Monterey Bay Aquarium
What's in a Name?
Combine art and word analysis in a lesson 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...
American Museum of Natural History
What do You Know About Life on Earth?
Humans have only inhabited the earth for a fraction of the time that life has existed. Young scientists explore the facts about the emergence of life on Earth with an interactive resource. While highlighting different types of life, the...
Curated OER
Turning the Tide on Trash: Marine Debris Curriculum
Six different lessons comprise this unit on marine debris. Science, language arts, social studies, and art projects make this an ideal interdisciplinary unit. The result will be well-informed future citizens who can help make a...
Curated OER
Create a Habitat for an Animal
In this marine life worksheet, students label the ocean animal and each part of its habitat. Students then draw one of the habitats including the animals and plants that live there.
Curated OER
Big Fleas Have Little Fleas!
Young scholars study seamounts and learn the importance of structures to species. In this ocean explorer lesson, students participate in an activity that teaches them how to modify a seamount so that they are more suitable for...
Curated OER
A Bioluminescent Gallery
Students examine the different types of luminescence in deep sea organisms. In this bioluminescence lesson, students investigate how color and light aide deep ocean organisms by describing the characteristics of the habitat and...
Curated OER
Who's New in the Deep Sea?
Students examine the methods and technology that scientists use to study the deep sea and other remote environments. In this ocean habitats lesson students make observations about organisms from video clips, generate questions and...
Curated OER
Seas Of Life
Students brainstorm examples of predator and prey that are featured in a video they watch. In this investigative lesson students will research an animal from the video and explain if it is a predator or prey and how it helps...
Curated OER
Exploring Limu Diversity
Young scholars explore limu diversity. In this ocean ecosystem lesson, students classify limu according to its physical properties. Young scholars work in small groups to generate scientific observations and sort limu by characteristics.
Curated OER
What's Down There?
Students analyze data on coral reefs and use this to help characterize reefs. In this mapping coral reefs lesson students identify and explain the major threats to coral reefs.
Curated OER
Easy as Pi
Students describe the importance of structural features that increase surface area in a coral reef habitat. In this investigative lesson students quantify the impact of modifications on surface area in model habitats.
Curated OER
Entering the Twilight Zone
Students describe major features of cold seep communities and list organisms that are found in these communities. For this water habitat lesson students examine trophic levels, describe the process of chemosynthesis and list...
Curated OER
Animal Habitats
Students explore animal lifestyles by researching their characteristics. For this animal habitat lesson, students read the story Over in the Jungle and analyze the animal illustrations in the book. Students create clay animal characters...
Curated OER
Coral Bleaching
High schoolers examine the relationship between corals and zooxanthellae, identify stresses to corals, and explain coral bleaching. In this sea life lesson students predict the effects of increased temperatures on coral reefs.
Curated OER
How to Hide in the Ocean
Students observe the advantages of camouflage. They design a well camouflaged fish of their own.
Curated OER
Geography: Lesson One
Students pretend they have been chosen to receive an elephant for a pet. Individually, they use the internet to research where elephants come from, their diet and sleeping behaviors. They identify their habitat and their characteristics...
Curated OER
Pollution Solution
Young scholars explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science lesson, students investigate the effects of oil spills and brainstorm ideas to help companies avoid them as they create models to demonstrate their...
Curated OER
Yummy Plant Parts
Middle schoolers examine plant parts. In this botany lesson, students examine various edible plants and how their adaptations help them to grow. They observe stems, leaves, roots and flowers of plants and discuss the relationship between...
Curated OER
Blue Planet: Frozen Seas
Learners study the animals from the Arctic and how they have adapted. For this ocean lesson students create a poster about their given animal and present it to the class.
Curated OER
Empty Oceans
In groups of four, pupils brainstorm about seafood. They view the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website to examine the problems caused by the seafood industry. Learners are then brought back together to discuss what they...
Curated OER
Wildlife
The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...
Curated OER
Habitats
Students examine how different living things interact with their environment. As a class, they discuss the characteristics of a habitat and write the list on the board. In groups, they focus on one habitat and create a mural of the...
Curated OER
Week 8 - Sea Life
Using a magnifier, mini marine biologists examine the barbules of a bird feather. They swirl the it into a mixture of oil and water and then re-examine the feather. After the activity, discuss how the oily feathers pose a problem to...
Curated OER
Feeding in the Flow
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed a tremendous library of ocean-themed lessons that can be used in a variety of science settings. "Feeding in the Flow" is one of those activities; Its focus is on...