Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing The Gulf Stream

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders research the average temperatures of different places on Earth. In this earth science lesson, 6th graders explain how the sun's heat cause ocean movement. They discuss how temperature change affects the weather we experience.
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Hurricanes: An Environmental Concern

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Hurricanes, typhoons, and tropical cyclones are the same type of storm, but their names change based on where they happen. Scholars use a computer simulation to learn about hurricanes. Then they hypothesize ideas to prevent hurricanes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food for Thought

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore the food chains in a variety of ecosystems and its relationship to the survival of threatened or endangered marine animals or fish in the ocean. The interdependence of the species is investigated in this lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Was for Dinner?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine energy obtaining strategies that are used by organisms in deep reef communities.  In this ocean lesson students complete an isotope activity. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Tomography

For Students 6th - 12th
In this tomography worksheet, students read about how tomography is used to help oceanographers learn more about the Earth's surface below the ocean. Students complete 3 short answer questions based on the reading.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roman Empire: Physical Framework - Location, Borders, Dimensions

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students relate the classical world to the modern world. In this map skills lesson plan, students turn a blank map into a colorful complete map by following step-by-step directions. This lesson plan allows students to connect our current...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where's My Bot?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students estimate geographic position based on speed and air travel.  In GPS lesson students use GPS to estimate the set and drift of currents. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living With the Heat: The Ring of Fire

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students investigate the planet Earth's infamous ring of fire and the life that thrives from it.  In this ocean environment lesson plan, students investigate hydrothermal vents and how organisms thrive off their heat.  Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Now, Take a Deep Breath

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers define several laws of pressure and see how they relate to scuba diving.  For this ocean explorer lesson students answer questions and complete an activity. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Basket Stars

For Students 5th - 6th
In this basket stars worksheet, students read a 1 page article on basket stars, define 8 vocabulary words and answer 7 short answer questions in complete sentences.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Japan

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this Japan instructional activity, students read a 2 page article on Japan, answer 3 facts about Japan with multiple choice answers, fill in 4 blanks in 4 statements and answer two statements as true or false.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gray Whales on the Move

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study whale migration and their natural history.  In this migration lesson plan students plot whale migration on a map and describe their ecosystems. 
Lesson Plan
NASA

Earth's Global Energy Budget

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Introduce your earth science enthusiasts to the earth's energy budget. Teach them using an informative set of slides that include illuminating lecturer's notes, relevant vocabulary, embedded animations, colorful satellite maps, and a...
Worksheet
Curated OER

What is Climate?

For Students 6th - 8th
For this weather worksheet, students identify and explain the factors that can affect the climate in each area of the illustrated map. Then they describe the various effects of these factors, such as air pressure systems and the land...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sedimentation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are introduced to the various types of sedimentation. In groups, they define the term and research what causes it to happen. They compare and contrast the different types of sedimentation and research how it occurs off of Cape...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Intertidal Zone: Tides and How Creatures Survive

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study the properties of ocean water and tides and learn about animals that live in intertidal zones. In this intertidal zone lesson, students participate in classroom stations to learn about fresh water and salt water, cold...
Activity
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NOAA

The Climate Team: Make a Solar Heat Engine

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Learners investigate how solar energy is converted into heat in part two of the 10-part Discover Your Changing World series. They build and test homemade solar cookers to boil water and cook rice. Pupils consider the impact of heat...
Lesson Plan
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NOAA

El Niño

For Teachers 9th - 12th
El Nino, La Nina ... and the Santa Maria? The 11th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program explains the mechanism of El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Pupils use previous data to determine...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My Life as a Loggerhead

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discuss the current flow of the Gulf Stream and the characteristics of the Sargasso Sea. They visit websites to gather information on loggerhead sea turtles. Students imagine that they are newly hatched loggerhead turtles.
Worksheet
K12 Reader

Ben Franklin

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Readers are asked to use the provided graphic organizer to list the main idea and supporting ideas in a passage about the inventions of Benjamin Franklin.
Article
NASA

Catch a Gravitational Wave, Dude!

For Students 9th - 12th
It is cowabunga time! Pupils read an article about the NASA LISA mission on gravitational waves and conduct additional research on them. The class participates in a science bowl type competition about gravitational waves. Panels of four...
Lesson Plan
University of California

Plankton

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Plankton: so much more than just a SpongeBob character. Three different activities have kids looking at both phytoplankton and zooplankton in pictures, as well as collecting their own samples (depending on your access to a saltwater...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students differentiate weather and climate. In this earth science lesson, students compare weather and climate in different regions of the world. They interpret weather graphs and compare isotherm lines of northern and southern hemisphere.
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Causes and Effects of Climate Change

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Wrap-up a unit on global climate change with a lesson that examines the causes and effects of climate change. Learners fill out a chart that represents what they think causes climate change—natural and human-based—and what they think...