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Water Density and Salinity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students observe how different water densities control the depth at which different water masses occur. They explain one fact that they comprehend about salt water. Students comprehend that temperature and salinity affect the density...
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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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Causes and Effects of ENSO

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers analyze monthly sea surface temperature data from the Pacific Ocean to determine if the period is an El Nino or a normal year. They recognize signs to see if there are any patterns that signal either occurrence. Satellite...
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Understanding Tsunamis

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover the causes of tsunamis in oceans and fjords. They perform an experiment to discover how calving icebergs can create different wave patterns in the ocean and in a fjord. In addition, they draw a diagram to illustrate the...
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Wind and Currents

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students observe how wind generates currents and the effect of islands and banks on currents. They determine ocean circulation affects climate and plant and animal populations on land and in the ocean and that surface currents are...
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What Am I?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students identify various shells. In this oceanography lesson, students create a KWL chart to activate background knowledge on shells. Students read the book Ocean Day and learn about waves, tides, and the seashells that can...
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Climate Change & Coral Activities

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance.  In this climate change instructional activity, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are...
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The Great MPA Debate

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students study the 'Marine Protected Areas' process.  In this ocean lesson students work in groups, conduct research and present it to the class.
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Plankton / Phytoplankton

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers 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...
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The Tell-Tale Plume

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine hydrothermal vents. In this ocean lesson, students identify changes in physical and chemical properties of sea water caused by hydrothermal vents.
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Gray Whales

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Explore the majestic grey whale while deepening your understanding of animal adaptations. Grey whales from head to toe are specifically designed to fit their environment. Learners will examine the ways in which the flippers, head, body,...
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The Race

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students play game simulating route turtle hatchlings take from clutch to ocean, and describe threats hatchlings face and how this affects the marine turtle population.
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Ocean Life

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders create an ocean fish environment. In this ocean life lesson, 3rd graders create an ocean environment from clay. Students paint their sculptures with realistic colors emphasizing contrast, texture, and patterns.
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"So What Are You Trying To Say Here?"

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students exercise the strategy of summarization to recall important information in a text. They read to summarize the passage, "Ways the Ocean Helps Us," by Katherine Jones Carter, from "Oceans." Each student follows a list of...
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Bathymetric Mapping

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students draw contour lines based on NOAA soundings on a nautical chart. They color the contours and glue label tags for topographic features. They determine that the floor of the ocean is composed of hills, plains, ridges, trenches,...
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Area

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Young scholars solve problems involving area. In this geometry lesson, students calculate the area of an object and relate it to the area of the ocean. They define what exactly and area is and then solve problems relating to the real world.
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Hydrothermal Vent Challenge

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discover common features of hydrothermal vent fluids. They use this knowledge to locate possible undiscovered hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor.
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Introduction to Coral Reefs

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students identify locations of coral reefs, both in the water and around the globe, identify relative depth of corals in the ocean by observing behavior of cold and warm saltwater, and create models of coral reefs.
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The Intertidal Zone: Tide and How Creatures Survive

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Learners explore oceanography by completing science worksheets. In this tide pools lesson, students discuss the forces of the tide pools, the animals that live within them, and the impact they have on the rest of the ocean. Learners...
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Our Watershed

For Teachers K - 12th
Students work with the Tribal Council and Elders to explain the historical importance of the area's watershed. They develop a model of the watershed and map the route of water flow from the watershed to the ocean.
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Let's Go Fact Fishing!

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners work in pairs to research animals in the ocean. They use the Internet, encyclopedias, and resource books to complete an information sheet with a photo of the animal and three facts. They present their mini-reports to the class.
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Lost Liners Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Learners practice research skills by scouring Internet for facts and information about the lost ocean liners Titanic, Lusitania, and Empress of Ireland.
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Climate Change Challenge

For Teachers 4th - 9th
Students participate in a demonstration in which they role-play polar bears and habitat components to demonstrate the impacts of climate change on the Arctic Ocean ecosystem.
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Meteors and Meteorites

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create Earth boxes containing some of Earth's biomes--desert, forest, tundra, ocean, and mountains. They simulate Earth's encounter with a comet trail and the resulting meteor shower. They present their Earth boxes to...

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