IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING

AND CONSERVING ESTUARIES

AND INTERTIDAL ZONES
for Science Grade 5
Quarter 2 / Week 8

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 FOREWORD

This Self Learning Kit will guide us in understanding the importance

of protecting and conserving estuaries and intertidal zones. It will
also help us understand and identify ways on how we can protect
and conserve it.

This Self Learning Kit (SLK) is composed of three main parts;

I. What Happened Situation and activities are presented to

pique your interest and gauge your prior knowledge on the
identified learning competency.

II. What I Need To Know This is the part where you can find the
discussion for you to understand better the lesson and
competency.

III. What I Have Learned This is the part where tests and activities
are given to gauge your mastery of the lesson.

After completing the tasks given, it is expected that you will

master the competency and apply it in your daily lives as learning
is useless unless it is applied.

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OBJECTIVE:
The learner should be able to:

K Explain the need to protect and conserve estuaries and

intertidal environment
S Identify ways on how to protect and conserve estuaries and
intertidal environment
A Show awareness about the importance of protecting and
conserving estuaries and intertidal environment

LEARNING COMPTENCY:

Explain the need to protect and conserve intertidal zones and

estuaries (S5MT-IIJ-10)

I. WHAT HAPPENED

Donna’s group of friends were going to the beach, but the

moment they arrived this is was what they found.

Boracay Beach 2012

IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

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A dirty beach! They felt sad with what they decided to do coastal
clean-up instead.
What do you think is the cause of their problem?
As a grade five learner, would you also like to participate in
activities like this? Why?

PRE-ACTIVITIES/PRE-TEST:

Pre-Test 1

Directions: Arrange the jumbled letters to form a word.

1. S I T A R U E E S -

2. G U D P M N I B E A G G A R -

3. A T S E T O N D A F E R I O -

4. L A D I T E N R I T Z N O E -

5. N O P U L L I T O -

6. O D O F N I C H A -

7. T I C A I O B R O T S C A F -

8. I C O B I T SACROTF-

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 Pre-Test 2

Directions: Read the statements below. Decide if the following

activities or practices help protect the estuaries and intertidal zone.
Place a check mark (✓) it helps and an x mark (x) if it does not.

___________ 1. Dumping of garbage on the water ways

___________ 2. Disposing of garbage on the beach
___________ 3. Placing Do not disturb or Animals keep off along the
shoreline
___________ 4. Avoid using synthetic fertilizers
___________ 5. Grow plants in your garden to avoid soil erosion
___________ 6. Always clean up after your pet’s waste.
___________ 7. Avoid using motorized boats in sensitive habitats
___________ 8. Use non-toxic pesticides.

II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Why are intertidal zones and estuaries important?

What can you do to protect these ecosystems?

ESTUARIES
An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the
ocean. In estuaries, the salty ocean mixes with a freshwater river,
resulting in brackish water. Brackish water is somewhat salty, but not as
salty as the ocean. It may also be called a bay, lagoon. It is composed
of the non-living or abiotic factors such as water in waves, salinity,
temperature, amount of sunlight, and type of soil; the living or biotic

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factors may consist of all the plants, animals, and microorganisms that
are found in it.

Estuaries are usually filled with shallow waters, and sunlight reaches
all levels of the water. Marsh grasses, algae, and other kinds of plants live
in estuaries and provide food for a variety of fish, crabs, oysters,
and shrimp. Estuaries are especially important since they act as nurseries
for many different types of young fish and other animals before they
head out toward the open ocean. Many sea birds also nest in estuaries.
Thus, estuaries are often called “nurseries of the sea” and home of
different kinds of living things. Some of these are freshwater and salt
marshes, shallow open waters, swamps, mangrove forests, mud and
sand flats, sandy beaches, rocky shores, oyster reefs, river deltas, tidal
pools, sea grasses and coral reefs.

Living organisms in these ecosystems also have producers,

consumers, and decomposers. The main producer or autotrophs in these
ecosystems are the green plants, algae, or microorganisms that undergo
photosynthesis and can make their own food. The decomposers on the
other hand get their energy by breaking down dead organisms and their
wastes. In other words, these organisms have established their daily life
on their ecosystems giving us more reason to have it protected and
conserved.

