LESSON PLANS &
ACTIVITIES
CONTRASTS IN BLUE: LIFE ON THE
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/contrast/cover.html
“The
striking contrasts between these two dynamic ecosystems are the theme of this
website and are among the many topics visitors can ponder in Exploring Marine
Ecosystems, a permanent exhibition at the Smithsonian's
THE DISAPPEARING FISH: INVESTIGATING THE
CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF THE VANISHING WILD SALMON – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990914tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on endangered species for grades 6-12. “In this lesson, students examine the theories
behind the drastic decline of the wild salmon population and the ecological
ramifications of this decline. Students will work in groups, each focusing on
one theory, to create a 'campaign' to persuade the public to help end this
destruction of the salmon population.” Excellent
DOLPHIN DEMEANOR: EXPLORING DOLPHIN
BEHAVIORS IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990706tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on dolphins for grades 6-12.
“ In this lesson, students
examine new evidence of violent behavior in dolphins as a springboard for
research on various dolphin behaviors, such as communication, feeding patterns,
group behaviors, parenting, navigation, and interactions with humans.” Excellent
THE FISH TANK – LESSON PLANS
http://members.aol.com/DonnAnCiv/TheFishTank.html#School
Lesson
plans and activities for middle school students on fish and marine life. Sections:
FISHING FOR SOLUTIONS: PROPOSALS TO
SOLVING THE GLOBAL OVERFISHING PROBLEM…. -
LESSON PLAN http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990310wednesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan for grades 6-12 on natural resources. “In this lesson, students investigate the
many ecological and economic issues related to overfishing the world's marine
resources. Working in committees, students will research the related topics of
equipment and fishing techniques, economic impact, 'by-catch,' environmental
impact and pollution, and ecosystem preservation, culminating in the drafting
of statements addressed to the other committees and to the United Nations
regarding their topics and proposals.” Excellent
IS THE ENVIRONMENT IN DEEP WATER? EXPLORING NATURAL AND HUMAN THREATS ON FRESH
WATER AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19991130tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on aquatic ecosystems for grades 6-12. “Students closely examine, in small groups,
various fresh water and marine ecosystems, researching the aquatic life they
support, threats from nature and humans, and preservation efforts. Each group
then creates a model of their researched water ecosystem that demonstrates both
physical form and the natural and human threats to this system.” Excellent
IT COMES IN WAVES: EXAMINING THE
DIFFERENT ORIGINS OF TSUNAMI WAVES AND RESEARCHING THE BEHAVIOR OF SOME RECENT
TSUNAMIS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020423tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on tsunamis for grades 6-12.
“In this lesson, students learn about the behavior and different
origins of tsunami waves, and they then research and chart the path of certain
tsunamis from recent history.” Excellent
LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLES AND THEIR SPECIAL
COMPASSES – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/09/gk2/migrationturtles.html
A lesson plan
for grades K-2 on sea turtles.
“Students will learn some basic information about leatherbacks and hypothesize
why individual leatherbacks were able to find their way from
MARINE
BIOLOGY WEBQUEST NEW!
http://www.ga.k12.pa.us/academics/US/science/mbiowqst/temp.htm
A marine biology webquest for middle school students. “You, as a marine biologist have been selected to help decipher important scientific data pertaining to life forms which have been found on a new planet, Tetramarina. There was a scientific team, headed by the world renowned Dr. Nemo, sent there to investigate the different ecosystems and inhabitants. Unfortunately the last data transmission received from the search party was incomplete, and there has been no further contact. You will observe that this last transmission also must be scientifically decoded because it is written in Latin and scrambled English! It is your job to help decipher this transmission describing the newly discovered marine species and also help to determine the environmental conditions of this new planet, Tetramarina.” Excellent
NJ MARINE
SCIENCES CONSORTIUM LESSON PLANS NEW!
http://www.njmsc.org/Education/Lesson%20Plans/Lesson_Plans_Main.htm
Twenty-five lesson plans on marine science topics with
grade levels ranging from K-12.
