Lesson Plan
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)

Arctic Smorgasbord

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Though the walrus spends roughly one third of its time on land, it eats organisms that live on the bottom of the ocean. The first in a series of five, the lesson plan uses a variety of plant and animal cards to have scholars build an...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Coincidental Colonization

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
The Galápagos Islands are an amazing place of isolated adaptation, colonized by an interesting mix of plants and animals. The class plays a game to help them understand how these organisms came to live on the island through a combination...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Chesapeake Bay in Captain John Smith's Time

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
When Captain John Smith visited the Chesapeake Bay in the summer of 1608, what types of animals and habitats did he encounter? Your young historians will analyze primary source documents to answer this question, as well as compare...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Monterey Bay

For Teachers 4th - 5th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Impacts to the Open Ocean

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate how human beings impact ocean ecosystems. For this ocean ecosystem lesson, students explore how marine debris affects marine life. Internet resources are provided.
Activity
PBS

Reading Adventure Pack: Oceans

For Parents 1st Standards
Flotsam by David Wiesner and The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen, begin a reading adventure pack focusing on oceans. With story listening and thoughtful discussion, scholars complete several...
Lesson Plan
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Rainforest Alliance

Protecting the Critical Habitat of the Manatee and Loggerhead Turtle

For Teachers 1st Standards
Explore ocean habitats with a lesson that showcases the home of manatees and loggerhead turtles in Belize. Here, pupils compare and contrast the homes of ocean animals to those of humans, listen to an original short story about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Pollution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study their role in eliminating ocean pollution and helping keep the oceans clean. In this environmental issues instructional activity, students define pollution and brainstorm examples of ocean pollution. Students define...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

The Methane Circus

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Step right up! An engaging research-centered lesson, the third in a series of six, has young archaeologists study the amazing animals of the Cambrian explosion. Working in groups, they profile a breathtaking and odd creature and learn...
Unit Plan
National Geographic

Animal Habitats

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
Explore animal habitats and reinforce speaking, listening, reading comprehension, and writing skills with a unit that focuses on the Arctic, desert, ocean, prairie, and rainforest. Enthusiastic scientists read informational text to...
Lesson Plan
Polar Trec

Plankton Parents

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Plankton are so abundant in the ocean they outweigh all of the animals in the sea. In this three day activity, groups discuss and become familiar with plankton, capture females, and look for egg production on day three. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Critters in the Classroom

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students investigate with sea urchins. In this ocean habitat lesson, students observe sea urchins and other ocean grazers. Students work with lab equipment to examine the anatomy of these creatures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Survival in the Open Ocean

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students examine how scientists conduct pelagic research and identify pelagic predators as they study the open-ocean ecosystem. They discuss and conduct small group research of this environment in order to produce a presentation.
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Lost City Chemistry Detectives

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
In 1977, scientists discovered hot springs in the middle of deep, cold ocean waters near the Galapagos Islands. Scholars research the chemical reactions that explain what scientists found at the Lost City. A discussion connects many...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hawaii's Sandy Shores

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Investigate Hawaii's sandy shore ecosystem! Start by creating a vocabulary list and having your class complete a KWL chart. Next, pass out the "I think of" sheet. Each learner will then choose a word from a beach bucket and add it to...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Deep-Sea Ecosystems – Life is Weird!

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
A pool of brine in the deep sea can be up to four times as salty as the surrounding sea water. The deep sea ecosystem relies on chemosynthesis and the organisms that live there are often strange to us. The lesson focuses on researching...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build a Polyp

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

Colossal Squid Caught in Antarctic

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students define the word colossal, then read a news article about an enormous squid caught off Antarctica. In this animal studies and current events instructional activity, the teacher introduces the article with dictionary and...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Coral Reef Habitat Match

For Teachers K - 2nd Standards
Different animals live in different habitats, and each animal has specifically adaptive traits that make them tailor-made for their environments. This is true on land and in the ocean. Little ones examine how various marine animals have...
Lesson Plan
University of California

Energy and Biomass Pyramids

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
Young scientists play tag as they act out the food pyramid in the ocean ecosystem. Energy circles pass from the smaller prey to the predators and at the end of the activity, a data chart and analysis questions allow pupils to apply their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Harmful Is It?

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students complete a form that requires them to make decisions about how severely different types of marine debris affect people, animals, vessels, communities. Results are totaled and analyzed to determine which types of marine debris...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

9th Grade

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders discuss the principal source of energy entering the marine ecosystem. They name some of the autotrophs at the Maui Ocean Center. Students name some of the heterotrophs at Maui Ocean Center. They are taught that plants are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow a Fish

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars choose a fish from anywhere within the Ocean Center. They observe it for a given time, recording its behavior. Students comprehend the concept that living things have individual characteristics that enable them to live in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Sea Turtle Experience

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Young scholars observe live green sea turtles and use their imagination to form questions about the animals. They present these questions to their teacher. Students then complete the activity sheets highlighting sea turtle biology and...

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