Learning
American Museum of Natural History

Dive Into Worlds Within the Sea

For Students 6th - 12th
The ocean is a series of ecosystems within an ecosystem. Learners dive into an exploration of ecosystems in an interactive lesson. They identify connections between organisms by following leading prompts within the lesson. The resource...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Saved by a Shark

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the marine ecosystem and the importance of sharks. In this shark lesson, students look at photos of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and discuss the animals that live there. They discuss which animals...
Lesson Plan
Aquarium of the Pacific

Ecosystem Comparison

For Teachers 4th
Fifth graders examine plants and animals in two ecosystems and compare them. In this ecosystem survival lesson, 5th graders compare and contrast a coral reef and kelp forest ecosystem. Students investigate the abiotic and biotic...
Lesson Plan
Georgia Aquarium

The Ocean's Nursery

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Linear perspective, estuaries, and water ways converge in a science-inspired art project. The class uses what they've learned about eco-systems, estuaries, and the food chain to create scale models of a local marsh. While the lesson...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

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...
Activity
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Ask a Biologist

It’s a Plankton Eat Plankton World

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
For as small as they are, plankton sure play an enormous role in maintaining marine ecosystems. Dive into an investigation of these tiny organisms with a hands-on life science activity in which children cut out pictures of sea...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seaworthy Presentations

For Teachers 1st
First graders research ocean animals and plants on the web.  In this ocean habitat lesson, 1st graders prepare a multimedia presentation.  Students will work on their presentations in pairs and every group should have its own...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Energy Through the Ecosystem

For Students 3rd - 8th
In this ecosystem worksheet, students use a diagram of an ocean-based food web to complete 5 short answer questions about the energy flow through this ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
Dawn N . Ericson

California Kelp Forest Restoration

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
This unit is so cool, you won't be able to "kelp" yourself! Intended for all grades, this science and activity guide for teachers offers a unique opportunity to understand kelp's role as a valuable ecological resource. Teachers and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Phytoplankton and Ocean Color

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify function of phytoplankton in the biospere by conducting experiments and simulations and reading for information. They detect the presence of phytoplankton in bodies of water by examining ocean in satellite images...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wild Arctic

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars explore key terms, including food web and food chain. They discuss Arctic plants and animals, devise at least three Arctic food chains and create a food web showing connections among Arctic life.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Web of Predators and Prey

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners investigate the components food chains and food webs in various ecosystems. They describe how living things depend on one another for food energy (food chain) and how more than one food chain exists in an ecosystem
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceans Away

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore oceans. In this science lesson plan, students locate oceans, seas and continents of the world, identify ocean-related occupations, and complete activities pertaining to food chains as well as pollution.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sharks: Scavenging Stomachs

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the role played by sharks in the marine food chain. They conduct a scavenger hunt collecting items that have actually been removed from the stomachs of sharks, and create a display that includes the items and newspaper...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animals of the Fire Ice

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine ocean life by identifying methane hydrates.  In this ocean life lesson, students research organisms that live in the coldest, deepest parts of the ocean and live off methane hydrates.  Students create a group...
Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

For Teachers 7th - 9th
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of several garbage patches around the world where garbage accumulates naturally. As part of a GIS unit that combines oceanography, environmental science, and life science, class members investigate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water is Life

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
Krill is a very small ocean animal that is key to keeping the ocean ecosystem going. The class reviews food webs and chains, learns about the importance of krill, discusses krill anatomy, builds a model of a krill, and then has a...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

That’s An Otter Story

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scientists discover how sea otters' habitats have changed due to human impact. Through conversation, video observation, and story reading, scholars identify how human interactions change a specific ecosystem in both positive and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plankton / Phytoplankton

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars discuss the importance of plankton in the ocean ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students identify the different types plankton by observing them under the microscope. They explain how plankton population affect global...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hawaii's Freshwater Animals - Species Report

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners explore biology by creating a report for the class. In this oceanography lesson, students research and identify the survival characteristics of a list of freshwater animals by utilizing the Internet and library. Learners...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

What's the Difference?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Due to the isolation of seamounts, their biodiversity offers a great deal of information on the development of biological and physical processes. Pupils use simple cluster analysis to rate the similarity and differences in biological...
Lesson Plan
Forest Foundation

The Web of Life

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers. To begin a study of the forest ecosystem, learners examine the connections among the members of ecological communities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fish Communities in the Hudson

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learning to read data tables is an important skill. Use this resource for your third, fourth, or fifth graders. Learners will will study tables of fish collection data to draw conclusions. The data is based on fish environments in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sinking Races

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students build plankton models and compete to see which sinks most slowly. They write, or orally present ,the adaptations they incorporated to slow the sinking rate of their organisms. Race results can be grounds for some prizes!

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