"Goin' Down the Shore"
A Seashore Pathfinder for
New Jersey
Elementary School Students (Gr. 3-5)
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The NJ Shore - Image From http://www.multicians.org |
Lucy the Elephant - Margate, NJ From http://www.margaterentals.com |
Ocean City, NJ Ferris Wheel |
Every year, when the sun shines brightly and the weather gets hot, New Jersey families head for the New Jersey shore. It's an annual tradition!
Did you know that seagulls' feathers change color at different times of the year? Or, did you know that the very first boardwalk in the world was the Atlantic City boardwalk, built in 1870? From Seaside Heights to Atlantic City or Cape May, there is a lot of interesting history and information to be learned about the New Jersey shore. There is also a lot to know about the type of wildlife you'll see at the seashore.
This page will give you lots of information on the Jersey shore by bringing you to helpful websites, databases, and books. You'll learn some cool stuff! When you go "down the shore" with your family, you can tell them a whole bunch of interesting facts - it will make them say, "Wow! How did you know that?"
Get started by clicking here to look at an interactive map of NJ Shore towns - how many have you visited?
Other helpful maps to get you started:
- NJ Counties - the "shore" is considered the cities along the edge of Monmounth, Ocean, Atlantic, and Cape May counties.
- Detailed Map of NJ Shore
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Databases (Includes magazine articles) |
Keywords |
Websites
These websites have been carefully chosen to help you learn more about the New Jersey shore. If you would like to look at more information, use the suggested keywords and phrases to search kids' search engines or databases.
General New Jersey Shore Information and Fun Sites for Kids
- Jersey Shore from HangoutNJ.Com - read about saltwater taffy and "Captain Kidd's" buried treasure on the Jersey Shore
- ShoreBreeze - an online newsletter about the NJ shore written by kids - be sure to read the "archives" page
- New Jersey Facts and Fun for Kids from VisitNJ.org - click on the map along the coast to see interesting information about NJ shore areas
- NJ Wildlife Guide from Ranger Rick
- Cape May Times Kids' Stuff page - information about local boardwalks, the Cape May Zoo, and events
- Cape May County Links from the Cape May County Library - If you have time, you can take a look at some of the links on this page to find out more about the Jersey Shore
Seashores & Things to Do at the Seashore
- "What's It Like Where You Live? Shorelines" - Information from the "Ecosystems" page by the Missouri Botanical Garden. Don't miss the "temperate oceans" page!
- Building Sandcastles at the Jersey Shore - tips for building the best sandcastle, and links to other helpful sites
- Sandcastle Building Tips and Tricks - There are three pages of helpful hints for building sandcastles by hand!
- Sandcastle links from KidsTurnCentral - Links to building tips, pages where you can build "virtual" sandcastles, and sand sculpture photos
- Seashell Identification Guide - Pictures of lots of different types of seashells
- Seashells.org - Identify and preserve the seashells you find and read the "Legend of the Sand Dollar"
Oceans
- Oceanography from the US Dept. of Naval Research - Learn about currents, tides, waves, beaches and other habitats, marine animals, ocean water, and ocean regions.
- All About Oceans from EnchantedLearning.com - Scroll down past the top of the page to view information about the water cycle, and articles about "Why is the Ocean Salty?" "What Causes Waves?" There are Ocean Craft ideas, and you can print out coloring sheets and other activities.
- Sea and Sky (The Sea) - Sea-Related games and links as well as neat photo galleries of deep sea creatures.
- The Astounding Atlantic - Facts about the Atlantic Ocean, including information about plants, animals, and shipwrecks. Created by Wisconsin elementary school students.
- National Geographic Habitats: Oceans and Coasts - Read the introductory article about oceans and browse the great photo gallery.
Places along the Jersey Shore
Atlantic City, NJ
- Walking the Boardwalk in Atlantic City - A SHORT Article from the Library of Congress' America's Library site
- Atlantic City History from the Atlantic City Free Public Library
FAQs about Atlantic City History
Miss America Pageant History
Atlantic City : A Brief History
- People and Events: Atlantic City History - from PBS.org's "Miss America" site - "The American Experience"
Cape May, NJ
- Cape May Point Lighthouse - History and Information about the lighthouse
- "On the way to Cape May" song lyrics from the Cape May County Library
- History of Cape May City - This is difficult to read, but it contains interesting historical information.
