University of Southern California
Human Impact on the Sea
How far does the human hand reach? Five interactive lessons lead classes through a unit exploring the human impact on ocean resources, pollution, and even extinction. Learners discover how their decisions affect the ocean...
University of Southern California
What Lives In The Ocean?
One of the most diverse environments on Earth is the ocean. Young scientists explore the living things found in the ocean during an exciting seven-lesson unit. Their study includes organisms from plankton to invertebrates...
University of Southern California
What Is The Ocean?
Go on a tour of the ocean through the lens of a scientist. Learners read maps of the ocean floor, study tide behavior, examine wave motion, and analyze components of soil. Each lesson incorporates a hands-on component.
Curated OER
Monterey Bay
Learners read background information about Monterey Bay, California, and conduct related experiments. In this ocean in motion instructional activity, students read information about the location, wildlife, and characteristics of Monterey...
Curated OER
Conductivity - Pass the Buoy and Pepper, Please
Buoys around our coastlines are equipped with sensory devices which monitor temperature, salinity, and water pressure. Emerging earth scientists examine some of this data and relate salinity to the electrical conductivity of the surface...
Curated OER
Game of Life
By playing this game, middle schoolers discover what happens to a fish stock when large amounts disappear.
Curated OER
Who Are the Aliens in Our Inland Seas?
Middle schoolers work in teams to research specific landforms in Great Lakes Watershed, compile information into data table, and write legend explaining landform for children's book. Students then research area surrounding landform,...
Curated OER
Coral Bleaching: Making Our Oceans Whiter
Students study coral reefs and the controversy over coral bleaching. They role-play a debate over the issue and come up with a compromise to protect the reefs and the economies that depend on them.
Curated OER
Global Warming: Life in a Greenhouse
Students investigate the evidence and consequences of global warming. They read and discuss an article, conduct a debate, evaluate their community's climate statistics, log their gas consumption for a week, and develop a panel discussion...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan fo The Magic Eyes of Little Crab
Interested in a "how and why" story to read with young students? In this storytelling lesson, readers will discuss sea creatures, focusing on practicing new terminology through retelling the story. This resource provides a list of...
Curated OER
How Can We Help?
Students explore ocean animals and their environments. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students read a story and discuss the environmental needs of animals. Students think of ways to help clean up the environment and to make...
Curated OER
Fish Are Animals Too
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.
Curated OER
Ocean Creature Classification
Students develop their own system for classifying a group of objects or organisms using observed similarities and differences. They investigate the process of scientific classification, and explain how marine organisms are classified by...
Curated OER
Stewardship Activities
In this ocean pollution activity, students read the stewardship activities for ocean pollution. Students list 3 ways to help reduce pollution. Students then draw or write the items in the correct order of decomposition along the timeline.
Curated OER
Water Environments
In this water environments worksheet, students will brainstorm limiting factors in water biomes, describe the two life zones in the ocean, and compare two types of freshwater ecosystems. This worksheet has 9 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Costa Rican Sea Turtles
Students read "One Tiny Turtle" by Nicola Davies. Using the internet, they research the characteristics of turtles off of the Costa Rica coast. In groups, they complete a worksheet and define vocabulary words they are unfamiliar with. ...
Curated OER
Influential Scientists Vocabulary Multiple Choice Worksheet
In this science vocabulary activity, students read the names of science professionals. From three choices, students choose the correct definition for each word.
Curated OER
Influential Scientists Vocabulary Quiz
In this science vocabulary worksheet, students match the names of 19 science professionals with the definition. Example: Ichthyologist (studies fish).
Curated OER
Designing Tools for Ocean Exploration
Students explore the complexity of ocean exploration and the technological applications and capabilities required for ocean exploration. They consider the importance of teamwork in scientific research projects.
American Museum of Natural History
Climate Change
It actually is possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to climate change. A slide show lesson describes how burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change. Individuals read about the scientific process and the...
Curated OER
Marine Animals on the Move
Students complete a project based on collecting satellite data aimed at finding connections between organisms and the environment. They create a final project working with a partner to share with the class.
Curated OER
Collecting Plankton
In this science worksheet, students learn facts about plankton by reading two pages of factual information. Students read about the different kinds of plankton and how it is classified. Detailed drawings are included. There are no...
Curated OER
Oceans Socratic Questioning
Students participate in a whole class discussion of ocean-floor structures and plate tectonics. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence that lead them to conclusions about the role of plate tectonics in the creation of sea-floor...
