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  • In this activity, students fill a matchbox (or other small container) with tiny items to gain a greater appreciation of the tiny size of crab larvae and the relatively huge distances they swim to navigate their way back to their reef.

    Raisin boxes are another great option instead of matchboxes. Any set of small containers will do well.

    By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

    • appreciate the tiny size of crab larvae
    • appreciate the relatively huge distances they swim to navigate their way back to the reef from the open sea
    • calculate the proportional distance we, as humans, would need to swim to accomplish a comparable feat.

    Download the Word file (see link below) for:

    • introduction/background notes
    • instructions on what you need and what to do
    • discussion questions
    • student worksheet.

    Related content

    Find out more about how larval crabs are attracted to the sound of a healthy reef and will use this to find their way home.

    Useful links

    Watch and discuss movie trailers on YouTube to get students thinking about ‘small’.

      Published 10 May 2011 Referencing Hub articles
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