Examples: Build-A-Fish, Clarity and Turbidity, Homes for Hermit Crabs,
Mapping the Ocean Floor. Excellent
OCEAN
ECOSYSTEMS – LESSON PLANS NEW!
http://www.eagle.ca/~matink/themes/Biomes/oceans.html#LES
Links to oceanography websites and 24 lesson plans. Also in Websites section. Excellent
OCEAN ENVIRONMENTS THEMATIC UNIT NEW!
http://www.mcps.org/ces/connect/ocean/frames.html
A
thematic unit for 5th grade students on the ocean and marine
life. “This is a 12 to 16-week interdisciplinary ocean environments unit for
teachers of Grade 5 to use with their students. It emphasizes investigation and
understanding of our ocean environments - including their geological, physical,
and biological characteristics. It also stresses awareness of public policy
decisions related to the assessment of marine organism populations and
pollution prevention.”
Excellent
OCEAN EXPLORER – NOAA -
LESSON PLANS NEW!
http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/about/about.html
Over 130 lesson plans on ocean sciences. “Each hands-on lesson includes the following sections: Focus Questions, Learning Objectives, Teaching Time, Seating Arrangement, Background Information, a step-by-step Learning Procedure, The “Me” Connection, Connections to Other Subjects, Evaluations, Extensions, Resources, Student Handouts, and connections to daily expedition Web logs. Each activity is correlated to the National Science Education Standards and has Adaptations for Teachers of Deaf Students.” Excellent
OCEAN QUEST 2001
– STUDY UNIT 
http://www.iwebquest.com/oceans/teachers2.htm
An entire unit of study on the oceans. Includes activities, experiments, links and
more. Excellent
OCEAN REPORT- GUIDE FOR EDUCATORS NEW!
http://www.kidsnet.org/seaweb/
A major
curriculum project on Ocean life for grades 4-8. “Amid the sounds of waves washing
on shore and seagulls crying, listeners of National Public Radio, Voice of
Now, KIDSNET and SeaWeb have compiled many of these shorts along with background information and hands-on activities designed to help students in grades 4-8 discover how important the ocean is in all our lives. Listed below are the three main parts of the guide. Clicking on a link will take you to a menu of background topics and corresponding activities. You can also find activities by clicking on the "Activities" link that appears at the top of every page. Note that part three is a wrap-up for the entire guide and contains lots of ideas for putting what students learn to work in your community. Part One: Precious, Threatened Oceans Part Two: Teeming with Life: Amazing Ocean Creatures Part Three: Protecting Our Seas: How You Can Help” Excellent
OCEANS AND UNDERSEA LIFE – THEMATIC UNIT NEW!
http://www.libsci.sc.edu/miller/Ocean.htm
A thematic unit for grades K-5 on the oceans and undersea life. Includes: Objectives, Classroom Décor, Literature/English, Discussion Questions, Poetry/Songs, History/Social Studies, Math, Health/Science, More Discussion Questions, Arts/Crafts, Internet Resources, Workbook/Activity Resources, Video Resources, Sea-Faring Recipes, Book Selections, Interactive Multimedia, Culminating Activity and Evaluation. Excellent
OCEANS – CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES NEW!
http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/education/activities.html
Lots of classroom activities focusing on Climate, Oceans and Life. All deal in some way with oceanography. Excellent
OCEANS OF DATA-
INTERDISCIPLINARY MATH/SCIENCE UNIT FOR K-12
NEW!
http://mathforum.org/workshops/usi/dataproject/index.html
An interdisciplinary math/science project for K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. “offers the deep sea diving records from the Ocean Planet Exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History along with a lesson for K to 12 students to explore the data. Students are directed to create spread sheets and graphs, engage in discussion questions, and explore links to related WWW ocean sites.” Includes a series of experiments and activities, all based on deep ocean diving data. Excellent
ON THE ATTACK: EXPLORING HOW GOVERNMENT
RESTRICTIONS, OVERFISHING, AND ECOSYSTEM CHANGES AFFECTED SHARK BEHAVIOR IN
SUMMER 2001 – LESSON PLAN http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010911tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on sharks for grades 6-12. “In
this lesson, students explore how government restrictions and overfishing
impact the ecosystems of sharks and contribute to or curb their danger to
humans. Students then synthesize their understanding of the issues by working
in groups to develop board games and by assessing games created by other
groups” Excellent
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g35/ccseaswhale.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on pilot whales. “This lesson asks students to consider why so many whale species can survive within one area of the ocean. Different whale species feed at different depths, and scientists believe that this difference is likely a major factor in permitting so many species to live in one area. Students will discuss how this fact allows pilot whales to thrive, and they will consider how Crittercam can be used to help us learn about pilot whales' deepwater feeding behaviors. They will conclude by writing dialogues pretending that they are scientists taking curious vacationers on a tour to see pilot whales and answering questions about the whales' feeding behaviors and ecological niche.” Excellent
RESCUE AT SEA: MARINE CONSERVATION- A
SCIENCE LESSON PLAN - LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19980922tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A lesson plan on marine scientists for grades 6-12. “In this lesson, students examine stereotypes that they may have regarding scientists. Students then read and discuss 'Scientist at Work: High Seas Hunter Pleads for Preservation of Fish' and reflect on the work of a Marine Conservationist and how one particular scientist 'breaks the mold' of their previous concepts of scientists.” Excellent
RESPECT THE BEACH – LESSON PLANS NEW!
