Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance.  In this climate change lesson, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for...

Young scholars identify major changes in ocean temperatures during an El Nino season.  In this climate lesson students complete an Internet assignment using datasets to determine periods of El Nino.

In this oceans quiz worksheet, students complete a 10 question multiple choice quiz covering a variety of concepts related to the ocean.

Sixth graders research the average temperatures of different places on Earth. For this earth science lesson, 6th graders explain how the sun's heat cause ocean movement. They discuss how temperature change affects the weather we experience.

Students examine NASA's SeaWiFS Project Web site to explore how the SeaWiFS Project monitors environmental and climatic changes in the oceans and atmosphere. They answer questions and write a summary in support of continued funding for...

Young scholars demonstrate how the moon affects the tides, a neap tide, and spring tides by using their bodies as models. After students observe the model they created, they draw and label the diagram on a provided worksheet. They then...

High schoolers learn to use a tide table in plotting tidal curves and create a tide calendar by plotting a month-long tidal curve on an ordinary pictorial calendar.

In this tomography worksheet, students read about how tomography is used to help oceanographers learn more about the Earth's surface below the ocean. Students complete 3 short answer questions based on the reading.

Students relate the classical world to the modern world. In this map skills lesson, students turn a blank map into a colorful complete map by following step-by-step directions. This lesson allows students to connect our current geography...

Students investigate extreme weather patterns. In this current events lesson, students visit selected websites to study hurricanes and their causes. Students write reports on their findings.

Students explore the topic of oil pollution and how it affects the global ocean. They discuss oil spills in recent history and use problem solving skills to decide what strategies could be used to actually clean up an oil spill. Students...

In this basket stars learning exercise, students read a 1 page article on basket stars, define 8 vocabulary words and answer 7 short answer questions in complete sentences.

Learners predict the movement of an air borne pollutant using their understanding of air currents. They determine which governments and/or communities should be contacted to be forewarned. They also explore the properties of their...

Learners study the properties of ocean water and tides and learn about animals that live in intertidal zones. In this intertidal zone lesson, students participate in classroom stations to learn about fresh water and salt water, cold...

Seventh graders use accessible technology to explore active research projects currently taking place, choose a current research project to study and create a presentation using the information that they have gathered.

El Niño sure creates a stir when it comes around! Why not stir up your earth science class with this data analysis activity that examines the temperature and precipitation over the 2002-2003 water year. A tracking chart is provided...

El Nino, La Nina ... and the Santa Maria? The 11th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program explains the mechanism of El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Pupils use previous data to determine...

Here is a suitable set of slides to use when teaching about the layers of the atmosphere, climate, global winds, and types of clouds. These slides will support a few different lectures. You will probably want to replace the diagrams with...

Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science lesson plan, students investigate the effects of oil spills and brainstorm ideas to help companies avoid them as they create models to demonstrate their...

Students differentiate weather and climate. In this earth science lesson, students compare weather and climate in different regions of the world. They interpret weather graphs and compare isotherm lines of northern and southern hemisphere.

Plankton: so much more than just a SpongeBob character. Three different activities have kids looking at both phytoplankton and zooplankton in pictures, as well as collecting their own samples (depending on your access to a saltwater...

Discuss with your oceanographers what forces cause nearshore upwelling and downwelling. Display a line of wind vectors alongside a graph of the temperatures so that they can discover whether or not they are related. Discussion questions...

Students identify producers and consumers from marine ecosystems and describe the balance among them in the environments. After constructing a food chain from a marine ecosystem, they examine human activities that can upset the balance...

Students, after discussing oil pollution, generate solutions to an oil spill.