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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How would an oil spill affect a Marine Sanctuary?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science lesson, students discover how scientists assess damages to the environment following oil spills. Students conduct a simulation of a public meeting in order to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceans in Motion

For Teachers K - 3rd
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...
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Lesson Plan
National Geographic

Rescuing, Relocating, and Rehabilitating Wildlife

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Bring up the Deepwater Horizon (BP) oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Display the colorful diagram of the coastal and marine organisms living in the area. Show a video about relocating the eggs of the Gulf's sea...
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Lesson Plan
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

Exploring Environments

For Teachers 2nd
Different animals live in distinct and specialized environments. Learners will discuss organisms and environments, and then create some using their dramatic art skills. They all act like animals in a marine environment. When they are...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Effects of Oil Spills on Environment and Marine Life

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore oceanography by conducting an environmental experiment in class. In this oil spill instructional activity, students discuss the human need for oil and what is at stake when we drill for oil in our oceans. Learners read a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ghostbusting in the Chesapeake

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Ghost pots, fishing gear lost during crabbing expeditions, continue to trap crabs that are never collected. Increase your budding ecologists' awareness of human impact on the environment as well as conservation efforts using this...
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Lesson Plan
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Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)

Ocean Acidification: Whats and Hows

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Open this lesson by demonstrating the production of acidic carbon dioxide gas by activated yeast. Emerging ecologists then experiment with seashells to discover the effect of ocean acidification on shelled marine organisms. They measure...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Visiting a Marine Sanctuary

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students gather information on a kelp forest and identify species in that ecosystem.  In this underwater ecosystem lesson students gather data, give an oral presentation and create a poster.
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Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Create a Coral Reef

For Students 6th - 12th
Scholars create a diorama to showcase a vibrant coral reef. Six steps walk pupils through setting up the diorama box, crafting four different types of marine life, and putting it all together. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aquatic Roots

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scientist use reference materials to research various local aquatic plants and or animals to find out whether they are natives or exotics. They investigate their impacts on people, other animals and the environment. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aquatic Ecosystems

For Teachers K - 7th
Students study the diversity of marine life and their habitats.  In this aquatic ecosystems instructional activity students complete a lab activity and experiment. 
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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Blubber Gloves: It’s All About Insulation

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Instill the concept of adaptation with the help of Blubber Gloves—ziplock bags, shortening, and duct tape. Scholars discuss how animals and plants keep warm in polar regions, record their predictions, and try on their Blubber Gloves to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plankton in the Air

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Here is a lab activity adequate for use with any full lesson on environmental factors that shape animal adaptations or marine animal characteristics. Pupils will discuss the role plankton plays in the environment and filter-feeding...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Does it Take to be a Survivor? Part One

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore marine animal adaptation. In this introductory ocean life biology instructional activity, students access prior knowledge by participating in a whole class "thought swap." Students form two lines, respond to a prompt...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Predator/Prey Activity: Fish Feeding, Environments, and General Behavior

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore concepts of environment and survival among different marine life, focusing on the ocean environment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine Animal and Plant Adaptations

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Pupils examine nature by creating their own animals. In this animal adaptation lesson, students define scientific vocabulary terms dealing with adaptation such as sea stars, sea cucumbers and exoskeleton. Pupils utilize their adaptation...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Game of Life

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars describe what it means for a marine animal or fish to be threatened or endangered after playing game simulating extinction.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Exploring The Oceans

For Students 6th - 8th
In this science worksheet, students look for the information in order to answer the basic facts concerning common marine life using puzzles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trash Traits: Marine Debris, Litter, Ecology, Oceans

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students 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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interrelationships Within the Marine Community

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create an electronic story showing the interrelationship of species within the marine environment. They utilize the educational software, 'Destination Ocean' during this engaging lesson.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Getting Around in the Water

For Students K - 2nd
Young scientists who are learning about the variety of environments that animals live in use a activity in order to choose animals that live, primarily, in water environments. There are eight pictures on the activity, and learners must...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Little Oyster: Ceramic Lesson

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
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....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Horseshoe Crab Fun

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Marine biology masters will meet the horseshoe crab and red knot shore birds that feast upon the crab eggs. Begin with a discussion and then have learners write postcards from each animal detailing their migration trips. A few math...
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Lesson Plan
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NOAA

Vertebrates II

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...