Curated OER
Impacts to the Open Ocean
Students investigate how human beings impact ocean ecosystems. In this ocean ecosystem lesson plan, students explore how marine debris affects marine life. Internet resources are provided.
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
Exploring National Marine Sanctuaries
Students conduct Internet research of the living organisms in national marine sanctuaries, and the resources protected in the sanctuaries. Students gather information about each of the sanctuaries and make an oral presentation and poster...
Curated OER
Marine Poetry
Students identify characteristics of good poetry and compose their own. In this marine poetry lesson, students are introduced to several different types of poetry with a marine theme. After discussing the elements that make up a good...
Curated OER
The Great MPA Debate
Students study the 'Marine Protected Areas' process. In this ocean lesson students work in groups, conduct research and present it to the class.
Michigan Sea Grant
Great Lakes, Great Careers
Pupils play a question-asking game to investigate careers relating to marine and aquatic science, then conduct research to further investigate the career of their choice—examples range from marine veterinarian to underwater...
Curated OER
Nature Superfish
Students study the behavior or ocean animals called billfish. In this life science lesson, students create their own documentary about a local animal. They share their videos with the entire school.
Curated OER
Getting Food
Learners complete activities to learn about the ocean food web. In this ocean life lesson, students discuss how the tides affect feeding, learn about filter feeders, grazers, predators, and scavengers. Learners then group the animals...
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 pH.
Curated OER
Sand Explorations
Students experiment with different samples of sand from Maui leeward and windward beaches. They create a sand map to suggest at least one contributing factor for the formation of each beach sample. They test the samples to determine...
Curated OER
Trash Traits: Marine Debris, Litter, Ecology, Oceans
Learners perform experiments to examine whether trash can float, blow around, or wash away. The effects of these characteristics on the presence of marine debris in the environment are then discussed.
Curated OER
Dolphins
Students explore sea life. In this cross curriculum fine arts, science, and P.E. "dolphins" lesson, students sing songs and play games about dolphins, perform water experiments, create mosaics, and use their five senses to explore sand...
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Goes to Mussel Beach
Students investigate tides and create a model of an intertidal zone. In this hands-on marine science lesson plan based on a Magic School Bus book, the teacher leads students in a discussion about tides, then helps students model a tide...
Curated OER
The Nutrient Cycles
Students investigate the circle of sea life by creating nitrogen compound models. In this oceanography lesson, students discuss sea creatures and where their waste goes. Students identify nitrogen cycles in the ocean by viewing...
Curated OER
Little Oyster: Ceramic Lesson
Children will love researching and then creating a bottom dwelling mollusk of their own. They watch clips describing the ocean ecosystem and how oysters fit into their environment. Next, they research what oysters eat and how they look....
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....
NOAA
Vertebrates II
Mammals of the ocean unite! Or not. The 20th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program investigates how warm-blooded marine mammals survive in water. In the class activity, learners use...
Curated OER
Whale Song Acrostic
What do whales sing about? Invite your class to imagine the thoughts of whales before writing acrostic poems on the topic. The plan blends together a bit of life science with plenty of opportunities for creativity and writing.
Curated OER
Exploring Marine Objects
Learners identify the sources of water on Earth. In this life science lesson, students list the different plants and animals that live in the ocean. They explore marine objects in the lab and draw them.
Curated OER
Mixed Media Ocean Art
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.
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.
Curated OER
Designing Tools for Ocean Exploration
High schoolers explore the complexity of ocean exploration and the technological applications and capabilities required for ocean exploration. They consider the importance of teamwork in scientific research projects.
NOAA
Currents
Learn how ocean currents are vital to humans and marine life. The eighth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program, focuses on ocean currents and how they affect global climate. The...
NOAA
What Killed the Seeds?
Can a coral cure cancer? Take seventh and eighth grade science sleuths to the underwater drugstore for an investigation into emerging pharmaceutical research. The fifth installment in a series of six has classmates research the wealth of...