PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Oceans
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...
Curated OER
Plankton in the Air
Here is a lab activity adequate for use with any full lesson on environmental factors that shape animal adaptations or marine animal characteristics. Pupils will discuss the role plankton plays in the environment and filter-feeding...
Curated OER
Animals and Their Biomes
Students categorize animals according to their natural biomes using biome and animal flashcards.
PBS
Mountains and Rain Shadows
Scholars use an online interactive to learn just how different the other side of the mountain actually appears. They use satellite images, graphics, and videos to compare the impact of winds, oceans, clouds, precipitation, and more on...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Environmental Concerns
Every year, more than 14 billion pounds of garbage is dumped into the oceans of the world, most of which is plastic and toxic to ocean life. Lesson 32 in the series of 36 focuses on environmental concerns, specifically pollution. Under...
Curated OER
Ocean Pollution
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...
Curated OER
Animals in Art
Learners look at how animals are shown in literature and art as representing emotions, telling a story, or sending a message in this elementary school Language Arts and Visual Arts lesson.
Curated OER
How Harmful Is It?
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...
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...
Curated OER
Caught in a Net
Learners read and discuss the bycatch of the sea and the economic impact of taking bycatch away. In this bycatch lesson plan, students discuss the rights of fisherman and observe pictures of sea animals.
Curated OER
Life in the Kelp Forest
Students research and create a marine food web to learn about plants and animals in a kelp forest. In this marine food web lesson, students draw lines between kelp forest predators and prey and show the flow of energy in the food web....
Curated OER
Build a Polyp
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.
Curated OER
Immersion Presents Monterey Bay
Students study Monterey Bay. For this Monterey Bay lesson, students create a model of upwelling around Monterey Bay. Students simulate surface water movement relative to prevailing winds.
Curated OER
Maintaining Body Heat
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.
Curated OER
Skates
Students gain understanding of structure, characteristics, and basic needs of living things and their role in world, identify parts of skate, observe details of skate's body and skate egg case, and identify unique characteristics of skates.
Forest Foundation
Forests, Carbon & Our Climate
To conclude their examination of forest ecosystems, class members consider the role forests play in the carbon cycle and how forests can offset climate change.
Poetry Class
Tackling Climate Change
Get your kids thinking about climate change with a series of activities that include creating a ditty box poem for the planet, a poem that identifies concepts or objects they would want to preserve.
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...
Wilderness Classroom
Pollution
Educate scholars on pollution—air, water, and land—with a series of lessons that begin with a thorough explanation of each type. Learners then take part in three activities to reinforce the importance of reducing pollution. They...
Curated OER
Follow a Fish
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...
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Here's a fine instructional activity on renewable and non-renewable sources of energy for your 5th graders. In it, learners list a number of natural resources on the board, then try to sort the resources into appropriate categories. This...
Curated OER
What Makes a Dinosaur a Dinosaur?
Students explore dinosaur stance and the dinosaur-bird connection. They investigate what distinguishes dinosaurs from other reptiles? Students discuss how dinosaurs stand their legs positioned directly under their bodies. They are...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Students simulate the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson, students create a model of the water cycle. Students draw the water cycle and write a paragraph explaining their drawing.
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Students are introduced to the components and importance of the water cycle. They are shown how groundwater moves using a model. Students list 9 places on earth where water is found. They define the terms cycle and water cycle.