Estuaries are some of the most productive areas on Earth. Many

species rely on estuaries for their survival. They provide feeding grounds,
nursery habitats, and breeding grounds. Humans also depend on
estuaries for recreational use, food, and job opportunities. As of today,
most of these places are already destroyed and the major threat to
estuaries are due to pollutants and land development or land
reclamation resulting to the death of fishes and other living organisms

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that lives there. These are only some of human activities that badly affect
the balance of nature.

Estuaries also served as filter of dirt before freshwater enters the

seas or oceans. It also filters the salt from the seas and oceans before it
enters the mouth of the river.

Can you imagine life without estuaries?

Intertidal zone is known as the area where land meets the sea,
between high and low tide zones. This area is covered with water during
high tide and exposed to air at low tide.

Wide variety of organisms live in an intertidal zone that was able

adapt to its harsh environment due daily change of temperature,
moisture and the like. This tough species of animals and plants that stay
in an intertidal zone are mostly invertebrates such as crabs, urchins, sea
stars, sea anemones, barnacles, snails, mussels, and limpets; and home
of marine vertebrates that preys on intertidal animals such as fish, gulls
and seals.

Importance of Estuaries and Intertidal Zones is indeed

unquestionable, so before it’s too late, it is high time for us to act on
protecting and conserving these ecosystems.

Here are some ways of conserving and protecting estuaries and

intertidal zones.

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At Your Home:
• When using lawn fertilizer, do not forget to follow product directions
carefully. Make sure you will keep it from washing into stream and
waterways.
• Remember to cut the grass properly. This will make the plant
healthy. Plants prevent erosion.
• Gardening and landscaping with native plants in your yard will
reduce the need for watering and fertilizing your garden.
• Dispose toxic products properly. Improper disposal may pollute
coastal rivers and estuaries.
• If possible, create non – toxic pesticides. You may use a bit of soap
and water added to strained chili pepper powder.
• Use safe alternative to harsh household products. Baking soda or
table salt, for instance, are safe substitutes for abrasive cleaners.
• Wash or clean your pets and dispose of their wastes properly.
Animal waste adds to runoffs, making water unhealthy.
• Use your car less by combining errands or opt to walk, bike,
carpool, or use public transportation.
• If you use less electricity, you are conserving water and lessening
fossil fuel consumption.

At the beach:
• Leave the beaches clean. Always pick up your trash and dispose
it properly.
• Do not disturb or keep animals that you found along the shoreline.
• Avoid using motorized boats in sensitive habitats. Use a canoe or
kayak if you want to snorkel near the coastal reefs.
• When on a boat, avoid throwing your trash out of the sea.

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At your community:
• Share your knowledge about the importance of estuaries and
intertidal zones. Share what you know about protecting them with
your families, friends, community leaders and others.
• You may organize a stream or beach clean-up or ask an expert to
speak to your community organization or local school.

These are some of the things we can do to protect and save our
estuaries and intertidal zones. You can also add more and share this to
your friends.

III. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Donna’s group of friends made the beach they visited this

beautiful again. Isn’t it amazing? What a commendable deed! Hope all
people does the same so that their God given gifts can be used to
protect the wonderful organisms living there won’t get extinct.

Boracay Beach 2020

PHOTO/S: DR. VICTOR BARON

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Always put in mind that in an ecosystem everything is connected. What
we do to an abiotic or biotic species could greatly affect other
organisms.

Alright, I guess you are very much ready to do some mind teasing
exercises to test on how much you learn today.

EVALUATION/POST-TEST:

Post-Test 1

Directions: On a short bond paper, make a poster promotes

conservation and protection of the estuaries and intertidal zones.

Post-Test 2

Multiple Choice:
Directions: Write the letter of the best answer in your notebook
1. _________ are bodies of water that are formed when freshwater
from rivers flows and mixes with saltwater from sea or ocean.
a. ecosystem c. estuaries
b. b. intertidal zone d. habitat
2. The following are ways of protecting estuaries and intertidal zones
except one.
a. Using organic fertilizer on plants.
b. Planting mangroves on estuaries and intertidal zones.
c. Picking up star fish or corals for decoration
d. Disposing garbage properly
3. The following are the main contributors in destroying estuaries and
intertidal zones, except one.
a. land development c. pollutants
b. land reclamation d. gardening

