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What Causes Big Waves?
Students use the internet to research how waves are formed. Using construction paper, they create a diorama in which they can see how waves are formed and end. To end the lesson, they also discuss the causes and effects of earthquakes...
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Underwater Mountains & Trenches
Students determine Earth's deepest trench, outline continents, major ocean mountains, and trenches on color-key map using Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils, identify oceans' geographic features, locate significant oceanic features around...
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Undersea Plant and Animal Life
Students study the various species found in and around oceans. They examine the variations in underwater life, determined by ocean depth. Afterward, they create dimensional relief boards of seascapes. In addition, they write a play about...
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Effects of Oil Spills on Environment and Marine Life
Students explore oceanography by conducting an environmental experiment in class. In this oil spill lesson, students discuss the human need for oil and what is at stake when we drill for oil in our oceans. Students read a book in class...
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Diving the Deep
Children research plant and animal components of marine ecosystem, visualize undersea life, and picture themselves wearing scuba-diving equipment needed to explore underwater. Students then create underwater scene in which they explore...
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Regents High School Examination: Physical Setting Earth Science 2007
This comprehensive earth science practice test is composed of 50 multiple choice questions and 32 short answer questions. The questions cover weather, the water cycle, geology, the solar system, and more. Many of the short answer...
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Regents High School Examination: Physical Setting Earth Science 2009
This extensive earth science practice test is composed of 50 multiple choice questions and 31 short answer questions. The questions cover weather, the water cycle, geology, the solar system, and more. Many of the short answer questions...
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Regents High School Examination: Physical Setting Earth Science 2006
Test your class on earth science with this extensive resource. This test, created by The University of the State of New York Regents, is made up of 50 multiple choice questions and 32 short answer questions that cover the branches of...
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Creating Climographs
Students use satellite data to compare precipitation and surface temperatures on different islands. In this satellite lesson students create graphs and explain the differences between weather and climate.
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Changing Planet: The Case of the Leaky Gyre
The fascinating video "Changing Planet: Fresh Water in the Arctic," introduces your oceanographers to the world's gyres. They learn that melting sea ice is making the gyres larger, and that the changes could, in turn, contribute even...
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Changing Planet: Ocean Acidification - the Chemistry is Less than Basic!
A video and laboratory investigation are highlights to this lesson on acidification of ocean water due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. Using bromothymol blue (BTB) as an indicator, pupils analyze the amount of carbon dioxide...
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Water Cycle Worksheets
A website links you to several water cycle worksheets geared toward an upper elementary or middle school level. Diagrams, word search, crossword, and fill-in-the-blank worksheets are available. As an added bonus, there are links to...
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Oceanography Worksheet #1
If you are teaching physical oceanography to middle school earth scientists, here is a terrific multiple choice worksheet. Learners look at a diagram of a landscape created by glacial sediment deposition and the resulting ocean floor....
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Waters of the Earth
Students make a striking visual display showing the distribution of water on earth.
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Oceanography: Merit Badge
In this oceanography worksheet, students fill out short answer questions about oceanography in order to get a merit badge. Students complete 9 questions total.
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I, Robot, Can Do That!
Assign groups of middle school oceanographers to research one of the following underwater robots; ABE, Herculues, ROPOS, RCV-150, Tiburon, or general purpose ROVs. An included handout guides them through information to be gathered. Each...
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Message in a Bottle - A Satellite Journey through the Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream has historically provided humans with a faster trade route because of its swift-moving waters. It continues to be a source of information and fascination for oceanographers today. As your class views this collection of...
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Sponge-Painted Ocean Mural
I love big mural projects. They bring a sense of ownership to the classroom, look great for parents, and can be a great way to complete a unit. Here are the steps and suggestions needed to create an ocean mural for your class. Learners...
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Upwelling in the World Ocean
Here is a fascinating topic: the upwelling of ocean waters. Oceanography pupils learn what mechanisms cause upwelling, types of upwelling, and the effects on marine life. Colorful satellite imagery and informative diagrams bring this...
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Come On Down!
Begin with an introduction to famous deep-sea submersibles. Learners work in groups to gather information on different vessels and then share with the class. Each group then uses water displacement to help calculate the density of...
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Ocean Circulation
In this physical oceanography PowerPoint, viewers learn about ocean circulation, sea surface temperatures, and salinity. Relationships among these aspects are explained, as well as their impact on the atmosphere and climate. Each slide...
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Investigating the Effect of Salinity on the Density and Stability of Water
Water with varying amounts of dissolved salt are dyed and then used to compare densities. The objective is to discover the effect of salinity, and therefore density, on ocean water on the stability of the ocean. Many branches of science...
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Sea-ing More Clearly
Explore works of art with your class by engaging them in a variety of artistic activities including papier-mache sculpture, poetry, performance, and more. After viewing and discussing four paintings of the sea by Robert Harris, learners...
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Salt Water Revival
Students produce a high tide. In this Marine Biology lesson plan, students visit a tide pool to investigate the creatures response to changes in the tide. Students discuss the results of their experimentation.