http://www.surfrider.org/programs/respectthebeach.htm
“Respect the Beach is a coastal educational program that
includes field trips, classroom lectures, handouts, video, interactive computer
applications and hands-on projects designed to teach ocean safety, marine
ecology and coastal areas stewardship to K-12 students and community groups.” Includes
two sets of activity plans for elementary students: Beachology and Watershed
Works. Excellent
SEA NO EVIL: INVESTIGATING MARINE LIFE
AT VARIOUS DEPTHS - LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010102tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on sea life for grades 6-12. “In
this lesson, students research the characteristics of marine life at different
ocean depths. They then use their findings as the basis for a classroom 'Life
Under the Sea' museum exhibit.” Excellent
SUNKEN HAZARD: INVESTIGATING POTENTIAL
EFFECTS OF THE PRESTIGE OIL SPILL – LESSON PLAN http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20021120wednesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on ocean pollution for grades 6-12. “In this lesson, students will use information
about past oil spills to predict potential effects of the Prestige spill on the
environment, on marine life, and on the human culture and economy of
northwestern coastal Spain. Students will take on the roles of experts giving
advice to the emergency management team that is handling the oil spill off the
coast of
TALKING TRASH ABOUT THE OCEANS: CREATING
A COMMUNITY SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO STOP OFFSHORE DUMPING – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000718tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan for grades 6-12 on pollution.
“In this lesson, students create a community service advertising
campaign that raises awareness about the importance of keeping trash out of the
marine ecosystem. Students work in teams to create different ad campaigns
geared toward particular target audiences. Students implement their plans by
producing posters promoting their messages.” Excellent
A WHALE OF A DIFFERENCE: EXPLORING
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON COMMERCIAL WHALING IN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020529wednesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson on whales for grades 6-12. “In
this lesson, students research various perspectives on
A WHALE OF A PROBLEM: INVESTIGATING THE
EFFECTS OF TOURISM AND OTHER VARIABLES ON THE KILLER WHALE POPULATION – LESSON
PLAN
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20011016tuesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons
A
lesson plan on killer whales for grades 6-12.
“In this lesson, students will evaluate the possible causes
contributing to the decline of the killer whale population from a number of
differing perspectives. Students then present their findings in a talk show
format and in letters of advocacy regarding the killer whale's inclusion in or
exclusion from the endangered species list.”
Excellent
WHALES – BLUBBER FAT JACKET CLASSROOM
ACTIVITY http://www.rom.on.ca/wwatch/teachers-kit/fat.html
Why
is blubber a good insulator? Students
find out when they use “blubber” to insulate them from ice. Excellent
WOODS HOLE
SEA
http://www.sea.edu/k12LessonPlans/k12pgmtop.htm
A long list of K-12 lesson plan on the oceans and sea life from the Woods Hole Oceanography Institute. Excellent
AQUARIUM HABITATS – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g35/aquarium.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-5
on aquarium habitats. “In this lesson, students will consider the
ways that people attempt to create aquariums that provide realistic habitats
for marine animals. They will use the Internet to "visit" three
aquarium habitats and determine whether these aquariums succeed in providing
high-quality environments for the animals that live in them. Students will
conclude by designing their own aquarium habitats based on what they have learned.” Very
Good
ARE SHARKS AS DANGEROUS AS WE THINK THEY
ARE? – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g35/dangershark.html
A
lesson plan about sharks for grades 3-5 in which students study shark behavior
and they real threat they pose compared to the myths. Very Good
BELUGA WHALES IN
THE ICE – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/09/gk2/migrationbeluga.html
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on beluga whales. “Students will view and sketch photographs of ice at different stages of thickness, look at pictures of belugas, and discuss how belugas' bodies are adapted to life in the ice. They will conclude by writing and illustrating paragraphs about how belugas survive in the ice and where the whales go when the ice becomes too thick.” Very Good
THE BEST HOPE FOR NORTHERN RIGHT WHALES –
LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g912/righthope.html
A lesson plan on right whales
for grades 9-12. “This lesson asks students to research current and
proposed methods of assisting the recovery of northern right whale populations.
