—
a strong, waterproof material used to make wet suits
nitrogen
(NYE-truh-juhn)
—
a colorless, odorless gas
opportunity
(op-er-TOO-ni-tee)
—
a chance for greater success
polyp
(POL-ip)
—
a small sea animal with a tubular body and a round mouth surrounded by tentacles
pressure
(PRESH-ur)
—
the force produced by pressing on something
reef
(REEF)
—
a strip of rock, coral, or sand near the surface of the ocean
regulator
(REG-yoo-lay-tuhr)
—
a piece of equipment that allows divers to breathe air from an air tank
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Based on this story and any other experiences you’ve had, do you think scuba diving is exciting or scary? Explain your reasoning, and talk about if it’s an activity you’d like to try.
Do you think Jasmine made the right choice by not talking to her parents about Arjun’s pranks and misbehavior? Why or why not? Why do you think she was so determined to protect her little brother?
Jasmine and Arjun are both scared when they run into a shark in the water. How would you have reacted if you’d been there? Talk about some other ways they could have dealt with their shark encounter.
WRITING PROMPTS
Imagine you are exploring the coral reefs of Fiji with Jasmine and her family. Write a few paragraphs about your experience. What do you see? What do you hear? How do you feel?
When they are diving with their parents, Jasmine and Arjun help the oceans by clearing litter from the reefs. What are some other ways we can help coral reefs stay healthy and thrive? Write a list of some of those actions. (Your library will have nonfiction books to help you.)
Jasmine and Arjun both dream of being marine biologists when they grow up. Write a paragraph about what you want to be when you grow up, whether that’s a marine biologist or something else.
MORE ABOUT SCUBA DIVING
Humans have long been curious about life below the surface of the ocean. But explorations were limited due to a lack of equipment allowing humans to breathe underwater. That changed in the 1940s thanks to two people: explorer Jacques Cousteau and engineer Émile Gagnan.
Cousteau and Gagnan created a device called the Aqua-Lung. The Aqua-Lung let people dive for longer periods of time and go deeper than ever before. This device allowed scuba diving to become a popular activity. These days, humans can explore underwater caves, meet creatures that live deep in the ocean, and investigate coral reefs.
If you ever go diving, you’ll need the right gear. Below is a list of equipment you might use when exploring these underwater marvels:
air tank—something that is strapped to a diver’s vest, then to his or her back, and carries filtered air (not pure oxygen) through the regulator to the diver
buoyancy-control device—usually in a jacket style, this contains an inflatable bladder to help divers float while on the surface or to help them stay weightless under the water
