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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Tell-Tale Plume

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine hydrothermal vents. In this ocean instructional activity, students identify changes in physical and chemical properties of sea water caused by hydrothermal vents.
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Lesson Plan
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NOAA

Ocean Zones

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
How can organisms light up in water? Bioluminescence is light produced in a chemical reaction that can occur in an organism's body. First, learners determine what happens to light/color as you move into the deep ocean. In groups, they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

El Nino

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Explore the properties of water and the affects of El Nino. Middle schoolers will learn about the devastation an El Nino can cause as well as the definition of El Nino. Additionally, they will discover the cause of El Nino along with the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceanography: Density: Designing a Hydrometer Lab

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore water density and design a hydrometer to measure density. This activity is part of Ocean World's home site and excellent resources and links are provided.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Open Ocean, What is it and How Does it Change?

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students investigate the ocean environment. In this ocean lesson, students discover the physical properties of the ocean. Over two days, students work in small groups investigating ocean maps and creating water currents.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Pennsylvania Watersheds, Many Ways to the Sea"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students trace a molecule of water through the water cycle including each of its three loops. They describe why evapotranspiration demands the largest portion of total precipitation falling on a forested watershed.
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Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Down to the Deep Virtual Lab

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
At a depth of 3,000 m in the ocean, the pressure is 300 times that at sea level! In the activity, individuals predict what will happen to Styrofoam cups submerged 3,000 meters into the ocean. They then convert these units to soccer...
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Lesson Plan
NOAA

The Oceanographic Yo-yo

For Teachers 7th - 8th
How does chemistry help deep-sea explorers? Part four of a five-part series of lessons from aboard the Okeanos Explorer introduces middle school scientists to technologies used in ocean exploration. Groups work together to analyze data...
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Lesson Plan
NOAA

Watching in 3D

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Bring the ocean floor to life! Earth science scholars discover the process of deep sea mapping in the third installment in a series of five lessons about ocean exploration. The teacher's guide includes helpful resources, worksheets, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea Surface Temperature Trends of the Gulf Stream

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students use authentic satellite data to produce plots and graphs of sea surface temperature as they explore the seasonal changes of the Gulf Stream.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Properties of Materials

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this material properties learning exercise, students complete 6 activities in which they learn about and explore the differences between materials and properties. They collect objects and list off the materials and properties, answer...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oil Floats, Right?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the properties in oil in water. For this mixture lesson, students read about the Lophelia II 2010: Cold Seeps and Deep Reef Expedition and look at images of deep sea ecosystems. They experiment or participate in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Be Salty Sea Ice Or Not

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore what type of solutions freeze. They design their own experiments to compare how fresh water and salt water freezes. In addition, they write their observations in a journal and complete analysis questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Impacts of an El Nino Event

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study sea surface height and temperature and other characteristics of an El Nino.  For this ocean impacts lesson students examine the factors that influence an El Nino or La Nina. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Am I Supposed to Eat THAT?

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners explain nutritional strategies of benthic organisms.They describe nutritional strategies of benthic organisms and describe these physical characteristics.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sensational Seaweed

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars compare kelp and land plants. In this sea plant lesson, students look at the role of algae in aquatic environments. They research the properties of kelp and explore seaweed. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Maintaining Body Heat

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students observe and compare heat loss in different objects with surface-to-volume ratios. They transfer this comparison to the physical characteristics of animals in their environment. They focus on how whales maintain their body heat.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Floating on Salt Water

For Students 5th
Mixing substances together causes their properties to change. This resource illustrates that concept for fifth graders by having them consider four questions that have to do with buoyancy and boiling point. Learners begin to understand...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea Surface Temperature Trends of the Gulf Stream

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the importance of the Gulf Stream. Using a NASA satellite images, they examine the sea surface temperature. Students collect the temperature at various locations and times. Using spreadsheet technology, they graph the...
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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. For this intertidal zone lesson, students participate in classroom stations to learn about fresh water and salt water, cold...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Floor Properties and Near Shore Environments

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore and model the characteristics of the ocean floor and near shore environments through in-class demonstrations, laboratory activities, and internet research. They use classroom materials to research the characteristics of...
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Lesson Plan
NOAA

A Quest for Anomalies

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Sometimes scientists learn more from unexpected findings than from routine analysis! Junior oceanographers dive deep to explore hydrothermal vent communities in the fourth lesson in a series of five. Scholars examine data and look for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Freshwater/Saltwater "Eggs-Periment"

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore water properties by conducting a class experiment. For this buoyancy lesson, students utilize freshwater, saltwater, plastic cups, hard boiled eggs and food coloring to experiment with the floating capabilities of salt...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mystery of the Megaplume

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Read through the extensive background information and then lead your geology or physical oceanography class through an investigation of actual temperature anomaly data from the Juan de Fuca ridge. They translate the data onto a plot,...