Students will conduct Internet research to investigate the best strategies to
help save right whales.” Very Good
BOUNCY BLUBBER – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=10
A
lesson plan in which students look at the current research that shows that
marine mammal blubber may serve more functions than as insulation to keep the
animals warm. Very Good
COLLABORATIVE THEMATIC UNIT – WHALES 
http://www.libsci.sc.edu/miller/whales.htm
A
unit for grades K-3 on whales. Very Good
CORAL BLEACHING: MAKING OUR OCEANS
WHITER – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/04/g68/bowercoral.html
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 in which students study coral reefs and determine
the factors that are killing the corals and possible ways to halt further
destruction. Very Good
ECHOES: WHAT ANIMALS CAN TEACH
SCIENTISTS - LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/gk2/ballardechoes.html
A lesson plan for grades K-2
on sonar. “In
this lesson, students will learn how scientists like Robert Ballard use sonar
to investigate the depths of the ocean. They will learn that some animals have
an unusual way of figuring out what is around them in the dark. They will study
the echolocation capabilities of bats and think about how ocean scientists can
learn from these animals to develop deep-sea exploration techniques.” Very
Good
FOOD WEBS IN THE BAY – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=97
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 in which students examine the aquatic ecosystem of a
bay and the plants and animals that live there.
Very Good
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g912/geoactreef.html
A
lesson plan for grades 9-12 in which students examine coral reefs and their
importance to the ecosystem and conservation efforts. Very Good
INTO THE OCEAN – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/gk2/doubiletocean.html
A
lesson plan in which students study the different ecosystems within the oceans
and the kinds of adaptations animals and plants have developed to allow them to
exist at the various depths and conditions.
Very Good
INTRODUCTION TO WAVES – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/07/gk2/wavesintro.html
A
lesson plan for primary students in which they study what causes ocean waves
and the components of waves. Very Good
LIGHTING UP THE SEA – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g35/seaslighting.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on bioluminescence. “Students will explore the reasons for bioluminescence by conducting a simulation and viewing pictures of bioluminescent marine animals on the Web. They will conclude by pretending to be deep sea divers and writing journal entries about their impressions of a bioluminescent animal they have encountered.” Very Good
LIMPET IDENTIFICATION LAB – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Biology/BIO0038.html
A lesson plan
for grades 9-12 on intertidal life forms.
“OVERVIEW: One of the
great goals of biologists through the ages has been to collect and identify as
many new animals as possible. The oceans of the world are abundant with life
forms different from terrestrial life. The intertidal areas, where land and
ocean meet, are even more richly inhabited with life. There are many varieties
of limpets found in the intertidal areas, suitable for this laboratory. PURPOSE:
Students of today need to experience the "awe" of new life forms and
to develop distinguishing or key characteristics to aid in their study of life.
Limpets provide an unusual example with the variation needed to develop
identification characteristics in similar animals.”
Very Good
MAKE A WHALE MOBILE
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/whalemobile.shtml
A class activity with Templates, a Materials List, and Instructions for making a whale mobile. Very Good
MARINE SANCTUARIES – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=273
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 in which students learn about marine sanctuaries,
their importance and their function.
Very Good
NOAA SPECIALLY FOR TEACHERS - LESSON PLANS
http://www.education.noaa.gov/teachers.html
A large number of teacher resources including lesson plans, links, and all kinds of other resources. Sections: Weather, Climate Change and Our Planet, Oceans and Coasts, Satellites and Space, and Training and Other Opportunities & External Links. Check out the Training section for Resources for Teachers – Ideas for the Classroom. Very Good Note: Also in Websites section.
