Aquarium of the Pacific
Kelp Forest Conservation
There otter be a better way. As a class, groups work together to create a food web based on the organisms in the kelp forest. Budding scientists watch a video on the kelp forest to see how the organisms create a food web and hear about...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ocean Drifters
Take a drift in the ocean. Class members watch a video on plankton, the drifters of the ocean. Scholars find out about the different types of plankton and sea jellies. To add a little variety, they use the aquarium webcams to study sea...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Kelp Forest Habitat
What forest is in the ocean? The class watches a video that introduces the kelp forest and the parts of kelp. Learners dive into the ocean and see what different species live near the canopy, the midwater, and the bottom of the kelp...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Think Like a Scientist
Scholars watch a video and meet a scientist who is studying sharks as she explains her observations about the sharks and provides her hypothesis to explain their behavior. Learners then act like a scientist as they watch an aquarium...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Amazing Adaptations
We can all adapt. Classmates watch a video about the adaptations of sea horses that allow them to eat and move. They then watch penguins on webcams to see what adaptations help the penguins find food, move, and avoid predators. Finally,...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sensational Sharks
Pray that you are not the prey of sharks! The class watches a video and a webcam on sharks and make observations about the different types of sharks. Learners compare two sharks and list their similarities and differences. They then...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Fish for a Day
A short video shows how a scuba divers' equipment relates to major parts of a fish. Learners draw two fish and identify what aspects are the same and which are different. The scholars then draw a scuba diver, making sure they provide all...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ocean Habitats
Watch what happens in an underwater wonderland! Pupils view a video about two specific ocean habitats and complete a worksheet by placing the fish species into the correct habitat. They then take a deeper look into the ocean habitats by...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Rainbow Water Stacking – Density and Salinity
Create layers of water. Pupils investigate different densities of colored water caused by salinity by trying to stack layers of water. Scholars compare two water samples to determine which is the most dense. As the class members work...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Lego Molecules
Young scientists construct an understanding of molecular compounds in this hands-on science lesson. Using LEGO® to model the atoms of different elements, students build molecules based on the chemical formulas of common compounds.
Aquarium of the Pacific
States of Matter: Making Ice Cream
Who knew that learning about the states of matter could taste so sweet? This fun hands-on lesson captures the attention of learners as they use what they know about solids, liquids, and gases to create their very own batch of ice cream.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Turn a Cow into a Whale
Third graders explore animals that might have a common ancestor and resemble one another. For this cow and whale lesson plan, 3rd graders recognize the similarities between the whale and the cow. Students complete worksheets based on...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ecosystem Comparison
Fifth graders examine plants and animals in two ecosystems and compare them. In this ecosystem survival lesson plan, 5th graders compare and contrast a coral reef and kelp forest ecosystem. Students investigate the abiotic and biotic...