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...
American Museum of Natural History
Dive Into Worlds Within the Sea
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...
Curated OER
Ecosystems
In this ecosystems instructional activity, students complete a crossword puzzle with 35 questions about the different types of ecosystems and organisms in them.
Virginia Department of Education
Go with the Flow
How does nature's hierarchy relate to our local human environment? Answer this question, along with others, as the class visually depicts the natural hierarchy provided by nature. Pupils discuss each piece of the pyramid and its energy...
ARKive
Dinner at the Reef
Fine dining can happen anywhere, even in the coral reefs. Budding environmentalists explore marine food chains, predator-prey relationships and the importance of a balanced ecosystem. These important concepts are facilitated through a...
Curated OER
Mussel Ecology
Students are introduced to the marine environment of the mussel. The emphasis of the lesson is upon what human factors are present to influence the environment in positive and negative ways. They brainstorm in groups in order to conduct...
Curated OER
Sharks ~ Taking a Bite Out of the Myth
The first thing to know about this lesson is that the commercial fisheries data for the activity no longer seems to be available. That being said, there are fascinating links to other websites, some about the comparative odds of being...
Curated OER
Phytoplankton
In this phytoplankton activity, students read and study online information on plankton blooms to answer 8 short answer questions about the topic.
Curated OER
Monitoring Aquatic Ecosystems Lesson Plan
Students perform an experiment to test the quality of the water in a marsh.
Curated OER
Coral Reefs Endangered
Learners research where in the world coral reefs are located. In this ecology lesson, students create food chains and food web. They simulate growing coral reefs to understand their characteristics better.
Curated OER
Dinnertime On The Reef
Students identify the main parts of a coral reef. They describe a coral reef food chain.
Curated OER
The Wonderful World of Slugs
Examine a slug? Of course, what else would a 2nd grader do with it? Pupils use clues and go on a slug hunt, read a slug story, or make a cooperative group mural of a slug's habitat. While older learners catalog slugs, go on a slug hunt,...
NOAA
Ocean Primary Production
A cold seep is an area on the ocean floor where hydrocarbons leak from the earth, creating entire unique biomes. Learners explore cold seeps, photosynthesis in the ocean, and its limitations due to loss of sunlight. They further explore...
Curated OER
Week 3: Pollution Source and Effects
Lab groups set up an experiment to observe what happens over time in collected pond water when fertilizer, representing pollution, is added. This website does not include student lab sheets, but background information, materials, and...
Curated OER
Exploring the Biomes of South America
Sixth graders complete a five-week unit investigating the eight major biomes of South America. They conduct Internet research, collect short-term and long-term climate data, and create a HyperStudio slideshow stack about a selected biome...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Marine Ecosystems and Biodiversity
In this unit students explore major marine ecosystems by locating them on maps. Students use marine examples to learn about energy transfer through food chains and food webs and then they discuss how food webs can illustrate the health...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Marine Food Webs
For this lesson, students learn about marine food webs and pyramids, and how energy flows through a marine ecosystem. They then research a marine organism and its role in a marine food web. The class pools their information to create a...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Marine Ecosystems and Biodiversity
A collection of three lessons where students learn about abiotic factors in marine ecosystems, about marine food chains and biodiversity, and about marine food webs and trophic levels. Includes handouts, website links, and a vocabulary...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Marine Invertebrates
Students learn about invertebrates found in the ocean, their individual methods of adaptations, identifying characteristics, and contributions to the marine ecosystem.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Dive Into Worlds Within the Sea
Learn about three different marine ecosystems: coral reefs, the continental shelf, and the deep sea. Interactive game included, which will help players chart the interrelationships among organisms that live in each ecosystem.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Ecology Disrupted: Chesapeake Bay Food Web
In this comprehensive lesson unit, students examine how overfishing has affected Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem. They will study food webs from the past and present and graph related data.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Dive Into Worlds Within the Sea
Think and Link to investigate three different ecosystem either the deep sea, coral reef or continental shelf. By connecting the dots students make a food chain to see how organisms in each habitat depend on each other.
Science Struck
Science Struck: A Helpful Guide to Understand the Photic Zone
The photic zone is the upper layer of the ocean where sunlight can penetrate and support photosynthesis. This article explains the characteristics of this zone, the food chain that exists there, the adaptations of the plants and animals,...
Other
Digital Library for Earth System Education: Teaching Box: Seasonal Upwelling
A suite of lessons focusing on the process of upwelling. Inquiry-based exploration of seasonal upwelling includes marine food webs, food production in the ocean, wind-driven ocean currents, and seasonal changes in biotic and abiotic...