Curated OER
Weave an Aquatic Food Web
Students explore organisms that are part of interconnected food webs. In this food web lesson, students choose an animal and research what the animal eats. Students begin with the food chain and branch out into the interconnected web...
Curated OER
Under the Sea Webquest
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...
Curated OER
Horseshoe Crab Fun
Marine biology masters will meet the horseshoe crab and red knot shore birds that feast upon the crab eggs. Begin with a discussion and then have learners write postcards from each animal detailing their migration trips. A few math...
Curated OER
Food Web Mystery
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.
Curated OER
What Lives in Water?
In this early childhood science worksheet set, students study the importance of water, and determine the difference between themselves and water dwellers. They look at adaptations, river life, rainforest life, food chains, pollution, and...
Curated OER
9th Grade
Ninth graders discuss the principal source of energy entering the marine ecosystem. They name some of the autotrophs at the Maui Ocean Center. Students name some of the heterotrophs at Maui Ocean Center. They are taught that plants are...
Curated OER
Sharks: Scavenging Stomachs
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...
Curated OER
The Science Behind Dolphins
Students discover facts about marine mammals, specifically dolphins. In this K-2 lesson plan, students identify the different species of Cetaceans, focusing on dolphins. Students answer true/false questions regarding cetaceans and...
Curated OER
Sea Connections
Students, after locating different marine habitats on a globe, play a card game about ecosystems, food webs and organisms.
Curated OER
Out of the Deep
Students observe, describe, and record characteristics of ocean animals (mammals and fish) and sea shells. They conduct an experiment comparing and contrasting sugar water, salt water and fresh water and create a mural of coral reef...
Curated OER
Camouflage, Protection, & Adaptations—Who am I?
Students explore ocean animal adaptations. In this animal adaptations instructional activity, students examine how different ocean animals use adaptations other than camouflage to protect themselves.
Curated OER
Sea Connections: Marine Ecosystems
Students identify producers and consumers from marine ecosystems and describe the balance among them in the environments. After constructing a food chain from a marine ecosystem, they examine human activities that can upset the balance...
Curated OER
Coral Reef Community Drama: Scene Description
Students are organized into groups and are assigned puppets according to what sea creature their group represents. For this reef lesson, students identify sea creatures according to their place in the food chain then discuss how these...
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
Animals of the Fire Ice
Students examine ocean life by identifying methane hydrates. In this ocean life instructional activity, students research organisms that live in the coldest, deepest parts of the ocean and live off methane hydrates. Students create a...
Curated OER
Gifts from the Sea
Young scholars discover the oceanic food chain. In this healthy eating lesson, student investigate the fish we eat and the food the fish eat. Students discover what ocean animals eat seaweed and what everyday foods we eat that also...
Teach Engineering
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
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...
Curated OER
Aquatic Life
Students explore aquatic life. In this science lesson, students visit an aquatic ecosystem and collect animals found there. Students create a food chain for the aquatic ecosystem.
Curated OER
Plankton / Phytoplankton
Students 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 climate.
Curated OER
Phytoplankton and Ocean Color
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...
Dawn N . Ericson
California Kelp Forest Restoration
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...
Curated OER
Plankton
Students explore the attributes of plankton. In this plankton activity, students read This is the Sea That Feeds Us and discuss food chains. Students discover the differences between phytoplankton and zooplankton as they examine the...
SeaWorld
Ecology & Conservation
How much trash does an average family produce in 24 hours? Where does that trash end up? Get your youngsters thinking about ecology and conservation as they discuss the impact pollution has on the marine environment. After a deep...
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...