Space Awareness
Water is a Heat Sink
One of the key objectives of Europe's Copernicus Earth program is to monitor the temperatures of the oceans and seas on Earth. Young scholars learn the effects of different heat capacities through two experiments. These experiments...
Curated OER
Ocean Pollution & its Effect on Aquatic Animals
Students consider the concept of ocean pollution. In this ocean lesson plan, students participate in a hands-on demonstration in order to replicate an oil spill and its effects on marine life.
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
A Rainbow Under the Sea: How do Animals Survive in the Ocean?
Second graders read books, watch videos, complete worksheets and participate in class discussions about ocean animals. They, in groups, design PowerPoint presentations on selected marine animals.
Curated OER
Investigating Ocean Life
Sixth graders explore the various forms of ocean life. They research a creature that lives in the ocean. Students use their research information to create a series of HyperStudio stacks about their sea creature.
Curated OER
Who Eats Whom in the Open Ocean?
Students examine how organisms interact with one another in the ocean. In this science lesson, students discuss predators and prey in the ocean. Students discuss food webs and how organisms interact with each other.
Curated OER
Field Trip - Marine Science Institute
Students discover the ocean life of the San Francisco Bay. In this ocean lesson, students take a Discovery Voyage of the Bay ecosystem through the Marine Science Institute. Also available are inland voyages, ocean labs, and tidepool...
Curated OER
Life on the Edge: Exploring Deep Ocean Habitats Cool Corals
Students research the basic morphology of Lophelia corals and polyps to determine the significance of these organisms. They detail the reasons that biological communities are focusing on the Lophelia corals as major conservation efforts.
Curated OER
Ocean Life Mural
Students conduct Internet research on ocean life, view pictures of sea life, and create a class ocean life mural.
Curated OER
Ocean Life
Young scholars examine the fossil remains of ancient sea creatures. They create casts of fossils and identify how sea fossils are formed and consider what type of information fossils can give to scientists.
Curated OER
Top to Bottom
Marine science classes read about the 2005 North Atlantic Stepping Stones Expedition and review climate change. They use maps to locate the seamount chains. In collaborative groups, they research how climate change may be altering the...
Curated OER
Empty Oceans
In groups of four, pupils brainstorm about seafood. They view the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website to examine the problems caused by the seafood industry. Learners are then brought back together to discuss what they...
Curated OER
Oceans in Motion
This simple lesson introduces children to basic marine life as well as to show them the necessity of protecting aquatic environments. Some famous marine life animals are introduced via vocabulary words, then children cut out pictures of...
Curated OER
Wreck Detectives
Junior archaeologists examine types of artifacts from the Bronze Age on the internet. In collaborative groups, they create a story about a ship from this period and then construct a model of the ocean floor after their ship has sunk....
Curated OER
Specialized for the Sea
Students use pictures and make a mural to investigate how ocean animals are adapted to certain parts of their environment.
NOAA
Sediments
Calcareous ooze ... what an interesting name! The 15th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on sediments found on the ocean floor. After viewing the slideshow lecture,...
Dawn N . Ericson
California Kelp Forest Restoration
This unit is so cool, you won't be able to "kelp" yourself! Intended for all grades, this science and activity guide for teachers offers a unique opportunity to understand kelp's role as a valuable ecological resource. Teachers and...
Curated OER
Coral Bleaching in the Caribbean
Young scholars practice analyzing images, maps and graphs from Internet-based educational resources. They explore the correlation between sea surface temperature and coral bleaching. Students comprehend that coral reefs are collections...
NOAA
Climate, Corals and Change
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Kelp Forest Conservation
There otter be a better way. As a class, groups work together to create a food web based on the organisms in the kelp forest. Budding scientists watch a video on the kelp forest to see how the organisms create a food web and hear about...
Curated OER
Oil on the Beach
Students explore how oil pollutes the oceans. In this science lesson plan, students investigate various materials that could be used to clean up an oil spill. Students discuss which materials worked best and how humans can reduce oil...
Curated OER
Life on the Hardbottom
Students find similarities and differences between a biotrope habitat and an ecosystem. In this hardbottom biotrope lesson, students research and respond to inquiry questions about a biotrope. Students identify three...
Curated OER
Predator/Prey Activity: Fish Feeding, Environments, and General Behavior
Students explore concepts of environment and survival among different marine life, focusing on the ocean environment.
Curated OER
From the Gulf of Mexico to the Moons of Jupiter
Students compare deep ocean conditions to those found on the moons of Jupiter. In this Earth science lesson, students consider the possibilities and conditions needed to support simple life. Students examine the habitats and life found...