Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sink or Float

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore water properties by conducting a class experiment. In this buoyancy lesson, students make predictions as to whether or not specific objects will sink or float in water. Students conduct the experiment and record their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Environments of Big Sur:Which Do We Protect?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the California environments. For this environmental lesson, students examine the various ecosystems of California, creating a presentation on how these environments impact Big Sur. They write a paper defending...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovery Science Center Activities

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders complete a variety of experiments to meet science goals.  In this life sciences lesson plan, 4th graders make yogurt, discover the attraction of opposite charges in electricity, learn the effects of glaciers, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ancient Origins: The Role of Archaeology in Reconstructing the Past

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students read information about the ancient origins of art and archaeology with a focus on the Malian culture. In this art origins lesson, students read background information for the topic and compare ancient and contemporary objects....
Interactive
Curated OER

ESL: Dolphins Activity

For Students 4th - 6th
In this ESL dolphins worksheet, students read an article about dolphins, then complete a set of 10 multiple choice questions; answer may be checked on-line.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Amphipods

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify organisms that live at the bottom of the body of water. In this biology lesson, students evaluate the effects of pollution to amphipods population. They examine collected data and create a bar graph comparing them.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Moon Made Me Do It!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research about how lunar cycles affect living organisms. In this biology lesson, students prepare an oral presentation of their research results and analyses. They explore the forces that affect tides.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Inquirer

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students interview wildlife experts to gain information needed to research and write a report about an aquatic plant or animal affected by climate change.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the World Is All the Water?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate the distribution of the earth's water. They conduct a demonstration of water distribution, and create a pie graph to display the results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceans-Coral Reefs

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate coral reefs. In this oceanology lesson, 2nd graders discuss what constitutes a coral reef and the wildlife that lives there. Students watch a video about coral reefs and take an online quiz.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History and Oceanography

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the accomplishments in oceanography from 17th-19th century, construct a time line with the scientists in chronological order, and discuss the parallels of oceanographic contributions with those in other areas of science...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Make Your Own Paper Bag Manatee Puppet

For Teachers 5th - 6th
In this science craft worksheet, learners learn about the Florida manatee by constructing a paper bag puppet with extra pattern pieces for the head and flippers. Students read the information and study the drawings about manatees, then...
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

The Wonders of Bacteria

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explore the evolution and features of bacteria through a series of activities. In this biology lesson plan, students collect data and graph bacterial growth. They design a brochure about bacteria's role in society.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ping!

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study side-scan sonar and discover how it can be used to locate objects underwater. They complete a sonar simulation activity in which they create and map mystery landscapes inside shoeboxes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Meet the Corals

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars investigate the types of coral. In this oceanography lesson, students access the Fisheye View Cam Website and create their own coral garden by using various art supplies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Has the Data? Monitoring Coral Reefs

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students access data to characterize coral reefs. For this scientific research lesson, students access data and explain the need for such data when monitoring coral reefs. They will identify and explain three major threats to coral reefs.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desalination: Creating a Solar Still

For Teachers 4th - 6th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Stratigraphy Challenge

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students are asked to explain the sequence of rock and sediment types and to devise an experiment to test this hypothesis. It is intended for students with some prior knowledge of oceanography, sedimentary geology, and plate tectonics...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea Stars and the Northern Abalone: A Race for Life!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils compare and contrast the ecosystem, structure and behavior of survival of the abalone versus the sea star. They consider the ramifications of reintroducing the endangered abalone. They present their findings to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Mayflower Lesson Plan

For Teachers K - 2nd
Learners build a model of the Mayflower inside of the classroom in order to learn about the voyage of the Mayflower and the hardships faced by its passengers. For this American history lesson, students work in small groups to construct...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Web Mystery

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students describe typical marine food webs, and explain why food is generally scarce in the deep-ocean environment. They discuss reasons that seamounts may support a higher density of biological organisms than would appear to be possible.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food for Thought

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners understand the importance of each member of a food chain through a game.  In this food chains lesson, students receive background information and then play a game to simulate what happens in the food chain of an endangered...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fish Are Animals Too

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create posters that show how a shark is a major predator in kelp forests and coral reefs after studying the food webs for these ecosystems. They determine that fish are important animals in the ocean's web of life.