Monday, August 12, 2 PM
For next week’s Watch & Wonder Highlight, we’re featuring this episode of Big Pacific. After watching, dive deeper with resources about the humble Horseshoe crab, an animal that has changed so little in 450 million years that they are considered “living fossils,” on PBS LearningMedia.
In this 5-part series, plunge into the Pacific with researchers and cinematographers and see the ocean’s rare and dazzling creatures in a way never before seen on television. In the first episode, Mysterious, the show begins to examine an ocean that covers a third of the Earth’s surface. Man has explored land, the ocean’s surface, and large parts of the solar system, and in the 21st century we are just beginning to explore the depths of the Pacific Ocean. We yearn to unravel the mysterious Pacific – but she does not give up her secrets willingly.
PBS LearningMedia
Horseshoe Crabs | Big Pacific: Mysterious
Grades 6-12
Horseshoe crabs are considered living fossils because they have changed so little in the 450 million years that they have been around. A horseshoe crab’s hard outer shell tends to mask its true identity—the arthropods are related to spiders and scorpions. They live in shallow, sandy habitats that are threatened by coastal development and over-fishing, so conservation efforts in Hong Kong offer hope by sheltering juveniles through their vulnerable moulting process.
In school or at home, take advantage of the Watch & Wonder broadcast schedule. Running each weekday from 1-3 PM, Watch & Wonder is great for classroom viewing, distance instruction, and families looking to spend some extra, quality time together. Featured programs are ideal for kids in grades 6-12, encouraging creativity with the arts, kick starting innovation through STEM, and expanding their horizons with stories from across the globe!
Each week, we’ll highlight a show from our Watch & Wonder block, and share a PBS LearningMedia resource — suitable for middle and high school students. Follow along on the Watch & Wonder Schedule page, or subscribe to our newsletter!