Margate, NJ
- Lucy the Margate Elephant
Take a virtual tour of "Lucy" and check out the "For Kids" section!
Ocean City, NJ
- Historic District Walking Tour - Scroll down the page and use the "CLICK HERE to begin the tour" link!
- The Mystery of the Sindia website -
Find out what happened to the Sindia, a historic ship traveling from Japan to New York City, that ran aground off the coast of Ocean City in 1901.
- Historical Images of Ocean City from OCNJ Online - Take a look at how bathing suits have changed!
- Ocean City Historical Museum
- Ocean City, NJ Camera view of Ocean City beaches updated every minute
- Ocean City, NJ "Live" Camera view of Ocean City
Point Pleasant Beach
- Point Pleasant Beach - NJ Surfcam - "Live" picture of Point Pleasant Beach updated every 90 seconds! You can also see "archived" pictures if you scroll down the page and click on the archive link.
Wildwood, NJ
- Wildwood Crest Historical Society - Check out the "Photos" page for historical photos of Wildwood
- Morey's Piers - article from Wikipedia.org. (Remember, WIKIPEDIA sites are not always the most reliable places to use for information, but this page was great as of 5/30/06). With an exciting boardwalk full of games and rides, Wildwood is a great place for kids!
Primary Source Documents
- Bathing at Atlantic City (VIDEO) - Type "bathing at Atlantic City" (no quotes) into the search box at the top of the page to view this historic 1901 video from the American Memory site
- Annual Baby Parade, 1904, Asbury Park, NJ (VIDEO) - Type "annual baby parade" (no quotes) into the search box at the top of the page to view this historic video from the American Memory site
- Other primary source documents about New Jersey from the American Memory site - search any of these collections by town name, or simply "New Jersey" to find New Jersey-related historical information and documents
Kids' Search Engines / Search Sites
- Ask.Com for Kids - Type in a question!
- KidSpace at the Internet Public Library
- KidsClick!
- Librarians' Internet Index
- Multnomah County Library Homework Help Sites
- Yahooligans!
Books
NONFICTION
| Title | Library Location |
Call Number | |
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At the Seashore by Pamela Hickman |
Atlantic County Library | 574.5 Hic (J) |
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Seashore Surprises by Ruth Wyler |
Camden Co. Lib. |
E592.092 Wyl E574.9 Wyl |
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The Ocean Book: Aquarium and Seaside Activities and Ideas for All Ages by Center for Environmental Education |
Burlington County Library | 551.46 Oke |
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Seashore by David Burnie (DK Eyewitness Boooks) |
Camden County Library | j508.14 Bur |
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Look Closer: Shoreline by Barbara Taylore |
Camden Co. Lib. |
j578.7699 Tay |
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Beachcombing : Exploring the Seashore by Jim Arnosky | Camden Co. Lib. Burl. Co. Lib. |
E578.7699 Arn E578.769 Arn |
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Jersey Shore Uncovered: A Revealing Season on the Beach by Peter Genovese Though this book was written for adults, there are plenty of great black-and-white and color photos that kids can enjoy too! |
Camden Co. Lib. Burl. Co. Lib. |
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Along a Rocky Shore by Judith E. Rinard | Atlantic County Library | 591.909 (J) |
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The Beach Patrol by John O'Brien |
Burlington County Library | E797.2 O'Brien |
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New Jersey: From Sea to Shining Sea by Elizabeth Scholl |
Burlington County Library | NJ J917.49 Sch |
| Seashells of North America by Tucker Abbott |
Burlington County Library | J 594 Abb | |
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Hello USA: New Jersey by Charles Fredeen |
Burlington County Library | NJ J917.49 Fre |
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New Jersey: This Land is Your Land by Ann Heinrichs | Burlington County Library | NJ J917.49 Hei |
| The Atlantic Ocean by Julia Waterlow |
Burlington County Library | J551.46 Wat | |
| The Atlantic edited by Pat Hargreaves |
Burlington County Library | J910.163 Atl | |
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The Atlantic Ocean by Leighton Taylor | Burlington County Library | J578.773 Tay |
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The Atlantic Ocean by Anne Ylvisaker |
Camden County Library | E551.4613 Ylv |
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The Atlantic Ocean by David Petersen and Christine Peterson |
Camden County Library |
FICTION
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Atlantic by G. Brian Karas |
Burlington County Library | EF Karas |
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Gangsters at the Grand Atlantic by Sarah Masters Buckey |
Burlington County Library | JF Buckey |
Videos, Images, & Software
VIDEOS:
- Seashore (VHS), c1996, DK Vision.
