals of the phylum Porifera.
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Handout
Other

Jungle Walk: Sponge Movies

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn all you wanted to know about sponges. And see video clips as well as photos from The Sponge Reef Project, NOAA Ocean Explorer, National Geographic and more.
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Website
Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum: Other Invertebrates

For Students 9th - 10th
This online exhibit from the Natural History Museum studies a range of topics related to invertebrates, or animals without a backbone. Crabs, snails, barnacles, sponges, and more are discussed at this exhibit.
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Handout
Biology 4 kids

Biology4 Kids: Sponges the First Invertebrate

For Students 3rd - 7th
Find out about some the most simple organisms in the Animal Kingdom, the sponges.
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Handout
A-Z Animals

A Z Animals: Animal Facts: Sponge (Demospongiae)

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry identifies the defining characteristics of the demospongiae, more commonly known as the sponge.
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Website
Other

Sea Sky: Reef Life

For Students 9th - 10th
The coral reef, its composition and inhabitants are explored here in detail. With additional information about the life that inhabits a coral reef.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Biology: Sponges

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discusses characteristics of sponges.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Life Science: Sponges

For Students 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Sponges are classified in the phylum Porifera, from the Latin words meaning "having pores." Sponges are sessile, meaning they cannot move, so they filter water...
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Website
Other

Ocean Oasis: Field Guide

For Students 3rd - 8th
Ocean Oasis is a giant-screen film that depicts Mexico's Sea of Cortes and the Baja California desert. This companion site features much of the information the film has, such as beautiful images of animals, water, and land that have...
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Handout
Encyclopedia of Life

Encyclopedia of Life: Sponges

For Students 9th - 10th
The Encyclopedia of Life presents this in-depth overview of Sponges (Porifera), including their habitats, size, conservation status, and much more. Images of this phylum and maps of its global distribution can also be found here.
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Article
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Antarctic Reveals Treasure Trove of Life

For Students 9th - 10th
From ABC News in Science, Maggie Fox's article examines research connected to the various species of life discovered in the "dark waters around Antarctica." These findings include sponges, crustaceans, and new worms.
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Handout
Other

Sponges, Phylum Porifera

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses sponges that may be kept in salt-water aquariums, along with what they need to live. Good general information.
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Activity
Other

Mcwdn: Sponges

For Students 3rd - 8th
A brief summary about sponges. Included are an organized chart about the body systems in a sponge, links to other websites about sponges, and an online quiz about sponges.
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Handout
National Health Museum

Access Excellence: Carnivorous Sponge

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about this startling discovery of a species of sponge that is not a filter feeder like all other sponges, but is actually carnivorous. Strange!
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Handout
Other

Kids' Cruz: Taxonomy

For Students 4th - 8th
Kidzcruz.com provides a list of phylums in the animal Kingdom. Both Latin and English names are included.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Sponges

For Students Pre-K - 1st
sponges