Lesson Plan
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Salt Marsh in a Pan

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Young scholars create a model of a salt marsh to discover the impact of pollution and human activities on water-based habitats including bays and the ocean. They recognize the relationship between natural and developed areas. Students...
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Clarity and Turbidity

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Learners discuss water clarity and how the environment can affect it. They perform experiments to check the readings of the water depth and measure water clarity. Students discuss vocabulary words, record their observations and examine...
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Longshore Current

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners are posted at the beginning and end of a 10-meter long line parallel to the ocean and are instructed to look straight ahead towards the water. The student at the beginning of the line uses a stopwatch, goes to the water's edge...
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Costa Rican Sea Turtles

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students read "One Tiny Turtle" by Nicola Davies. Using the internet, they research the characteristics of turtles off of the Costa Rica coast. In groups, they complete a worksheet and define vocabulary words they are unfamiliar with. ...
Lesson Plan
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Marine Life, Oceans, Lakes and Rivers

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students examine the types of organisms found in oceans. In groups, they read articles about the research done at certain sites. They work together to research their own water ecosystems and report the findings to the class. To end...
Lesson Plan
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Mixing the Sea

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners explore and experience mixing primary colors to create secondary colors and how to create tonal effects by adding white or black to the mix. They discuss color "temperatures" and form opinions about the works of Monet as well as...
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Mapping The Ocean Floor

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Young scholars explore and analyze the bottom structure of underwater habitats. They describe and explain what can't see through the collection and correlation of accurate data. Learners assess that technology is utilized as a tool for...
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Finding the Deep Water Masses of the Atlantic Ocean

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe the role of density in driving deep ocean currents and the density layers of the ocean. They determine that the ocean is one continuous body of water with global currents that interact, with water surrounding all...
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Weather Lesson

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the various types of dangerous weather situations. In groups, they focus on the characteristics of a nor'easter and how it forms. They compare and contrast the two main types of nor'easters and examine how one can use...
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Salt Water vs. Fresh Water

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore why the oceans do not freeze. They explain why they think the Atlantic Ocean does not freeze. Students are given background information about what they are doing. They create a hypothesis about what they believe...
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Journey To the Unkown

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore the ocean rift habitat off the Galapagos through an audio expedition, Internet research on deep sea animals, an explorer game and simulation of the exploration of the deep sea bottom. They focus on the actual NOAA...
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Survivors on the Ocean Ridge

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover the uniqueness of deep sea hydrothermal vent organisms through an exploration of the NOAA Galapagos Rift Expedition. They study the genetics and evolution of a shrimp species that lives near the vents then they...
Lesson Plan
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Sea-ing More Clearly

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore historical importance of fish as food source, examine works of Robert Harris, create their own fish, and compose accompanying poetry. Students then explore dramatic tradition of Chorus inspired by Greek theatre,...
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Lesson Plan on Volcanoes

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders are able to label a diagram of a volcano with a least 3 of the following parts: the magma chamber, vents, dome, and caldarea. They break up into groups of four and design their own volvanoes using paper and drawing...
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Sea Floor Spreading I

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students use Excel to explore the geodynamics Model equation for ocean depth around a sea-floor spreading center. They use an equation relating ocean floor depth to sea floor spreading rate and distance from spreading center for a...
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Contour Basics: JAVA Mac/PC

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students explore how to draw contour lines from limited data and extend this knowledge to real data sets. They participate in many opportunities from students to assess their own progress and the exercise is completely online.
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Sea Turtles Underwater

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discuss different types of sea turtles. They talk a about the characteristics of sea turtle anatomy. Students pretend to look over the edge of a boat in the ocean. They pretend to see a sea turtle. Students create their artwork...
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Taha Moana - The Sea

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners discuss language, meanings and ideas in a range of texts related to the sea. They write instructions, explanations, arguments and factual accounts, express personal viewpoints on topics related to the sea.
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Under the Sea Webquest

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders work in small groups to research a selected species of ocean creature. They conduct Internet research, complete a WebQuest and worksheet, and complete a group oral presentation that includes an illustration of the food...
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Island Survival

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students participate in a simulation of life on a deserted island. They apply their critical thinking skills and knowledge of oceans and islands to "survive" and ultimately return to safety. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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Mapping the Ocean Floor

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students construct and interpret a line graph of ocean floor depth and a bar graph comparing the height/depth of several well-known natural and man-made objects and places. In addition, they calculate the depth of two points using sonar...
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Tides & Lunar Cycles

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students demonstrate how the moon affects the tides, a neap tide, and spring tides by using their bodies as models. After students observe the model they created, they draw and label the diagram on a provided worksheet. They then log...
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Salinity

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students take a provided ocean Trivia Quiz in order to start a discussion of the ocean. They then perform an experiment on how the amount of salt in the ocean affects it and varies from ocean to ocean.
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Ocean Habitats:

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students investigate the creatures of intertidal zones. They explore the adaptations species make to survive .