Hermit Crabs

Summary
Students will understand what a hermit crab is, where it lives and what its habitat for survival is through reading activities.

Objectives
• Students will learn what a hermit crab is, where it can be found and what it needs to survive.

• Students will learn vocabulary terms associated with hermit crabs.

Suggested Grades
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade

Excerpt
On the Pacific and East coast of the United States, most hermit crabs live in tide pools carved out by the pounding waves or by other forces such as boring clams leaving pockets in the rocks where pools of water can form. Each time the waves come to shore, ocean water washes over such pools and swirls inside. The only break from this pounding comes at low tide, when the ocean withdraws and the tide is at its lowest and the pools are left alone. When the tide is at its highest, or high tide, the pools are completely covered with seawater and the swirling is not so intense. Low tide is an important time for us to get a glimpse into the life in these tide pools.

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