Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecosystems and Remote Sensing

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students obtain remote sensing data to compare and contrast global biomass data with global temperature data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Monitoring Life In The Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate marine life by researching aquatic organisms on the Internet. For this oceanography lesson, students monitor algae and animals of the ocean by identifying their population and habitat on data sheet ID cards. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Impacts to the Open Ocean

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate how human beings impact ocean ecosystems. In this ocean ecosystem lesson, students explore how marine debris affects marine life. Internet resources are provided.
Unit Plan
University of Southern California

Human Impact on the Sea

For Students 4th - 8th
How far does the human hand reach?  Five interactive lessons lead classes through a unit exploring the human impact on ocean resources, pollution, and even extinction. Learners discover how their decisions affect the ocean...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Stressed Out!

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
Are our oceans really suffering due to the choices humans make? The sixth and final installment in the volume of activities challenges research groups to tackle one of six major topics that impact ocean health. After getting to the...
Lesson Plan
Florida International University

Are You Concentrating?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Explore the importance of a concentration gradient in the rates of dissolution. Using the ocean ecosystem, learners study rates of dissolution around coral reefs. A hands-on experiment helps individuals discover the effects of changing a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It Looks Like Champagne

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils determine some practical implications of the discovery of liquid carbon dioxide in deep-ocean ecosystems. They interpret phase diagrams and explain the meaning of "critical point" and "triple point."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kure Waste Chase Game Lesson

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students work together to identify marine debris. They explain the effect of the debris on various ecosystems. They draw different types of ocean currents as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Limu Diversity

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore limu diversity. In this ocean ecosystem lesson, students classify limu according to its physical properties. Students work in small groups to generate scientific observations and sort limu by characteristics.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A'ama and Pipipi Adaptations

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students explore ocean creatures. In this crustacean lesson, students determine how Black Nerite snails and Sally Light-foot crabs have adapted to their ocean habitats. Students complete diagrams and hypothesize about the necessity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Marine Ecosystems in the Caribbean and Maine

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students compare the marine habitats of Maine and the Caribbean using temperature, tides, ocean currents, latitude and longitude. In this marine ecosystems lesson, students analyze maps to complete graphic organizers that evaluate the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting Thirsty?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the concept of drought and its significance as a natural hazard. In this drought lesson plan, students complete 13 questions on an "Introduction to Drought as an Ecosystem Stressor" worksheet and discuss the responses as...
Lesson Plan
Ocean Explorer

Living with the Heat

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young oceanographers study the Submarine Ring of Fire, which is a series of deep-water volcanic vents that come up from the ocean floor. Learners take a close look at the unique ecosystems that are associated with these areas, how these...
Lesson Plan
Ocean Explorer

Easy as Pi

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Seamounts are large, extinct volcanoes that rise up from the bottom of the ocean floor. They are a relatively new landform in the scientific community, and this lesson invites students to learn about the amazing diversity of life found...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jelly Critters

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students compare and contrast three different organisms that are considered gelatinous zooplankton. They describe how they fit into marine food webs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Beach

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore the beach. In this marine habitat instructional activity, students inspect sand grains, design beach profiles, classify marine life, and examine natural beach habitats. Students use spreadsheets to record data from their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Issues on Puerto Rico and Oahu: A Comparison of Two Islands

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore how the tow islands receive and use fresh water. They also address some of the threats to the fresh water supply on each island. Students explore the instructional activity objectives through water cycle models...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Good, The Bad and The Arctic

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students examine the impact of a major climate change in the Arctic Ocean on the rest of the world. They use the Internet to research the Arctic region and the wildlife that lives there.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life on the Hardbottom

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars find similarities and differences between a biotrope habitat and an ecosystem.  In this hardbottom biotrope lesson plan, students research and respond to inquiry questions about a biotrope.  Young scholars...
Lesson Plan
Michigan Sea Grant

Sea Lamprey

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners discuss the types of technology that are used to control the population of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. They explain the parasite/host relationship and understand the devastating impact invasive species have on ecosystems....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oil Floats, Right?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the properties in oil in water. In 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Piece of Cake

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine life under the sea to discover coral gardens and microhabitats. They demonstrate learning by creating an edible marine ecosystem with a sheet cake, icing, and different candies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hawaii's Freshwater Animals - Species Report

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore biology by creating a report for the class. In this oceanography lesson, students research and identify the survival characteristics of a list of freshwater animals by utilizing the Internet and library. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It looks Like Champagne

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students interpret phase diagrams and explain the meaning of vocabulary words.  For this ocean explorer lesson students describe two uses of super-critical carbon dioxide.