OCEAN CONSERVATION: GETTING THE WORD OUT
WITH PHOTOGRAPHS – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/g68/doubiletconserve.html
A lesson plan for grades 6-8
on ocean conservation. “This lesson will help students understand that
geography is not just a school subject but also an important field that enables
people to make sense of the world and prepare for the future. Students will
think about how various geographical pursuits can help in this planning
process. They will concentrate on how photography can contribute to the process
by looking at pictures by undersea photographer David Doubilet.” Very
Good
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/g35/ballardmuseum.html
A
lesson plan for grades 3-5 in which students learn about the latest findings in
oceanographic research and study the work of Dr. Robert Ballard, an
oceanographic explorer. Very Good
OCEAN IN A BOTTLE – LESSON PLAN
http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/activity/ocean/oc-1.html
A
lesson plan for grades 4-6 from the Franklin Institute showing students that
our oceans are a closed system. Very
Good
OCEANS LESSONS NEW!
http://www.mcps.org/ces/connect/ocean/lessons/lessons.html
A page of lesson plans on the ocean. Very Good
AN ORCA ODYSSEY – LESSON PLAN 
http://schoolcentral.com/whale/htm/TeacherHome.htm
A
lesson plan for upper elementary students studying the life cycle of the orca
whale. Very Good
PILOT WHALES SOCIAL BEHAVIOR – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g68/ccseaswhale.html
A lesson plan for grades 6-8
on pilot whales. “Pilot whales are extremely
social animals, living in pods that sometimes contain hundreds of individuals.
Their social bonding is so strong that they sometimes follow each other to
their deaths upon beaches, an event which happened in 2002 on
THE PROS AND CONS OF ARTIFICIAL REEFS –
LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/08/g912/artificialreefs.html
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on artificial reefs, how they are created, how they
function and whether we should continue to create them. Very Good
RIGHT WHALES AND PEOPLE – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/gk2/rightpeople.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on right whales. “This lesson introduces students to a highly endangered species—the northern right whale—and asks them to think about how this species' geographical distribution places it in direct contact with human threats such as ships. Students will draw pictures of right whales and add commercial ships and other human activities to their drawings. They will conclude by writing sentences explaining how the whales they have drawn might be affected by the human activities and what might be done to help the whales.” Very Good
THE ROCKY SHORE NEW!
http://projects.cce.ac.nz/primary/it372/shirleyr/rockyseashore1.html
A primary level
learning project on the rocky shore.
Sections: What is the
SHARK SURPRISE – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/gen_act/fishy/shark1.html
Students
create a deck of cards with fish pictures on them. They then play a matching card game. Very Good
SLICK SEA SPILLS – LESSON PLAN
http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/activity/earth/earth-2.html
A
lesson plan for grades 4-6 from the Franklin Institute on what happens in an
oil spill and how it affects the ecosystem.
Very Good
SOMETHING FISHY – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Animals/ANM0053.html
A lesson plan for grades 6-9 on fish. “This lesson affords students an opportunity to synthesize what they have learned about the anatomy of fish with their knowledge of ocean environments and organism's methods of adapting to survive. The problem can be expanded to include other sea creatures and environments.” Very Good
SOMETHING FISHY: LIFE CYCLE OF A SALMON
– LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Animals/ANM0204.html
An
Ask Eric lesson plan for grades 3-5 on the life cycle of a salmon. Very Good
SUBMARINES: THE CLASSROOM FLEET – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/13/gk2/k19subs.html
A lesson plan for grades K-2
on submarines. “This lesson introduces students to the
submarine as a means of travel under the sea, and to the challenges humans face
when traveling underwater. Students will learn that submarines, like other
boats, can travel on the surface of the sea, but they can also submerge to
travel underwater. They will look at pictures of submarines on National
Geographic's K-19 and Other
Subs in Peril Web site, and review the basic construction of submarines and the
underwater environment in which they travel. Students will conclude by creating
a mural in their classroom featuring a fleet of their own model submarines and
examples of marine life that might be encountered on a journey under the sea.” Very
Good
UNDERWATER ANIMALS – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/exploringunderwater/
A
USING PHOTOGRAPHY TO HELP SAVE THE
OCEANS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/18/g35/doubiletphoto.html
Students
view the photography of David Doubilet and other underwater photographers and
see how photographs can teach us about our impact on the oceans. They then choose one of the creatures shown
to study. Very Good
WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE MANATEES –
LESSON PLANS
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g68/manateeworking.html
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 in which students study the impact of humans on
manatee populations and write speeches urging manatee protection. Very Good
WHALES – A THEMATIC WEB UNIT
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/Whales/home.html
A thematic web unit for cooperative learning across an integrated curriculum. Table of Contents: Teacher Resources, Student Activities, Whale Projects, Internet Resources and more.
Very Good
WHO PAYS THE PRICE WHEN A SEA DISAPPEARS? –
LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g68/disappear.html
A
lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the
ALL ABOUT FISH – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Animals/ANM0210.html
A
lesson plan on fish for 1st grade.
