Water from the Mountain
Running time: 17 minutes. Produced in Partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. 2017
Inspiring Love for Freshwater Shrimp
This film tells the story of a stream in Puerto Rico, the migratory shrimp who live there, and students who discover the secrets of “El Yunque”, the mountain in the rainforest. Watch the shrimp up close, filtering stream water as they feed on small bits of leafy detritus, and help clean the water of ecosystems and human communities.
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Applicable Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by grade level include:
Grades 3-5
LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes
LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy & Dynamics
LS4C Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
ESS2-2 Earth Systems
ESS3C Human Impacts on Earth Systems
ETS1 Developing Possible Solutions
Middle School
LS2 Ecosystems, Interactions, Energy & Dynamics
LS4C Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
ESS2-2 Earth Systems
ESS3C Human Impacts on Earth Systems
High School
LS2 Ecosystems, Interactions, Energy & Dynamics
LS4C Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
LS4D Biological Evolution: Biodiversity and Humans
ESS3C Human Impacts on Earth Systems
ETS1 Developing Possible Solutions
Crosscutting Concepts
Patterns, Similarities & diversity, Cause and effect; Stability and change, Systems and system models, Ecosystem services
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Students will learn the critical role shrimp play in supporting the health of the mountain river ecosystem and its benefits for people.
Students will learn how scientists monitor the shrimp populations.
Students will learn what migratory freshwater shrimp need in order to complete their life cycle.
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Freshwater Shrimp - Any shrimp that live most of their lives in fresh water.
Watershed - An area of land that drains water to a single river or lake.
Migration -The movement of a large number of animals from one place to another.
Snorkeling - Observing underwater environments using a mask to see and a short tube, called a snorkel, to breathe.
Dams - Structures built across rivers and streams block the flow of water.
Filter Feeding - Straining fine particles of food out of the water.
Functional Feeding Group - A set of species that source their food in similar ways. In freshwater shrimps, functional feeding groups include filter feeders, shredders, and predators.
Watch the Film
In English and Spanish with English subtitles. EN, ES closed captions optional (use 'CC' box in bottom control bar). Full screen viewing button on lower right.
Film Discussion and Reflection
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What are the roles of shrimp species in El Yunque?
What functional feeding groups do they represent?
What are the threats to shrimp survival?
What is being done to solve the problem of upstream shrimp migration?
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What aquatic organisms play similar roles in streams near you?
Why are cultural values important in managing resources?
How might river systems be modified to improve conditions for migrating species?
How can a community be involved in solving the problem of shrimp survival?
How can the information shared in the video be applied to other locations in the world?
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Dr. Omar Perez-Reyes – Aquatic Ecologist, University of Puerto Rico
Felipe Cano – Aquatic Biologist, U.S. Forest Service – El Yunque National Forest
John Bithorn – Ecological Technician, Luquillo Long Term Ecological Research Site
Efrain Ramirez – Water Manager, Town of Maizales, Puerto Rico
Edgardo Martinez – Public Works Contractor
Images available to download for educational and classroom uses. Access more freshwater imagery at the Freshwaters Illustrated Archive.
Extended Exploration
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Mapping a tropical stream in the rain forest Gr 6-12
Using Google Earth, students map migration of shrimp, and compare seasonal patterns of the tropics to the region where they live.
Measure shredder activities in stream leafpacks Gr 5-12
From the Stroud Water Research Center: leafpacknetwork.org - Detailed lesson plans, background information and resources for kids to place leaf packs in a local stream, recovering the packs and identifying the kinds of invertebrates that are eating the decomposing leaves.
WikiWatershed.org - A web tool kit including an app for contributing leaf pack data to compare with other students.
Count filter feeders in a local stream Gr 7-12
From the Stroud Water Research Center: Rock Pack Experiment Detailed lesson plans, background information and resources for kids to assess net-spinning caddisfly activities from rocks they’ve recovered after leaving them for 4 weeks.
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El Yunque National Forest - Information about the national forest featured in the film.
“Caribbean Cruise,” National Inquirer Number 18 The Freshwater Edition pp. 41-57: Examining the amount and quality of organic matter over time from two Caribbean Watersheds. Written for high school students, this article describes many physical dimensions of El Yunque, including the effects of Hurricane Hugo and drought, illustrates the importance of Course Particulate Organic Matter (CPOM) in the stream food web, and provides student activities to assess long term stream flow.
Stroud Water Research Center: leafpacknetwork.org. The Leaf Pack Network Manual Introduction chapter has very accessible, well-illustrated information about stream invertebrates and stream ecology, including functional feeding groups and stream continuum.
Functional Feeding Groups: National Park Service Aquatic Insects and Macroinvertebrates
A Teacher’s Guide to Ellie’s Log by Judith Li. (available online at www.ellieslog.org) See Activity 12: “A Rotten Experiment” is a classroom experiment in which students measure the rate of leaf decomposition for different leaves.
El Yunque National Forest
• Search for El Yunque at http://www.fs.usda.gov/elyunque (Learning center information in Spanish and English).
• America's Rain Forests: a distance learning comparison of temperate and tropical rainforests with student and teacher resources.
• Shrimp of El Yunque National Forest: a two-page guide to native shrimp.
Journey to El Yunque - Journey to El Yunque is an interactive online inquiry that invites middle school students to learn how El Yunque forest animals are adapted to hurricanes, and to investigate how more frequent and intense hurricanes might impact them in the future.
Luquillo LTER River Education Program provides information about natural resources of the El Yunque forest.
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Rio Mameyes watershed
Luquillo Long Term Ecological Research Site
Related Pages and Lessons
Tags: click a tag to view other film pages related to that subject.
