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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Census of Marine Life

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain diversity and abundance in marine life. In this oceanic biology lesson, students collect information for various geographical areas to collect a census of marine life.
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Continental Climate and Oceanic Climate

For Students 1st - 5th
There's nothing better than a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean. Scholars explore how water affects change in temperature using a hands-on experiment on climate. They use measurement tools to compare the continental and oceanic...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Animals

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Very young learners identify ocean animal pictures by their correct name and create a book of ocean animals. They read books and lean ocean animal vocabulary using the SMART Board. A well-designed lesson plan!
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Ocean

For Teachers 3rd
Plant and animal life of the ocean is the focus of this science lesson plan. Young scientists sort a variety of seashells and explore why many sea animals have shells. They examine the shells, write journal entries highlighting the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Life Poetry: Limericks & Cinquain Poems

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young oceanographers conduct independent online research to learn about ocean life, explore limerick and cinquain poem structure and syllabication, and produce poetry that conveys the information they found. Links don't work, but it's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Week 8 - Sea Life

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
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 sea...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mixed Media Ocean Art

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students design pictures of ocean environments. In this art lesson, students use mixed media art materials to develop a picture that depicts the ocean environment. They use paint, sand paper and various basic art materials.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine Ecosystems

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Learners identify producers and consumers and construct a food chain from four marine ecosystems. They describe the delicate balance among organisms in each environment. In groups, students discuss the human activities that upset the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Animals - A Kindergarten Research Project

For Teachers K - 1st
Something’s fishy! Assign each of your pupils an individual sea creature and investigate the oceans. Young oceanographers utilize Kidspiration software to research a creature, illustrate an image, and create fact cards about their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine Debris

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students perform experiments to examine if debris float, or blow in the wind. The effects of these characteristics on the marine debris are then discussed. They determine how a material can influence what becomes marine debris.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Boat Safety and Water Sports - Lesson 4 - Dangerous Sea Creatures

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Lesson 4 is part of a 22 lesson plan unit on boat safety and water sports. This lesson plan is about dangerous sea creatures, mainly in the ocean. There is a link to find pictures of the creatures discussed. It is suggested to click on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Lesson in Biodiversity: Making Comparisons Between Defensive Mechanisms Utilized by Marine Organisms

For Teachers 5th - 8th
If your upper elementary or middle school marine biology learners are going to visit an aquarium, then here is a field trip activity guide for you. It is written specifically for The Maritime Aquarium, but the idea can be adapted to any...
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Lesson Plan
NOAA

Stressed Out!

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Are our oceans really suffering due to the choices humans make? The sixth and final installment in the volume of activities challenges research groups to tackle one of six major topics that impact ocean health. After getting to the...
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Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Dive Into Worlds Within the Sea

For Students 6th - 12th
Make connections between ocean organisms. Individuals explore three different ecosystems in the ocean. With an online interactive, they learn how different organisms depend upon each other. Learners first answer questions to connect...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Planet: Ocean Acidification - the Chemistry is Less than Basic!

For Teachers 7th - 10th
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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Unit Plan
University of Southern California

Human Impact on the Sea

For Students 4th - 8th
How far does the human hand reach?  Five interactive lessons lead classes through a unit exploring the human impact on ocean resources, pollution, and even extinction. Learners discover how their decisions affect the ocean environment...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sponge-Painted Ocean Mural

For Teachers K - 2nd
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating the Effect of Salinity on the Density and Stability of Water

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bioluminescence 2009: Living Light on the Deep Sea Floor Expedition - Now You See Me, Now You Don't

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine bioluminescence and camouflage of deep sea creatures. For this deep sea creatures lesson, students investigate the visible and near-visible light spectrum. They work in small groups to complete a light, color, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Endangered Marine Turtles

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students work in groups and experience what it is like to be a hatchling marine turtle by playing a board game.  In this endangered marine turtles lesson, students research the threats to marine turtle hatchlings. Students then create a...
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Activity
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Teach Engineering

Are We Alone?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Find an answer to the age-old debate of whether life exists on Mars. Groups determine criteria to help look for signs of life on Mars. The activity has the class simulate testing Martian soil samples for signs of life before drawing...
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PPT
Curated OER

Coasts and Reefs: Shallow Marine Processes

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
A more thorough presentation on coastal systems would be difficult to find! Detailed diagrams illuminate the offshore, shoreface, foreshore, and backshore zones of  beach. The sources and movement of sediments along the coastline are...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Monitoring Life In The Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate marine life by researching aquatic organisms on the Internet. In this oceanography lesson, students monitor algae and animals of the ocean by identifying their population and habitat on data sheet ID cards....
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Lesson Plan
NOAA

A Laboratory Simulation of Ocean Surface Currents

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Stimulate interest in ocean currents with a simulation. The first installment of a five-part middle school series teaches future oceanographers about the forces that interact to cause ocean currents. A simulation shows how wind and the...