Students create model coral reefs showing surface area and including examples of communities.  In this coral reef instructional activity, students research and explore the functions or benefits from a coral reef.  Students...

Students write an essay about the coral reefs. In this oceanography lesson, students investigate the reef of Bonaire and compare it to reefs that are not thriving. Students then explore the differences that contribute to the overall...

Young scholars examine the characteristics of particular whales. In this whale characteristics lesson, students discover the methods scientists use to track whales and attempt to match the unique pattern of callosities themselves. A role...

Learners examine energy obtaining strategies that are used by organisms in deep reef communities.  In this ocean lesson plan students complete an isotope activity. 

Students practice creating art by imitating the camouflage of fish. For this animal characteristic lesson, students identify certain fish and their ability to change colors in order to survive in the wild. Students utilize coloring...

Learners, after discussing oil pollution, generate solutions to an oil spill.

Junior marine biologists access the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas' data on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna catches. As they analyze the data, they answer three questions. Background information and links to...

Learners imagine they are archaeologists who are looking for treasure under the sand or sea. They work in teams to create the story and site of a shipwreck in a tub or aquarium filled with sand and water.

Students explore water properties by conducting a class experiment. In this buoyancy lesson, students make predictions as to whether or not specific objects will sink or float in water. Students conduct the experiment and record their...

Students examine and demonstrate the extent of geologic time compared to recent time. They develop a demonstration of geologic time using an unrolled roll of toilet paper, with each sheet of toilet paper representing 20 million years.

Fourth graders complete a variety of experiments to meet science goals.  In this life sciences instructional activity, 4th graders make yogurt, discover the attraction of opposite charges in electricity, learn the effects of...

As students examine maps of Utah, 4th graders search for clues about what prehistoric life was like in Utah.

Students describe typical marine food webs, and explain why food is generally scarce in the deep-ocean environment. They discuss reasons that seamounts may support a higher density of biological organisms than would appear to be possible.

Students create posters that show how a shark is a major predator in kelp forests and coral reefs after studying the food webs for these ecosystems. They determine that fish are important animals in the ocean's web of life.

Students explore the physical location of deep water habitats along the Hudson Shelf Valley and in Hudson Canyon. They study the basic characteristics of the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones with regard to depth, temperature, pres

Students analyze the effects of oil spills on our environment and develop action plans to protect animals and habitats.

Students review the patterns they discovered from a previous activity.  In this investigative lesson students plot data as a class and color a map. 

Students explore the impact of global warming. In this oceanography lesson, students investigate global climate change and write reaction papers about their research findings.

Students use the internet to discover information about dolphins. They examine their behavior, appearance and distribution of dolphins.

Middle schoolers conduct research on estuaries. They design and construct an estuary, describe the physical characteristics of an estuary, and create a diagram illustrating an estuarine food web.

Students evaluate the feasibility of wave energy as an alternative source of energy.  In this alternative energy source lesson students are introduced to renewable and nonrenewable energy and study energy production.

Students examine natural and man-made threats to sea turtles. They create sea turtle mobiles while studying the range, environment, predators of and threats to sea turtles.

Pupils explain the process of chemosynthesis and its relevance to biological communities. In this investigative lesson students discuss chemosynthetic communities, then in groups they are assigned a species and are to calculate the gas...

Students investigate jungles and the people who depend upon them.  In this sustainability lesson, students research wild life conservation and discover the importance of a jungle to Amazonian people.  Students create a group...