Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Creature Classification

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Young scholars develop a Taxonomic Key for marine invertebrates from pictures they are given after practicing together with common objects, such as shoes. They then compare their key to a provided Ocean Invertebrates Taxonomic Key.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observations and Inferences

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine coral skeletons. In this science lesson, view real coral skeletons. Students explain the differences between an observation and an inference. Students draw a coral skeleton.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rainbow Trout

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students investigate the many varieties of both tropical and freshwater fish, and find out about the anatomy of these creatures. They explore biodiversity in bodies of water, including information about coral reefs, and study the effects...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young scholars study zoanthids. In this science and art lesson plan, students use line to create texture and how to use colors to create value. Young scholars share their beautiful mat zoanthids with the rest of the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How can deep-water corals be used to determine long-term patterns of climate change?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the concept of paleoclimatological proxies.  In this paleoclimatological proxies activity, students explain isotope ratios in deep water coral samples.  High schoolers write a paragraph about global...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson on GPS

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate global positioning systems. In this technology and mapping instructional activity, students view a PowerPoint presentation in which they identify the features of a GPS, state its uses, and follow steps to find a...
Lesson Plan
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NOAA

Invertebrates

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Crabs and lobsters ... yum! The 18th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on invertebrate marine life. After the lecture slideshow, learners conduct an activity to sample...
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Welcome to the Dzanga-Sangha

For Students 6th - 12th
One ecosystem is home to numerous habitats—how diverse are they? Pupils interact with an online lesson to explore three habitats in a rain forest ecosystem. They discover connections between species and how they depend on each other for...
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Planetary Mysteries

For Students 6th - 12th
Get to know our little part of the vast universe. Learners read about the common and not-so-common facts about each of the planets in the solar system. The interactive lesson includes a large amount of information as well as a quiz to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Magic School Bus Takes a Dive

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students find out how partners can help run a race just as Wanda learns that survival on the coral reef often depends on cooperation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coral Reef Choreographic ProjectTo

For Teachers K - 5th
Young scholars enhance their understanding of how animals function in a habitat.Students are scattered individually and in small groups. About half of young scholars make coral shapes in small groups. The other half of students move like...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great Barrier Reef-Guarding Nemo

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the Great Barrier Reef. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students conduct research regarding the Great Barrier Reef and examine methods to preserve the Reef. Students apply the RAFT method to prepare a final...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

A Novel Study Unit for The Cay

For Teachers 4th - 9th Standards
Novelly written questions are perfect for a novel study guide unit on The Cay. The well-rounded resource contains an anticipation guide for scholars to complete before reading, a variety of questions per chapter of the book, and a post...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Homeschooling Lesson: Sea Turtles

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students write down the names of common turtles and observe pictures of various types. In this sea turtles lesson, students review names and features of these animals, label and draw a picture. Students research habitat, migration,...
Lesson Plan
Aquarium of the Pacific

Ecosystem Comparison

For Teachers 4th
Fifth graders examine plants and animals in two ecosystems and compare them. In this ecosystem survival lesson, 5th graders compare and contrast a coral reef and kelp forest ecosystem. Students investigate the abiotic and biotic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What If the Reef Dies?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete four activities to investigate how reef ecology can change. They perform experiments to show how sewage discharge can affect a marine ecosystem, look at substances that don't dissolve in water, examine wave action...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Currents: Bad for Divers; Good for Corals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe, compare, and contrast major forces that drive ocean currents. They discuss the general effects of topography on current velocity. They discuss how velocity affects the ability
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the National Marine Sanctuaries: A Lesson in Habitats and Human Impacts

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the marine sanctuaries in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They discover the interdependence of all living things and work together in groups to create a poster about what they have discovered during the lesson. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build an Anchialine Pond

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore biology by conducting a nature experiment. In this pond examination lesson, students utilize recycled materials, play-doh and water to recreate a pond and its inhabitants. Students identify the different elements within...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coral Bleaching in the Caribbean

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students use authentic satellite data on the NASA website to determine when the sea surface temperature meets the criteria to induce coral bleaching.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Artificial Reef

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students conduct online research to determine how and why artificial reefs are created, and investigate how they benefit marine life and the marine ecology.
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 instructional activity invites students to learn about the amazing diversity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spawn!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain that the ability of certain reef fishes to have a successful spawning is dependent on numerous environmental conditions. They list some of the factors needed by reef fishes in the South Atlantic Bight to have a
Lesson Plan
Florida International University

The Good, the Bad and the Nasty Tasting

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Examine the benefits of chemical defense mechanisms. Organisms in oceans use chemicals to ward off predators. Duplicate this adaptation using a hands-on experiment in which you ward off your predators (your pupils) with some...