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4. __________ refers to areas of the shore that are above the water at
low tide and below at high tide.
a. Ecosystem c. estuaries
b. intertidal zone d. habitat
5. Most animals that live in an intertidal zone are invertebrates such
as crabs, urchins and barnacles. What does invertebrate mean?
a. Animals with backbone
b. Animals with no backbone
c. Animals that lay eggs
d. Animals that have mammary glands
6. In an ecosystem there are interactions among organisms. The most
essential role that all living organisms depended on the producers.
What are these?
a. Plants and algae
b. Plants, shells and crabs
c. Plants, fish and barnacles
d. Plants, birds and fishes
7. The interaction or relationship on plants acting as producers,
animals as consumer and microbes as decomposers is called
_______________.
a. Food chain c. Ecosystem
b. Food web d. Estuarine

8. Why are intertidal zones like salt marches so important?

a. They are home to many under water plants and animals.
b. Migratory birds use them as feeding grounds.
c. A only
d. Both B and B
9. The area between the highest and lowest points that the tide
reaches is the ____________.

a. Intertidal zone c. aquatic

b. Thermal d. sunlight
10. ____________ serves as important nurseries of many species of
ocean fish.
a. Estuaries c. Intertidal Zones
b. Seashores d. Coral Reefs

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REFERENCE:
Sarte, Evelyn T. et.al (2016). Science Beyond Borders
Texbook.Philippines: Vibal Group Incorporated.

Sarte, Evelyn T. et.al (2016). Science Beyond Borders Teacher’s

Manual.Philippines: Vibal Group Incorporated

Boracay Beach image 2012

IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES
https://mashable.com/2018/04/05/boracay-philippines-garbage-closure/

Boracay Beach 2020

PHOTO/S: DR. VICTOR BARON
https://www.reportr.world/news/boracay-reopens-sunrise-photo-a4373-20201001

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 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF NEGROS ORIENTAL

SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V

Schools Division Superintendent

FAY C. LUAREZ, TM, Ed.D., Ph.D.

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Acting CID Chief

NILITA L. RAGAY, Ed.D.

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMS)

ARNOLD R. JUNGCO
Education Program Supervisor – (SCIENCE)

MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)

ELMAR L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)

BENELMA G. CALIJAN
Writer/Illustrator/Lay-out Artist

MELCHER JOY P. CALUNSAG

Lay-out Artist
_________________________________

BETA QA TEAM
Judith S. Amigo
Dorin Faye D. Cadayday
Mercy G. Dagoy
Maria Elvie E. Sienes
Jimuel Sun
Cristita R. Tinguban

ALPHA QA TEAM
Generose V. Acuzar
Alice A. Alatan
Gelisa F. Langan
Mona Lisa A. Ongco

DISCLAIMER

The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide
accessible learning modality to the teachers and learners of the Division of Negros Oriental. The
contents of this module are carefully researched, chosen, and evaluated to comply with the set
learning competencies. The writers and evaluator were clearly instructed to give credits to
information and illustrations used to substantiate this material. All content is subject to copyright and
may not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent from the division.

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 SYNOPSIS KEY ANSWERS

Young Grade V Scientist, you

8. ABIOTIC FACTORS 8.
should always remember that we are
7. BIOTIC FACTORS 7.
considered as caretakers of God’s
6. FOOD CHAIN 6.
masterpiece. Therefore, it is our
5. POLLUTION 5.
responsibility to take good care of
4. INTERTIDAL ZONE 4.
everything around us, may it be
3. DEFORESTATION 3.
abiotic or biotic.
2. DUMPING GARBAGE 2. X
1. ESTUARIES 1. X
Estuaries and intertidal zones Pre-Test 1 Pre-test 2
are God’s gift that help us sustain our
life here on Earth as it provides us our
essential need such as fishes, crabs may vary
6. A
and other animals that we human Outputs
5. B
beings depend on for food. These Post-Test 1
10. A 4. B
are their habitat, so we need to 9. A 3. D
protect and conserve them to let 8. D 2. C
them breed more. 7. A 1. C
Post-Test 2

WRITER, ILLUSTRATOR, LAY-OUT ARTIST

Benelma Taub Geronilla-Calijan, 32 years old and a

public-school teacher for almost 10 years in the
Department of Education. She is a Grade 5 adviser and
Science teacher of Grade 4, 5 and 6 at Tayasan Central
School, Tayasan District 2, Poblacion, Tayasan, Negros
Oriental. She finished Bachelor in Elementary Education
at Negros Oriental State University – Guihulngan
Campus, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. She studied
Master of Arts Major in Supervision and Administration at
Cebu Technological University, Moalboal Campus,
Moalboal, Cebu.

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