Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indian Ocean Explored

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Learners consider the information presented in the WNET videotape of India: Land of the Tiger/Unknown Seas (Episode 3).  In this biology lesson, students view the video and engage in a discussion about the questions posed in the video.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Antarctica’s Melting and the Affect it has on the Ocean

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students calculate how much mass is lost and gained by Antarctica yearly. In this earth science lesson, students graph and analyze data from the given handout. They explain how this affects the world climate.
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Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)

Carbon Dioxide & Krill: Impacts

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What effects do temperature and carbon dioxide levels have on the zooplankton of Antarctica? This concluding lesson plan in a short unit on climate change and the ocean helps environmental scientists answer these questions. After...
Lesson Plan
Ocean Explorer

Living with the Heat

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young oceanographers study the Submarine Ring of Fire, which is a series of deep-water volcanic vents that come up from the ocean floor. Learners take a close look at the unique ecosystems that are associated with these areas, how these...
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Channel Islands Film

Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 3

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How far have California's Channel islands moved? What was the rate of this movement? Class members first examine data that shows the age of the Hawaiian island chain and the average speed of the Pacific Plate. They then watch West...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Colossal Squid Caught in Antarctic

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students define the word colossal, then read a news article about an enormous squid caught off Antarctica. In this animal studies and current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with dictionary and...
Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Do You See What Icy?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Here is a lesson that kicks off with a question. "How does ice floating on the ocean act as it melts?" As learners investigate this natural phenomenon, they'll discover that it has a lot to do with temperature, salinity, and the effect...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tanker Spills

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students predict the flow of an oil spill and depict it on a map. They explain the predicted route of the oil spill using knowledge of ocean currents in a short presentation to their peers.
Lesson Plan
Channel Islands Film

Restoration Channel Islands Debate

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Introduce learners to the debate format with an activity that uses the National Park Service's controversial Channel Islands restoration program as a topic. Class members learn how to generate provocative debate questions, how to prepare...
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Bonneville

Design and Engineer Solutions

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
What's the best way to collect all that trash? A culminating activity has scholars use the knowledge and skills from the unit to design a solution to the plastic trash island problem. They use 3-D pens or a 3-D printer to build models of...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Deep-Sea Ecosystems – Life is Weird!

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
A pool of brine in the deep sea can be up to four times as salty as the surrounding sea water. The deep sea ecosystem relies on chemosynthesis and the organisms that live there are often strange to us. The lesson focuses on researching...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

GLOBAL WARMING

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students form definitions of the greenhouse effect based on prior knowledge, class discussion, viewing diagrams, and participate in group brainstorming sessions and class discussions related to the impact of the greenhouse effect and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Structure of Earth

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study and make a model of the significant formations of the ocean floor. They examine images and illustration and apply their imagination while creating the model. They are challenged to complete further research as an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceans Socratic Questioning

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students participate in a whole class discussion of ocean-floor structures and plate tectonics. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence that lead them to conclusions about the role of plate tectonics in the creation of sea-floor...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arctic cleanup

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine pollution problems and how it affects the community.  In this arctic cleanup instructional activity students study ocean currents and how they affect pollution. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is Air a Fluid?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discuss the physical properties of fluids and then demonstrate that air carbon dioxide and oxygen) is a fluid by creating currents.
Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Sea Ice Impact

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The arctic seas contain currents that are both warm (with high salinity) and cold (relatively fresh water) that circulate throughout the year. Through discussion, a lab, and a web quest, participants explore the impacts of melting and...
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Curated OER

In My Opinion

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Young writers craft letters to the government stating their opinion on different topics. They pick an environmental or ocean issue, research it, and craft their formal persuasive letter. Ensure your learners include supporting facts and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hydrothermal Vent Challenge

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Give our ocean voyagers the "Hydrothermal Vent Challenge!" It is a worksheet that guides them through an exploration of hydrothermal vents and the chemical reactions that occur when lava meets seawater. Using a collection of websites,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change in My City

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the climate changes occurring locally, regionally and globally over the last one hundred years. They brainstorm and predict whether the current year's weather was warmer or colder than last year then check the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sustainable Marine Fisheries

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Through a fishing simulation, environmentalists discover consequences of over fishing. Afterward, they discuss how the activity relates to the impact of real-life commercial fishing. They also consider sustainability in the fishing...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density Stratification and Ocean Circulation

For Teachers K - 4th
Students examine how circulation currents of the ocean. They use a tub of hot and cold water to demonstrate the currents. They discover how salinity and temperature of water affect its movement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea State

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explain the process of wave formation and analyze the relationship between the ocean and the atmosphere.  In this oceans lesson students use buoys to cast real time sea state conditions. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Influences on Climate

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students brainstorm the geographical factors that contribute to climate. They graph average monthly temperatures at two island groups. They analyze data for similarities and differences.

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