Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Habitats

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students examine the water samples from a demonstration and discuss the difference between fresh and salt water. They draw different animals that live near or in the ocean and how humans can harm the ocean habitat. They draw pictures of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mixed Media Ocean Art

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students design pictures of ocean environments. In this art lesson plan, students use mixed media art materials to develop a picture that depicts the ocean environment. They use paint, sand paper and various basic art materials.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A House for Me- Ocean Environments

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore ocean environments. In this ocean environment lesson, students identify the things ocean animals need for survival. Students use KWL charts and search the Internet collecting information about ocean habitats....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's in That Cake?

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Cooperative groups research trip logs from deep-sea expeditions and explore characteristics of deepwater habitats. Using a cake as the ocean floor, they work together to decorate it as a model of such habitats. They also prepare a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Design a Reef!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars explore coral reef ecosystems.  In this ecosystems science instructional activity, students research coral reef ecosystems to determine the major functions the participating organisms must perform.  Young...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whale Watchers

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Young scholars research physical characteristics and ocean habitats of common species of whale. They create artwork illustrating characteristics of a particular species of whale using a crayon resist technique. Students identify...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animal Habitats

For Teachers K - 4th
Students explore animal lifestyles by researching their characteristics. In this animal habitat lesson, students read the story Over in the Jungle and analyze the animal illustrations in the book. Students create clay animal characters...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seaworthy Presentations

For Teachers 1st
First graders research ocean animals and plants on the web.  For this ocean habitat lesson, 1st graders prepare a multimedia presentation.  Students will work on their presentations in pairs and every group should have its own...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life in the Crystal Palace

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Marine biologists research sea ice communities. Assign some groups to construct paper models of sea ice communities in winter, and some to construct models of them in summer. The lesson is simplistic, but the Internet resources provided...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitats

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students examine how different living things interact with their environment. As a class, they discuss the characteristics of a habitat and write the list on the board. In groups, they focus on one habitat and create a mural of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animals of the Lost City

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Begin with a demonstration of exothermic reactions and discussion of chemosynthesis. Your aspiring oceanographers research vent communities and then craft a mural of a vent community. This is a terrific method of introducing learners to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Specialized for the Sea

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students use pictures and make a mural to investigate how ocean animals are adapted to certain parts of their environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dive and Discover the Ocean

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders investigate the three zones of the ocean and the plants and animals that live in each zone. Projects produced are shared with classmates in a share circle where the unique features of the animal and zone selected are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Magic School Bus Goes to Mussel Beach

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students investigate tides and create a model of an intertidal zone. In this hands-on marine science lesson plan based on a Magic School Bus book, the teacher leads students in a discussion about tides, then helps students model a tide...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Creatures in the Coral

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars describe unique adaptations of organisms that live in the coral reef habitat, read various books pertaining to coral reefs and ocean life, and construct a wheel demonstrating the relationships between certain coral reef...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build a Polyp

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners research coral polyps. For this coral polyps lesson, students discover the anatomy of a coral polyp and how they feed. Learners create an edible coral polyp model.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Invent an Invertebrate

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Design a new organism with recyclable art materials! After learning about the coastal biome, learners brainstorm challenges that a plant or animal may face. They use their ideas to create a creature, complete with environmental...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building an Underwater Habitat

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students investigate underwater habitats. In this underwater habitat lesson, students study Aquarius and design their own underwater habitat that can sustain life. Students work in groups and present their habitats to the class. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing an Underwater Habitat for Humans

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Young scholars consider the limitations of deep water oceanography and design an underwater habitat to support scientists while they complete long term studies under the ocean. In this engineering lesson, students are introduced to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sharks

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students research sharks, the food chain, and the water habitat shared by humans and sharks.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Estuaries, Estuarine Habitats, and Adaptations

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students conduct research on estuaries. They design and construct an estuary, describe the physical characteristics of an estuary, and create a diagram illustrating an estuarine food web.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Five

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study ocean habitats and create a habitat zone replica.  In this ocean habitat lesson students design and construct their own unique habitat.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animal Habitats

For Teachers K
Students study the word habitat and its meaning. They also identify that in order for something to be classified as a habitat there needs to be the proper shelter, food, water, and space.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea Connections

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young scholars, after locating different marine habitats on a globe, play a card game about ecosystems, food webs and organisms.