Curated OER
Marine Debris
Now is the time to educate tomorrow's citizens to care for the planet, and here is a lesson to help facilitate the process. Collect some marine debris and bring it into class. Have your class separate it into types and then test each...
Curated OER
Hawaii's Sea Turtle Exploration
Students investigate the life cycle and body parts of Hawaii's sea turtles. In this sea turtle lesson, students watch a video about the turtle life cycle and make a model of a "Honu," sea turtle. They complete an associated worksheet.
Curated OER
Endangered Marine Turtles
Students work in groups and experience what it is like to be a hatchling marine turtle by playing a board game. In this endangered marine turtles lesson, students research the threats to marine turtle hatchlings. Students then create a...
Curated OER
Marine Debris
Pupils perform experiments to examine if debris float, or blow in the wind. The effects of these characteristics on the marine debris are then discussed. They determine how a material can influence what becomes marine debris.
NOAA
Journey to the Unknown
What's it like to be a deep-sea explorer? Tap into the imaginations of your fifth and sixth graders with a vivid lesson plan, the second part of a six-part adventure. Learners close their eyes and submerge themselves in an expedition...
Sea World
Seaworld Science Activity
A fun collection of activities about marine life would be a great addition to your elementary science unit. From cute penguins to scary sharks, the unit features crafts, experiments, and basic research projects that will teach your...
Space Awareness
The Big Meltdown
Explore the world (our world) of melting ice caps. Why are these caps melting? What is the effect of melting ice caps? Dive into the ever-present issue of global warming with a resource that has learners looking at data and participating...
Curated OER
Marine Critters and Communities
Students touch, see, smell, and hear marine animals that live in a marina. In this marine animals lesson plan, students take field trip to a marine environment after studying the animals.
Curated OER
Life Cycle of Hawaii's Honu
Students simulate the life cycle of Hawaii's Honu. In this Science lesson, students act out the life cycle of the Hawaiian sea turtle. Students determine and play the roles of prey and predator.
Curated OER
Marine Habitats of Galveston Island
Four lessons introduce elementary ecologists to salt marsh and sandy beach habitats. In the first lesson, they place shells and other materials in vinegar to determine if they contain calcium carbonate. In the second lesson, they read a...
Space Awareness
Continental Climate and Oceanic Climate
There's nothing better than a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean. Scholars explore how water affects change in temperature using a hands-on experiment on climate. They use measurement tools to compare the continental and oceanic...
NOAA
Journey to the Unknown
Go where no one has gone before. Learners experience what it is like to be a scientist exploring new territory. Using audio and a scripted text, pupils take a trip in the depths of the ocean. They follow their trip with a hands-on...
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...
Curated OER
Forests of the Sea
Young scholars read about and conduct experiments to learn about the vegetation under Monterey Bay. In this Monterey Bay lesson, students read about and look at brightly colored pictures of the different types of seaweed that grows in...
Curated OER
The Journey of the Pacific Salmon
Learners examine the journey of the Pacific salmon. In this salmon species lesson plan, students review the stages of the salmon life cycle and conduct an experiment to determine how the water and habitat changes during each stage.
Curated OER
Aquatic Ecosystems
Students study the diversity of marine life and their habitats. In this aquatic ecosystems activity students complete a lab activity and experiment.
Space Awareness
Oceans on the Rise
Temperature rises and land disappears! Through a lab exploration, learners understand the effect of temperature increase on water similar to the effect of global warming on our oceans. As they heat the water in a flask, they measure the...
NOAA
Wet Maps
How do oceanographers make maps under water? Junior explorers discover the technologies and processes involved in creating bathymetric maps in part three of a five-part series designed for fifth- and sixth-grade pupils. The instructional...
Curated OER
A Climate Conundrum
After viewing a video and reading an article about the threatened turtles and tortises in The Amazon River area, collaborative groups create a poster or presentation about how we can help them. Several links to other related lesson plans...
California Academy of Science
Carbon Cycle Role Play
Anytime you make concepts clear with role playing or hands-on experience, it's a win for the whole class. Ping-Pong balls are used to represent carbon in a carbon cycle role-play activity. In small groups, children first discuss what...
Curated OER
Sea World Fieldtrip Follow-up
Young scholars create a graphic organizer in preparation for a web page about a specific science-related topic. This lesson is used as a follow-up to a field trip experience and can be adapted for many different subjects.
Curated OER
Where Are All the Fish?
Students identify the problems that marine life is facing today. For this marine science lesson, students explain how Marine Protected Areas can help the ocean and the fish. They brainstorm ways to help in the conservation effort.
Curated OER
Sand Explorations
Learners experiment with different samples of sand from Maui leeward and windward beaches. They create a sand map to suggest at least one contributing factor for the formation of each beach sample. They test the samples to determine...
Curated OER
Monterey Bay
Students read background information about Monterey Bay, California, and conduct related experiments. In this ocean in motion lesson, students read information about the location, wildlife, and characteristics of Monterey Bay. They...