Summary: "A mixture of animation, still photos and live footage serves as a background for a narrated introduction to the geological, biological and cultural history of human beings' involvement with our coast lines."
Camden County Library - Call # VIDEO j551.457 Sea
35 min.
- Seashore Surprises (VHS), c1992, Great Plains National Instructional Television Library.
Summary: A "Reading Rainbow" video based on the book by Rose Wyler
Burlington County Library - Call # J VID SER READ
30 min.
- Barnegat lighthouse and Barnegat City (VHS), c1999, Down the Shore Publishing.
Summary: "This film explores the history of Barnegat Lighthouse, the shore's most venerable and beloved landmark, and gives us a glimpse into the evolution of a shore town that has weathered countless storms, devastating erosion, innumberable shipwrecks, and offered itself and its bounty to fishermen, hunters, and vacationers, all under the beam of the Barnegat Lighthouse."
Burlington County Library - Call # NJ VC 974.948 Bar
- Exploring Shorelines (VHS), c1998, Missouri Botanical Garden Learning Network.
Part of the "What's it like where you live?" series
Summary: The kids learn what causes tides and waves and how the rivers meet the seas. They investigate rocky shores, sandy shores, estuaries, salt marshes, and mud flats. Team Leader Stacey travels to Bald Head Island, a barrier island off the coast of North Carolina. She also visits a beach at night and finds a big loggerhead turtle laying eggs in the sand. Tyler is on location in California and reports on life in tide pools and other rocky shore environments.
Not available in local libraries (purchase link above).
23 minutes.
- Let's Explore a Seashore (VHS), c1994, National Geographic Society.
Summary: Viewers join Becky and her mother in Maine, searching for clams and exploring the rocky seashore, home to many plants and animals.
Not available in local libraries (purchase link above).
16 minutes.
- The Blue Planet: Seas of Life Collector's Set (4 DVDs), c2002, BBC (with David Attenborough).
Summary: "Extraordinary footage and eloquent narration by David Attenborough highlight the BBC's remarkable wildlife series The Blue Planet: Seas of Life. "Ocean World" begins with astonishing views of a gigantic blue whale--the elusive Holy Grail of undersea photography--and the marvels continue to demonstrate the power, diversity, and profound ecological influence of Earth's oceans."
Atlantic County Library, Call # 7Day Blue
4 discs, 392 minutes total.
IMAGES:
- Browse historical photos and other items in this e-book about NJ shore history written by the Federal Government's National Park Service
- ClipartHeaven Beach Clip Art - search for "BEACH," "SEASHELL," or "OCEAN" from clipartheaven.com
- Black and White Seashore Clip Art
- Seashore Clip Art
SOFTWARE:
- The Magic School Bus Explores the Ocean (CD-ROM) (MAC or PC)
Summary: "The Magic School Bus Explores the Ocean is an interactive science adventure that helps children learn about the wonders of the ocean as they join the Magic School Bus class to explore the seven ocean zones. "
- The Living Oceans (CD-ROM) (PC only)
Summary: "Plunge into the fascinating underwater world of active volcanoes, deep-sea peaks, cavernous trenches, and the longest mountain ridges on Earth. Observe how colorful and complex marine species survive and flourish in the deep. With documentary footage, detailed computer graphics, colorful video clips, Web links, and commentary from leading oceanographers, The Living Oceans four CD-ROM deluxe collection is a content-rich, educational resource for the entire family."
Databases
Use the keywords in the next section to search these online databases for more information:
- GROLIER ONLINE - Type in a search keyword to search all of these books at once: the New Book of Knowledge Encylopedia, Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia, the New Book of Popular Science, Lands & Peoples and America the Beautiful!
EXAMPLE:
- Type in "coasts" into the search box.
- Click on the first link - "Coasts" - with this picture next to it:
- You can then read the article from "The New Book of Popular Science" about coasts.
Keywords and Phrases for Searching
Do you need additional
information?
Type in any of these words into the search box in the databases, kids' search engines, Burlington County Catalog, or Camden County Library Catalog.
Remember to type slowly - SPELLING IS IMPORTANT!
