Curated OER
The Environments of Big Sur:Which Do We Protect?
High schoolers examine the California environments. In this environmental lesson, students examine the various ecosystems of California, creating a presentation on how these environments impact Big Sur. They write a paper defending their...
Curated OER
Sea Turtle Rescue
Students create a three column chart about working with wildlife and how different organizations help sea turtles. In this sea turtles lesson plan, students compare the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the Coast Guard, and Sea World and what they...
Curated OER
Iron Fertilization - Pumping Iron
The theory that adding iron to ocean water may increase phytoplankton ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is examined. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is monitoring conditions off the California coast to...
Curated OER
Raising Trout
Students investigate the life cycles of fish as they observe a trout's life in class. In this fish life instructional activity, students create a proper habitat in a fish tank for the trout eggs to spawn and thrive for several weeks....
Curated OER
Coral Reefs
Young scholars research coral reefs and identify their benefits to humans, threats to the reef, how to reduce and eliminate threats, and more. In this coral reef lesson plan, students research the reefs, and take a field trip to an...
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...
Monterey Bay Aquarium
What's in a Name?
Combine art and word analysis in a activity about genus and species. Elementary children sleuth out the meaning of scientific names for a number of shark species using a prefix and suffix definition chart. They then draw an image of the...
Sea World
Ocean Discovery
Immerse your young marine biologists in the world of marine animals. The lesson includes several activities that are age-appropriate for preschoolers and kindergartners, including coloring pages, gluing feathers and sand onto paper...
LABScI
Circulation and Respiration: Vital Signs
What do your vital signs tell your doctor? An engaging hands-on lesson has your learners monitor their own lung capacity, blood pressure, and heart rate. They then connect the vital measures to the workings of the circulatory and...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Making a Liquid Crystal Thermometer
Introduce your classes to a fourth state of matter! Liquid crystals have a colorful sheen that changes based on different physical factors. Learners use this information to create a liquid crystal thermometer where the color of the...
Curated OER
Myth-try Cards Activity
Students read creation myths to learn various cultural explanations for natural phenomena. They select sharks and write myths to explain physical structures, behaviors or roles in ecosystems. They research the animals to provide...
Curated OER
Observing Brine Shrimp
Students observe brine shrimp eggs, create an appropriate environment for their survival, and observe their growth.
Curated OER
Designing for Salmon and Steelhead
Sixth graders create designs for salmon habitats. They work in groups to design a tank habitat that mimics the requirements for salmon in various phases of its life cycle. Students may also raise salmon eggs as part of this unit.
Curated OER
Pond Life Identification Kit
Learners explore ecology and biodiversty. They use the wet-mount procedure to make several slides to view using the microscope and draw what they see.
Curated OER
Environmental Differences
Young scholars observe and conduct an experiment to see whether differences in salinity (the environment) have an affect on the hatching rate and survival of brine shrimp.
Curated OER
Snail Observation Exercise
Young scholars are given a pond snail in a clear glass and asked to make observations on the snail's form and behavior. One of the key ideas is that seemly common subjects (like snails) often have surprising or interesting properties.