Learners construct functional replicas of oceanographic tools and demonstrate and explain their use.

How to oceanographers measure the sea's depth? Your scientists will step into their shoes in this application worksheet, first reading about how the speed of sound and a simple formula give scientists a depth estimation. Students...

Have you ever tried to find hidden items in a picture when you don't know what you are looking for or how many things are hidden? A lesson applies that same concept to sampling the deep sea habitats. Participants must first create a...

How many simple machines does it take to make a robotic arm? An inquiry-based lesson explores that topic and challenges pupils to build a robotic arm that can stretch, turn, and more. A few questions help guide them in the right...

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill directly impacted an area of the Gulf of Mexico the size of Oklahoma. A marine biology lesson looks at the impact of an oil spill on the deeper parts of the ocean. Scholars download actual data collected...

How does chemistry help deep-sea explorers? Part four of a five-part series of lessons from aboard the Okeanos Explorer introduces middle school scientists to technologies used in ocean exploration. Groups work together to analyze data...

Students examine how oceanographers use chemical and physical parameters of seawater to locate hydrothermal vents.  In this ocean lesson students complete an activity and worksheets. 

As of 2015, there are 53,481 oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico. Scholars determine how species diversity is impacted based on the ecosystem's distance from a drilling platform.  It focuses on finding the mean of data sets and creating bar...

How can a robot measure the length of something when we don't know how far the camera is from the object? The lesson explains the concept of perspective and many others. Scholars apply this knowledge to judge the length of fish and the...

How do you decide the best person for each job? Would it be easier if you didn't have to consider their feelings? The lesson begins with a discussion of underwater robots. Then groups research one of these robots and present their...

An outstanding lesson designed for secondary oceanographers is here for you. In it, youngsters study how the conditions of the ocean impact the migratory patterns of humpback whales. They discover the SOFAR technology, which is a way to...

Young oceanographers study the Submarine Ring of Fire, which is a series of deep-water volcanic vents that come up from the ocean floor. Learners take a close look at the unique ecosystems that are associated with these areas, how these...

When we think of ocean exploration, many of us have visions of sunken pirate ships full of treasure or mysterious creatures of the deep. What really motivates deep-sea investigation? The first in a series of diverse six-part lessons...

The Gulf Stream has historically provided humans with a faster trade route because of its swift-moving waters. It continues to be a source of information and fascination for oceanographers today. As your class views this collection of...

Ocean bottom geology has become more understood as our technology has developed. Teach young oceanographers the different features and landforms that are found on the floor of the ocean. Using a color code, collaborative groups identify...

Young scholars conduct experiments on a sample of sea water. In this oceanography lesson, students inquire how conductivity is used to approximate the salinity ocean water. Young scholars construct their own conductivity meters and test...

Connect earth science to science occupations and real-life events with this worksheet and activity. After listing the 4 branches of earth science, learners spend some time brainstorming two activities each type of earth scientist might...

Young oceanographers find these common marine mammals in a word search. Each of the eighteen mammals has a bright, but accurate representation of each on the worksheet. Also, there is an answer key at the bottom. Well done!

Assign groups of middle school oceanographers to research one of the following underwater robots; ABE, Herculues, ROPOS, RCV-150, Tiburon, or general purpose ROVs. An included handout guides them through information to be gathered. Each...

Begin with a demonstration of exothermic reactions and discussion of chemosynthesis. Your aspiring oceanographers research vent communities and then craft a mural of a vent community. This is a terrific method of introducing learners to...

Junior oceanographers and underwater geologists describe the four major steps of mass spectrometry. They compete in small groups to simulate the tracking of a deepwater methane plume using imaginary autonomous underwater vehicles. Give...

Oceanographers participate in a memorable hands on experience about buoyancy. They build a model of a submersible using a plastic bottle and a balloon. Afterward, they answer assessment questions. An answer key and some terrific...

Our oceans are composed of many complex relationships. Young oceanographers explore relationships between organisms, understand the world ocean's currents, and discover the effects of water pollution and how it behaves. There are three...

The fascinating video "Changing Planet: Fresh Water in the Arctic," introduces your oceanographers to the world's gyres. They learn that melting sea ice is making the gyres larger, and that the changes could, in turn, contribute even...