Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing about the world's fisheries (Calibrated Peer Review)

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students summarize the findings of the Pew Ocean Commission report "America's Living Oceans," contrast it to an opposing viewpoint, and recommend a fisheries policy based on their understanding. It includes a scoresheet that was created...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Scale Drawing

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explain how to make pictures larger using a grid system by transferring scales images from 1/2 -1 inch to 6 inches - 1 foot. They create life-size scale drawings of ocean life studied in class using a grid system.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cetacean or Fish?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students cut out pictures from magazines of fish and cetaceans. They make a creative bulletin board labeling their pictures and identifying different features.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Pressure - Observing Water Flow

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students discover that pressure increases the deeper the ocean becomes. They determine how water pressure differs at various depths by observing water flow.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Create an Underwater Scene

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students apply knowledge of underwater ocean life by creating an ocean life scene with marine animals and plants placed at appropriate ocean depths.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Swim Like a Whale or Fish?

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students recognize the difference between whales and fish by categorizing them according to their method of swimming. They synthesize this information by simulating the swimming patterns of whales and fish and comparing it to their own.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whale Migrations

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students use whale migration patterns to determine sex and age of whales and determine where these whales can be located during different seasons. They use mapping skills to plot the migration patterns of four unknown whales.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Density and Stability Lab

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students observe how different water densities and salinity control the depth at which different water masses occur. Submarines are used as a case study. This is a well-designed with an excellent worksheet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Beach Zonation

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students identify and separate the different zones of the beach by observation. They investigate beach zonation by gathering and comparing sand samples gathered from different areas of the beach.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pipeline to the Coral Reefs

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers discuss the relationship of density to stratification. In this marine science lesson, students create a model of upwelling events using cold and warm water. They discuss how water phenomena affect coral reefs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measuring Aquatic pH

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars apply the scientific method and safety rules to aquatic pH. They test unknown solutions for pH levels.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sharks and Fishes

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Pupils explain the role of the school of fish as the prey and the shark as the predator, as they participate in the game Sharks and Fishes. They demonstrate quick physical movement, and trickery, by sucessfully staying away from the sharks.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Animals vs. Humans

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students use critical thinking skills to solve word problems using ratios that allow them to compare humans to ocean animals.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Morse Code

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students gain knowledge of the maritime importance of Morse code and enjoy applying this information to decipher Morse code messages from other students.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

the New Explorers:Into the Depths

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the self preservation mechanism that is inherent in the Great Lakes. They examine how scientists are studying Great Lakes, and what their predictions are for these national treasures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Health, Pollution, and Safety: Why Should We Care?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the impact of reducing the carbon dioxide emissions. They identify ways alternative fuels can lessen the effect of emissions on communities. Working in teams they conduct research from various community and Internet...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Head to Foot

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students describe the body form and major anatomical structures of squids and describe some unusual or unique features of newly-discovered deep water squid species. They infer what types of food squids use from their anatomical features.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Melting Ice Cubes

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity helps students understand how the melting of ice cubes floating in water is influenced by the salinity of the water. It will introduce the concept of density and density driven currents and provide practice in using the...
Lesson Plan
Gulf of Maine Research Institute

Gulf of Maine Aquarium: Comparing Oceans: Warm Up to the Gulf Stream

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This site features some background information and a satellite image of the Gulf Stream that you can analyze using information also given at the site. There is a link to an activity about the formation of eddies along the Gulf Stream as...
Lesson Plan
Other

Digital Library for Earth System Education (Dlese)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This resource provides materials for teachers on a huge array of topics. Search site by topic, grade level, and desired output (such as lesson plan, case study, assessment or tutorial). Site is focused on earth science, geography, and...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: New Millennium Observatory (Ne Mo) Education

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This digital curriculum is an interactive deep-ocean mystery based on daily reports from expeditions at sea and results from NeMO and consists of four parts: Introduction and Background Information, Classroom activities, Movies and...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Project Nopp Drifters

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Data collected by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) can be used by teachers to integrate ocean science into their science and math instruction.This site offers educational activities, curriculum materials, and lesson...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Density Differences

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students investigate differences in ocean water density, and record density data from salt, ice, and hot water samples in their notebooks. Students then simulate ocean water temperature levels in a simulation.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Ocean Water: Density

For Teachers 11th - 12th
In this lesson students will learn about the stratification of the ocean by using a simulation to show the different densities. The simulation explores how temperature, salinity, and wind affect the development of water stratification.