“This activity can be used to supplement a unit about fish. After
learning about the characteristics of fish, students create a class Venn
diagram comparing and contrasting humans and fish.” Good
FINS, FLIPPERS AND BLOWHOLES – LESSON PLAN
http://connectedteacher.classroom.com/lessonplans/content/TWI_SC_K6_FinsLP.pdf
An elementary lesson plan on whales with information on determining the difference between whales and sharks. Includes Lesson Plan and Activity Sheet. Good
THE MARINE FOOD CHAIN – LESSON PLAN
http://www.engagingscience.org/lessons/5424259.asp
A
lesson plan for grades 3-7 on the marine food chain. Good
OCEAN ANIMALS – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Animals/ANM0042.html
A
lesson plan on marine life for grades K-2.
“The students will be able to identify pictures of animals verbally.
The students will be able to match animal pictures.” Good
OCEAN CURRENTS – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceOceanCurrents78.htm
A lesson plan
for grades 7-8 on ocean currents. “Students will be divided into 5 groups.
Each group will be assigned so many grams of salt, a color, and specific
temperature of water for mixing in the 100 ml beakers. (Note: The water
temperature should be approx. 50 degrees in the half filled fish tank.) Each group will be creating a table to
record the following data: Weight of the beaker. Weight of the beaker and water
at the assigned temperature in degrees Fahrenheit before adding the salt.
Weight of the beaker and water weight at assigned temperature in degrees
Fahrenheit after adding the salt.” Good
OCEAN FLOOR MAPPING – SEEING SOUND AND
SONAR LESSON PLAN
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci025.html
A
lesson plan for grades 7-8 in which students see how sonar is used to map the
ocean floor. Good
OCEANOGRAPHY CLASS QUILT - ACTIVITY
http://pao.cnmoc.navy.mil/educate/neptune/lesson/art/quilt.htm
A
classroom activity involving creating a quilt with each square showing a topic
from oceanography such as marine animals, waves, etc. Good
SALMON
HOMING INSTINCTS – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci002.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-9 on the homing instincts of salmon. “In this activity students can experience first hand what it is like to be a returning salmon attempting to find its home by
smell. This activity provides for the entire class to participate in the life cycle of the Pacific salmon and the hazards of their journey.” Good
SEA SERPENTS AND
http://theshadowlands.net/serpent.htm
A speculative site that discusses the tales about sea serpents and how some sea creatures thought extinct have been found. Not meant to be taken too seriously. Good
SEAHORSES – DOCSLAW SEAWORLD NEW!
Information and photos of seahorses and pipe fish. Sections: Seahorses, Pipefish, Keeping, Breeding, Gallery, Exotic, Links, and Tanks. Good
SEARCH FOR THE HUMPBACK WHALE –
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/gen_act/ocean/humpback.html
A
classroom activity for middle school students on humpback whales. Good
UNDERSTANDING WAVES – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci073.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on waves. “Children are to understand the terms "crest " and "trough" as related to waves. They are to use a hands-on method using toys to become aware that waves are in air, water and light.” Good
WHALE ECHOLOCATION LESSON PLAN
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci165.html
A
lesson plan for grades 2-4 on how whales use echolocation to track an
object. Good
WHY IS THE SEA SALTY? – LESSON PLAN NEW!
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci166.html
A lesson plan for K-3 on seawater. “For students to observe how salt concentrationincreases in water. Also, how the salt remains after the water evaporates.” Good
ZAPPING FISH – LESSON PLAN
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=54
A
lesson plan in which students learn why fish do not get electrocuted when
lightning strikes the water. Good
WEBQUESTS
BLACK SMOKERS WEBQUEST NEW!
http://science.uniserve.edu.au/school/quests/hydroventwq.html
A webquest for middle/junior
students on hydrothermal vents. “In this WebQuest you will be working together with a
group of students in class. Each group will answer the Task or Quest(ion). As a
member of the group you will explore Web pages from people all over the world
who know about 'Black Smokers'. Because these are real Web pages we're tapping
into, not things made just for schools, the reading level might challenge you.
Feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or one in your classroom. You'll begin with everyone in your group
getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team
become experts on one part of the topic.”
Excellent
DOLPHIN RESCUE AND RECOVERY WEBQUEST
http://www.esc20.net/etprojects/formats/webquests/summer99/northside/endanger/default.html