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National Marine Sanctuaries Fish
Information is provided on Gray's Reef, Florida Keys, and Flower Garden Banks marine sanctuaries. Young marine biologists then visit the FishBase and REEF databases to collect fish species information for each location. They then...
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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...
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Coral Snapshots
Using photographs and a coral reef identification key, junior marine biologists compare changes in coral cover for a No-Take Area and the surrounding unprotected area. The data that is collected is then analyzed for richness,...
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National Marine Sanctuaries Shipwrecks
Junior oceanographers access the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Shipwreck Database and plot the locations of several shipwrecks. Shipwrecks are always an enthralling subject and this activity allows your learners to act as...
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Marine Energy
In small groups, energy engineers research and make a topographic map of a marine natural resource. They report to the rest of the class pros and cons of extracting their assigned resource. The two activities may take up to four class...
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Exploring Marine Ecosystems in the Caribbean and Maine
Students compare the marine habitats of Maine and the Caribbean using temperature, tides, ocean currents, latitude and longitude. In this marine ecosystems lesson, students analyze maps to complete graphic organizers that evaluate the...
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Effects of Oil Spills on Environment and Marine Life
Students explore oceanography by conducting an environmental experiment in class. For this oil spill lesson, students discuss the human need for oil and what is at stake when we drill for oil in our oceans. Students read a book in class...
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The Dead Zone: A Marine Horror Story
Students graph dissolved oxygen versus depth using data taken from NECOP Program. In this marine science instructional activity, students explain the causes of hypoxia. They recommend possible solutions to this problem.
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LitterFlotsam and Jetsam: A Little Litter Goes a Long Way
Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science lesson plan, students investigate data from the International Coastal Cleanup, identify sources of marine debris, and discover the impacts of this debris on...
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Nutrient Enrichment vs. Oxygen Depletion
Pupils investigate how excess nutrients enter a body of water, and the harmful effects they have on aquatic organisms.
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investigating and Modeling Sea Urchin Fertilization and Development
Young scholars begin by using clay to model fertilization and early development of sea urchins and chordates. They move on to mixing live sea urchin sperm and ova together to observe, diagram and record events occurring in fertilization...
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Ghostbusting in the Chesapeake
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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Harmful Algal Blooms in Full Bloom
Learners calculate the total percentage of samples from the data on the graphs. In this marine science lesson, students analyze the concentration levels over a period of time. They suggest ways to lessen the effect of these blooms.
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Seafood: For the Love of Fish
Students role play a scenario specific to decision making in seafood management and conservation. In this marine science lesson, students estimate seafood consumption in their state. They recommend new regulations for better fishery...
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Saving Sturgeon
Marine biology apprentices interpret data of sturgeon interaction with gill nets. They use the data to calculate the percentage of fish entangled in each twine size to discover if there is any correlation. This is a valuable exercise in...
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Chilean Sea Bass
Introduce your mini-marine biologists to using databases. Tables of how many Chilean Sea Bass were caught and number of hours spent fishing are examined. Using the data, individuals calculate the "Catch per Unit of Effort" for each year....
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Oyster Gardens - No Soil Required!
Explore the practice of oyster gardening. Because oysters play a vital role in marine ecosystems and their populations have declined, biologists are transplanting oyster seed to repopulate reefs. After learning about this practice,...
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Blue Crabs - The Blue Crab's Chesapeake Journey
A plethora of information about the blue crabs of Chesapeake Bay will amaze and delight your marine biologists. They learn, through direct instruction, about the characteristics and life cycle of this fascinating arthropod. A highlight...
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Birds
Students list marine birds in their area and report on the threats made to these species. In this marine life lesson students compare bird count data and argue either for or against its accuracy.
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Human Impact on the Life Cycle of Corals
Students study the life cycle of a coral reef. They then participate in a simulated village meeting in which they roleplay various characters who must review proposed legislation dealing with reef management.
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Galapagos - Discover the Diversity
Pretend you are exploring a newly discovered species of fish in the Galapagos. Your budding marine biologists access FishBase Database's list of marine/brackish fishes and choose one to research. The link through this website does not...
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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...
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Bycatch
Bycatch is the unwanted and discarded marine life caught during commercial fishing. Young marine scientists review bycatch litigation and analyze graphs of bycatch data and answer questions about it. This raises awareness while...
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Whale Migration - The Long Journey
Marine biology learners examine right whale sighting data from the WhaleNet website. They plot the data on a map and write down the number of adults and calves spotted. Questions accompany the data analysis activity, making this a...