NOAA
Exploring Potential Human Impacts
Arctic sea ice reflects 80 percent of sunlight, striking it back into space; with sea ice melting, the world's oceans become warmer, which furthers global warming. These activities explore how humans are impacting ecosystems around the...
Curated OER
Sea Turtle Savvy
Students explore sea turtles. They create paper plate sea turtles and brainstorm other organisms that live in the sea turtle's habitat. They role-play scenes from a nonfiction book, A Baby Sea Turtle's Journey. They play a game...
Curated OER
Monsters of the Deep
Pupils describe major features of cold seep communities, and list at least five organisms typical of these communities. They infer probable trophic relationships among organisms typical of cold-seep communities.
NOAA
Animals of the Fire Ice
When the sun's rays can't reach the producers in a food web, where does all the energy come from? Extreme environments call for extreme food sources. Young scientists investigate creatures that appear to get their energy from methane...
Curated OER
Week 8 - Sea Life
Using a magnifier, mini marine biologists examine the barbules of a bird feather. They swirl the it into a mixture of oil and water and then re-examine the feather. After the activity, discuss how the oily feathers pose a problem to...
Curated OER
Under the Sea
Students imagine and describe fictitious sea animals that might live in the ocean. After reading an article, they reflect on new discoveries found in the ocean recently. Using the internet, they research the interdependence of animals...
Curated OER
Light Up the Deep Sea
Students simulate bioluminescence in the marine environment. In this marine science lesson, students investigate how animals in the deep ocean communicate with each other. They explain the function of bioluminescence among marine organisms.
Curated OER
The Eyes Have It!
Reading essays about deep-sea expeditions open this lesson plan on crustacean vision. Marine biology explorers study the compound eye and then complete a worksheet in response to all they have discovered. Although the lesson plan doesn't...
Curated OER
Way Down in the Deep Blue Sea
Uncover the mysterious wonders of the ocean with activities that span the subjects!
Curated OER
Ocean Zones
Learners create a mural showing ocean zones and the diversity of ocean life. They use reference books to create a list of plants and animals that would live in each zone.
Curated OER
Coral Mania
Students examine deep-sea coral. In this coral lesson, students identify the structure and function of a coral polyp. Students then create a model of a coral polyp.
Rainforest Alliance
Protecting the Critical Habitat of the Manatee and Loggerhead Turtle
Explore ocean habitats with a lesson that showcases the home of manatees and loggerhead turtles in Belize. Here, pupils compare and contrast the homes of ocean animals to those of humans, listen to an original short story about...
Curated OER
Chemosynthesis for the Classroom
Explorers set up Windogradsky columns with local mud so that they can culture microorganisms. After three and six weeks they make observations of the mud and the organisms growing in it. In this way they observe succession and relate...
Curated OER
ROV Grid Search
Students perform activities to recreate the exploration of the sea bottom. They attach magnets to the bottom of the remote controlled car to see how many camouflaged objects it can pick up. As a class, students examine the results of...
Curated OER
A Bioluminescent Gallery
Students examine the different types of luminescence in deep sea organisms. In this bioluminescence lesson, students investigate how color and light aide deep ocean organisms by describing the characteristics of the habitat and...
Curated OER
Cool Lights
Students investigate how and why deep-sea organisms produce light. They examine how these processes can be used to study deep ocean environments.
Sea World
Whales
A whale of a lesson is sure to intrigue your elementary oceanographers! Learn about the mammals of the sea with a series of activities about whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Kids complete worksheets about the anatomy of a whale, create a...
Curated OER
Life is Weird!
Students describe major features of cold seep communities, and list at least five organisms typical of these communities. They infer probable trophic relationships among organisms typical of cold-seep communities and the surrounding...
Curated OER
Living Light
Students explain bioluminescence. In this life science lesson, students discuss bioluminescence and conjure examples of organisms that carry this trait and how it is useful in their environment.
Curated OER
Journey To the Unkown
Students explore the ocean rift habitat off the Galapagos through an audio expedition, Internet research on deep sea animals, an explorer game and simulation of the exploration of the deep sea bottom. They focus on the actual NOAA...
Curated OER
Living in Extreme Environments
High schoolers examine the characteristics of the ocean floor and the importance of of extreme environments. In this investigative lesson plan students use four methods to sample populations, gather, record and analyze data from a...
Curated OER
Oceans Socratic Questioning
Students participate in a whole class discussion of ocean-floor structures and plate tectonics. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence that lead them to conclusions about the role of plate tectonics in the creation of sea-floor...
Carnegie Mellon University
Ocean Acidification
After brainstorming what they know about ocean acidification, youngsters place eggs in acid to determine the effects on calcium-containing organisms, and add carbon dioxide to solutions with sea shell material to discover the impact on...
Curated OER
Extreme Environments
Students examine extreme environments and the characteristics that make them. In this adaptation lesson plan students see how animals have adapted to these environments.