- New Jersey
- Seashore
- Seashores
- Seashells
- Beach
- Beaches
- Shorelines
- Coasts
- Biomes AND (Oceans OR Seas)
- Habitats AND (Oceans OR Seas)
- Atlantic Ocean
- Jersey Shore
- Oceans
- Boardwalks
- New Jersey AND Juvenile
- New Jersey AND History
Curriculum Standards and Teacher Tools
New Jersey Curriculum Standards
Science
STANDARD 5.5 (CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE) ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE, CHARACTERISTICS, AND BASIC NEEDS OF ORGANISMS AND WILL INVESTIGATE THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE.
STANDARD 5.8 (EARTH SCIENCE) ALL STUDENTS WILL GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STRUCTURE, DYNAMICS, AND GEOPHYSICAL SYSTEMS OF THE EARTH.
Social Studies
STANDARD 6.4 (UNITED STATES AND NEW JERSEY HISTORY) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF UNITED STATES AND NEW JERSEY HISTORY IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND LIFE AND EVENTS IN THE PAST AND HOW THEY RELATE TO THE PRESENT AND FUTURE.
- 4th Grade A.4 - 4. Discuss the history of their community, including the origins of its name, groups and individuals who lived there, and access to important places and buildings in the community.
- 4th Grade B.8 - Discuss the value of the American national heritage including: Diverse folklore and cultural contributions from New Jersey and other regions in the United States; History and values celebrated in American songs, symbols, slogans, and major holidays; Historical preservation of primary documents, buildings, places of memory, and significant artifacts.
STANDARD 6.6 (GEOGRAPHY) ALL STUDENTS WILL APPLY KNOWLEDGE OF SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND OTHER GEOGRAPHIC SKILLS TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN RELATION TO THE PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT.
- 4th Grade B.3 - Describe the geography of New Jersey.
- 4th Grade B.1 - 1. Identify the physical and human characteristics of places and regions in New Jersey and the United States (e.g., landforms, climate, vegetation, housing).
Technological Literacy
STANDARD 8.1 (COMPUTER AND INFORMATION LITERACY ) ALL STUDENTS WILL USE COMPUTER APPLICATIONS TO GATHER AND ORGANIZE INFORMATION AND TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
- 4th Grade B.2 - Recognize and practice responsible social and ethical behaviors when using technology, and understand the consequences of inappropriate use including: Internet access, Copyrighted materials, On-line library resources, Personal security and safety issues, Practice appropriate Internet etiquette.
- 4th Grade B.5 - Recognize the need for accessing and using information.
- 4th Grade B.6 - Identify and use web browsers, search engines, and directories to obtain information to solve real world problems.
- 4th Grade B. 7 - Locate specific information by searching a database.
Helpful Resources for Teachers
- The Wetlands Institute - Stone Harbor, NJ
Home to the annual "Wings 'n Water Festival," The Wetlands Institute offers field trips, electronic (distance learning) field trips, and promotes "the conservation and preservation of coastal ecosystems by providing a fun and educational experience for families, school groups and vacationers of all ages."
- TidePools - The Tide is High - Teaching Unit from NJ Academy for Aquatic Sciences
" This Tide Pool teaching unit is designed to help you teach your students about the inhabitants of tide pools, their adaptations and the everyday dangers they face in a fun, hands-on educational format."
- TidePools from 4xExplore - A variety of links and activities.
- Nature Center of Cape May offers many programs for children
- Down the Shore Publishing - Books, Postcards, and Videos about the Jersey shore
- Atlantic City Aquarium also offers educational services
- Distance Learning Offerings from NJ Academy for Aquatic Sciences
- School Programs and Field Trips offered by Morey's Piers in Wildwood, NJ
- Seashore Resources from Champaign Public Library, IL
- Oceanography resources from NOVA (PBS)
Credits
This pathfinder is based on the pathfinder template provided by the Wenatchee School District at http://home.wsd.wednet.edu/pathfinders/template_pathfinder.htm.
The sources chosen for inclusion in this pathfinder were chosen by typing keywords into and browsing the following sites:
- Burlington County Catalog and Camden County online catalogs (print resources)
- OCLC WorldCat catalog (accessible by subscription only) and Amazon.com (print resources)
- Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (subscription only) (print resources)
- Kids' Search Engines (above)
Pages were evaluated according to their age-appropriateness, relevance to the topic, factual accuracy, overall quality of design, and interest level.
Book cover images were largely obtained from www.amazon.com
The border was created using clipart from clipartheaven.com.