Part 1: Engage (Anchoring Phenomenon)

Imagine kayaking at night in Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico. As your paddle strikes the dark water, a brilliant blue-green glow suddenly erupts around it. The faster you paddle, the brighter the glow becomes. When you stop, the water fades back to black.

1. Observations and Questions:

• What did you notice about the relationship between movement and the glow in the scenario?
• Generate at least two “need to know” questions about this phenomenon.

Part 2: Explore (Simulation Investigation)

Open the Bioluminescent Bay Puerto Rico Simulation.

2. Data Collection:

• Set the Boat Speed to 0 (stopped). Observe the dinoflagellates in the water. Record what you see.
• Slowly increase the Boat Speed. What happens to the water as the boat moves through it?
• Adjust the Dinoflagellate Density slider to maximum. How does this affect the overall brightness of the water when the boat is moving?
• Set the boat to maximum speed and observe the “Microscopic View” (if available, or think about what is happening to the individual organisms).

Part 3: Explain (Sensemaking)

3. Energy Transformations:

• What type of energy does the moving boat possess? (Macroscopic scale)
• When the boat pushes the water, what happens to the dinoflagellates at the microscopic scale?
• The glow is a form of light energy. Based on the simulation, explain the sequence of energy transfers and transformations starting from the boat’s movement and ending with the emission of light.

4. Cause and Effect:

• Use your data to explain why a higher boat speed results in a brighter glow. How does the amount of macroscopic energy transferred relate to the microscopic response?

Part 4: Elaborate/Evaluate (Argumentation & Modeling)

5. Developing a Model: Develop a model (using a diagram or a written description) to illustrate the energy transformations in the bioluminescent bay. Your model must include:

• The macroscopic scale: The boat, the water, and the kinetic energy of the boat.
• The microscopic scale: The dinoflagellates and their internal energy.
• How the macroscopic kinetic energy of the boat is accounted for as a combination of energy associated with the motion of particles (water/organisms) and energy associated with the relative position of particles (chemical energy inside the organisms) that ultimately releases light.
• Clearly label the transfer of energy from the macroscopic system to the microscopic system.