Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Polar Bear Panic!

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students identify the three realms of the Arctic Ocean, and describe the relationships between these realms. They graphically analyze data on sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean, and recognize a trend in these data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In The Zone

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders identify ways that ocean animals grow, survive, reproduce, and adapt. They use computer Internet skills to acces and collect information. They create a PowerPoint presentation. They demonstrate writing skills throughthe...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea and Ice Salinity

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students conduct an experiment.  In this salinity lesson, students learn about sea ice, why it is important and how changing amounts can affect the sea.  Students conduct an experiment to find out the effects of salinity on the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hawaii's Sea Turtle Exploration

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students investigate the life cycle and body parts of Hawaii's sea turtles. In this sea turtle lesson, students watch a video about the turtle life cycle and make a model of a "Honu," sea turtle. They complete an associated worksheet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Deep Lights

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners investigate materials that emit light. In this deep ocean instructional activity, students compare and contrast materials that emit light under certain conditions and infer the light-producing process. They explain three ways...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Oceans

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students complete a variety of activities in preparation for a unit on oceans. They discuss their own proximity to the ocean, identify and name the oceans on a globe, and in small groups identify facts about a selected ocean. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Impacts to the Sandy Shore

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students investigate human impact on coastal environments. For this coastal environment lesson, students observe human impact on coastal environments. Students sort, classify, and chart marine debris collected on a local beach.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animals of the Fire Ice

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine ocean life by identifying methane hydrates.  In this ocean life instructional activity, students research organisms that live in the coldest, deepest parts of the ocean and live off methane hydrates.  Students...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Deep

For Students 7th - 9th
In this deep ocean learning exercise, students answer twenty questions after watching a video about the species that live in the deep ocean. Topics include jelly fish, hatchet fish, anglers, tubeworms, sea urchins, and plants that grow...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Staying Up

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students will explain the Archimedes's Principle. In this instructional activity on plankton, students will describe three factors that can affect the buoyancy of plankton. This instructional activity contains extensive background...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living Light

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain bioluminescence. In this life science lesson, students discuss bioluminescence and conjure examples of organisms that carry this trait and how it is useful in their environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Saved by a Shark

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners explore the marine ecosystem and the importance of sharks. In this shark lesson, students look at photos of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and discuss the animals that live there. They discuss which animals...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Fish or Not to Fish?

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students demonstrate the decision-making process for marine reserves designations. In this role-playing lesson students analyze maps and data relating to a proposed reserve. They formulate the best decisions based on overall issues.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing an Underwater Habitat for Humans

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students 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 instructional activity, students are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Diverse is That?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss biological diversity in ocean communities. In this diversity lesson, students examine the variety of organisms compared to relative abundance. They will write an analysis and discuss their findings with the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Depth Line

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Young scholars use adding machine tape to plot increasing ocean depths and deep sea historical events.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fishing for Solutions

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the many ecological and economic issues related to over fishing the world's marine resources. Working in committees, students research the related topics of equipment and fishing techniques.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tracking a Hurricane

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students play the role of amateur meteorologists and track a hurricane. In this hurricane lesson plan, learners follow a hurricane by tracking its coordinates on an overhead map. Students work in small groups to place dots on the map...
Lesson Plan
Michigan Sea Grant

Survival Game

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Musical chairs may be a classic game, but Ruffe Musical Chairs is a unique lesson on invasive species! Using the time-honored game, pupils role play the behaviors of the invasive fish called Eurasian ruffe. Learning about this aggressive...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Marine Life Match-up

For Students 5th - 6th
In this science learning exercise, students match the names of oceanic and coastal creatures with their descriptions. No information is given on the page.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Species on the Edge

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners examine sea turtles. In this endangered species lesson, students analyze sea turtle habitats. Learners hypothesize why sea turtles could go extinct.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Monument for Marine Conservation

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Learners explore the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to discover what's there and pick up clues as to how people have both harmed and helped the native habitats. They study another protected area and see how to balance conservation efforts...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tracking Ocean Ecology

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners look at the data maps given to them about how chlorophyll affects the algae blooms and make predictions about the harm they will cause. In this data maps lesson plan, students manipulate data sets from the website.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life in a Hurricane Zone

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the social effects of hurricanes. In this social studies lesson, students assume the persona of residents of the Dominican Republic and write diary entries and letters regarding the devastation caused by Hurricane...