Tracing the Toxins

This activity will help students understand that harmful algal blooms (HABs) can negatively impact organisms in a variety of ways, ranging from cell and tissue damage to death. Students will also realize that toxic blooms are caused by algae. The potent toxins produced by these algae can cause massive fish kills, marine mammal deaths, and human illness. Students will participate in a game based on an Antarctic food web in which their feeding decisions determine their survival in the environment. In follow-up activities, students will look for HABs reported in the media and attempt to trace the path of the toxins through the food chain. Educational levels: High school, Middle school