Introduction

The nation's shorelines provide habitat to a great diversity of aquatic and terrestrial organisms. They serve important ecological, economic, and recreational purposes for the states that have available shoreline. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that the United States has 95,471 miles of shoreline. Nearly half of all the construction in the United States since the 1970s has been on the coast. By the year 2000, 80% of Americans lived an hour's drive or less from the seashore.

In this lesson, you will examine

  • the different coastal water types,
  • the ecological, economic, and recreational importance of coastal water, and
  • how the coastal water types differ from inland bodies of water.

 

 

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Identify characteristics of the different types of coastal waters.
  • Explain the ecological importance of coastal waters.
  • Describe the economic and recreational importance of coastal waters.
  • Distinguish between the characteristics of coastal waters and inland bodies of water.

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Environmental Science Objectives: 7, 7B1, & 7B2.

This lesson incorporates the following Literacy Standards: R7, W6, W7, & W8.

 

 

    Next Page