Curated OER
Fishing for Solutions
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.
Michigan Sea Grant
Sea Lamprey
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....
Curated OER
Ocean Scale Drawing
Students explain how to make pictures larger using a grid system by transferring scales images from 1/2 -1 inch to 6 inches - 1 foot. They create life-size scale drawings of ocean life studied in class using a grid system.
Curated OER
Ocean in a Bottle
Students create an enclosed ocean in a bottle and add different pollutants to explore the effects of pollution on the environment.
Curated OER
Play Under the Sea
Pupils explore the hazards of ecosystems and utilize their writing skills to create a studenT book. Threats to the ecosystem of the coral reef are discussed and used as a model for the research of the group.
Curated OER
Desalination: Creating a Solar Still
To better understand how solar power can aid in creating desalinated drinking water, the class creates a model still. They will build a model of a solar still, make observations, and discuss how the process works. While the idea behind...
Curated OER
Survival of the Fittest
Sixth graders create their own "never before seen" marine creatures and examine how not all creatures in the sea swim, not all have sharp teeth
Curated OER
The Coral Reef
Fourth graders discuss life in a coral reef, and view photographs and a computer program about coral reefs. They design and create colorful watercolor, ink, and crayon drawings of coral reefs.
Curated OER
The Thrill of Big-Wave Surfing
Students view a PBS Nature program about big-wave surfing and participate in a class discussion about their experiences with surfing, body boarding, or body surfing. Students create a drawing based on a reading and post their art around...
Curated OER
Water Sources in Cape Verde and West Africa
Young explorers study the scarcity and importance of a continuous supply of fresh water in Cape Verde. They research the five main ways that fresh water is obtained in these countries. Each research group prepares a presentation, and...
Ocean Explorer
Looking for Clues
Upper graders become "shipwreck detectives" by studying the debris field from a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea which took place in the 700s. A website is accessed that gives specific information about the debris field, and pairs of...
Curated OER
What's in a Brain?
Bring the brain to life for your students with thought-provoking activities
Curated OER
March of the Polar Bears: Global Change, Sea Ice, and Wildlife Migration
Students study global change and how these changes impact wildlife. In this polar bears lesson students analyze maps and data to understand climate change.
Curated OER
Who Has the Light?
Learners study ways in which the ability to produce light may be useful to deep-sea organisms. In groups, they research and present to the rest of the class, how a specific organism is able to produce bioluminescence.
Curated OER
Difficult Decisions: The Sakinaw Sockeye Case Study
Eighth graders examine Sakinaw Sockeye as species at risk, participate in role playing exercise to consider different perspectives of various interest groups, and try to come to consensus on how to deal with dwindling Sakinaw sockeye...
Curated OER
Mountain Magic: Identifying the Basic Physical Characteristics of Mountains
Students read about and identify on maps the physical characteristics of mountains. In this mountains lesson plan, students also write about the characteristics using personification.
Curated OER
Seas Of Life
Learners brainstorm examples of predator and prey that are featured in a video they watch. In this investigative lesson plan students will research an animal from the video and explain if it is a predator or prey and how it helps...
Curated OER
Coral Reefs: Gardens Under the Sea
Learners discover the wonders of coral reefs while listening to a book about them. In a Reading Rainbow video activity, they simulate a dive, check equipment and explore a reef. Role-playing as marine biologists, students uncover...
Curated OER
Climate and Change: Fitting the Facts Together and Acting on Them
Students examine climate change. In this current events lesson, students read the provided articles "Key Facts + Key Conclusions=0?" "Oil Companies Fund Climate Change Deniers," and "Acting on Climate Change Facts." Students respond to...
Curated OER
Interrelationships Within the Marine Community
Fourth graders create an electronic story showing the interrelationship of species within the marine environment. They utilize the educational software, 'Destination Ocean' during this engaging instructional activity.
Curated OER
Survival in the Open Ocean
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.
Curated OER
Regions of the US: Gulf Stream, States and Their Capitals
Fifth graders identify one way of dividing the US into geographical regions and then consider alternate ways of doing the same. They locate each of the fifty states and their capitals on a map. They research the Gulf Stream region.
Curated OER
Island Research
Students collaborate to gather information about the geography, history, economy, climate, culture, and other aspects of life on the island of Eleuthera.
Curated OER
The Mighty Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway System
Young scholars participate in a variety of activities in a unit about the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System. They create a diorama, read related stories, and correspond with other classes located in other port cities along the St...