Curated OER
Yo-Yos, Tow-Yos and pH, Oh My!
Students explore how hydrothermal vents are formed and where they are located on the ocean floor. They study how scientists use CTDs to locate hydrothermal vents.
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Underwater Vision
Students use colored lights and fabric to study an underwater ocean scene. In this light study lesson, students draw a picture using colored markers and hypothesize what their drawing will look like using filters. Students study fabric...
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Geography Action! Rivers 2001- Human River
Students create a 'human river' by arranging themselves into a river pattern. Each student selects an article to represent a pollutant such as paper, book, or pencil. Students at the source of the river pass their pollutant on to the...
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It Looks Like Champagne
Students determine some practical implications of the discovery of liquid carbon dioxide in deep-ocean ecosystems. They interpret phase diagrams and explain the meaning of "critical point" and "triple point."
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Snow on Sea Ice
High schoolers examine different samples of ice and predict the amount of snow that has fallen in a given year. Using a calculator, they graph the various thicknesses. They analyze the graphs to determine the relationship between the...
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Why Is The Sea Salty?
Students observe how salt concentration increases in water and how salt remains after water evaporates. In this salty sea lesson plan, student use rock salt, water, containers, and strainers to observe that salt increases each time new...
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Under Pressure: How Deep Can They Dive?
Students explore geography by conducting an in-class experiment. In this deep sea exploration lesson, students identify the different zones of the ocean and utilize water bottles, masking tape and scissors to conduct a water pressure...
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Understanding Oceans
Students investigate how ocean currents affect our world. In this ocean currents lesson, students perform an experiment to show how cold water is near the poles and warm water is near the equator. Students use water, food coloring,...
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Pollution and Marine Life
In this pollution and marine life worksheet, students use 9 given terms related to types of pollution and ocean food chains to complete sentences. Students number the effects of human sewage and soil runoff that harm ocean organisms in...
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Wind and Currents
Students observe how wind generates currents and the effect of islands and banks on currents. They determine ocean circulation affects climate and plant and animal populations on land and in the ocean and that surface currents are...
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Tsunami
Students explore tsunami through various hands-on activities. For this earth science lesson, students explain how they are formed. They create tsunami and earthquake models in the lab to observe how they are generated.
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Ocean Life Lesson Plans
Students learn about life in the ocean with lessons that connect science, art, and environmental topics.
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Gallery Walk Questions about Energy and Material Cycles
Students state the physical, chemical or biological processes associated with these environments: Pelagic ocean zone, California coat Cave, Indiana Barrier island beach, North Carolina Sand dune, Dunes National Park, Colorado Wetland and...
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The Intertidal Zone: Tide and How Creatures Survive
Students explore oceanography by completing science worksheets. In this tide pools lesson, students discuss the forces of the tide pools, the animals that live within them, and the impact they have on the rest of the ocean. Students...
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Nature Superfish
Students examine the billfish as a predator in the ocean. In this ocean, creatures, and tides lesson, students view video clips and discuss the sea creatures and scientists in the videos. Students create their own videos. students...
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Something Fishy Going On
Learners create a video animation of how Swimmy gathered his fish friends together to form a great big fish that would frighten the predator tuna away. In art class each child create a small red fish which gets displayed in the ocean...
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Climate Change Challenge
Students participate in a demonstration in which they role-play polar bears and habitat components to demonstrate the impacts of climate change on the Arctic Ocean ecosystem.
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Bathymetric Mapping
Students draw contour lines based on NOAA soundings on a nautical chart. They color the contours and glue label tags for topographic features. They determine that the floor of the ocean is composed of hills, plains, ridges, trenches,...
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Investigating the Hydrosphere
No matter the scientific discipline, your students can benefit from a study of water.
World Maps Online
Introduction to the World Map
Students identify the differences between maps and globes. In this map skills instructional activity, students are shown a globe and a map and recognize the differences. Students use post-it notes to locate several locations on the world...
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What Am I?
Students identify various shells. In this oceanography lesson, students create a KWL chart to activate background knowledge on shells. Students read the book Ocean Day and learn about waves, tides, and the seashells that can...
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The Tell-Tale Plume
High schoolers examine hydrothermal vents. In this ocean lesson, students identify changes in physical and chemical properties of sea water caused by hydrothermal vents.
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Density Lessons and the Oil Spill
Teachers can use the oil spill cleanup efforts as a springboard to discussions and activities related to density!
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Causes and Effects of ENSO
Students analyze monthly sea surface temperature data from the Pacific Ocean to determine if the period is an El Nino or a normal year. They recognize signs to see if there are any patterns that signal either occurrence. Satellite images...