Ocean Life Resources
Approximately 72% of the Earth's surface is covered by a continuous body of seawater that encircles the entire globe. The world’s ocean is so big that it’s segmented into five parts: the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and the Southern Oceans. Not only is the world ocean vast and wide, but it is also deep with an average depth of 3,790 meters — almost 2-1/2 miles! As one could imagine, the ocean is teeming with marine life. The largest animal that lives in the ocean is the blue whale along with millions of tiny organisms called plankton. Other marine animals include such creatures as vampire squid, great white sharks, sea cucumbers, giant squid, bioluminescent eels, and dozens of colorful coral reef fish.
Many scientists consider the ocean the last great frontier on Earth, since humans know more about the surface of the moon than the ocean floor. So start exploring! Use the links below to build knowledge about the biodiversity that fills our oceans, and how humans interact with ocean life on an every day basis.
Articles
Creatures of the Sea
by Mary Kreul
Locate online resources on marine wildlife and learn how to integrate robust Web sites into ocean life curriculum. Links include SeaWorld, the Franklin Intitute's Treasures At Sea, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Salp Happy
by Anneke Elmhirst
Scholastic News Online |
Describes an Antarctic mission to study little-known sea creatures called salps. Follow the scientists of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as they learn about salp. Read journal entries from the scientists.
Ocean Life
Provides science, math, social studies, and art activities centering on the theme of marine life.
Ocean Life Books and Resources
This comprehensive list of resources lists the most useful educational Web sites and books to complement any lesson on ocean life.
At the Aquarium
Students learn about aquatic aquariums while exercises their language arts, social studies, math, art, and music and movement abilities.
Books for Teaching About Oceans
by Bryna Watkins and Valeta Pafford
Teacher created book list includes tips for classroom use.
Something's Fishy
Students make and record observations about how goldfish are specially adapted to live in the water.
Whales
Provides background information on whales, suggests literature tie-ins, and lists whale-themed activities.
Marine Mammals of the Arctic
Discover the many marine mammals in Arctic waters, including walruses, seals, and whales.
General Sea Life Facts
by Dan Odell
January 1,1999
Zoo biologists and research biologists answer questions on marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, porpoises and otters.
No Place Like Home
by Tiffany Chaparro
Scholastic News Online |
June 4,2007
Scientists and marine biologists had something to celebrate last week when two lost humpback whales returned to the Pacific Ocean. Delta and Dawn, the mother and baby calf, had circled the Sacramento Bay area for two weeks before going back to the ocean.
The Magic School Bus Goes to Mussel Beach
The Magic School Bus: Science Fun Activities |
Teach about life in the intertidal zone with this lesson plan from the Magic School Bus series.
by Ezra Billinkoff
Scholastic News Online | November 2,2006
What happens when some of the world's most beautiful underwater scenery disappears? According to scientists, more than half of the world's coral reefs are at risk of vanishing in the next 25 years.
Oceanography
by Lance Rennka and Robert Dietz
Grolier Online |
Oceanography is the scientific study of the Earth's oceans and their boundaries. Find out how oceanographers gather information using a wide array of technologies and methods.
by Tiffany Chaparro
Scholastic News Online | September 23,2005
Coral reef fish are endangered, but a new protection group is trying to save them.
Ocean and Sea
by Craig Amerigian and Michael Ledbetter
Grolier Online |
Describes the geologic features that oceanographers study and classifies bodies of water across the world.
Seashore Science
by Mackie Rhodes
Instructor Magazine |
Shares seashore related facts, experiments, activities, and a reproducible.
Wonderful World of Whales
by Wendy Cruikshank
Instructor Magazine |
April ,2003
Use these activities to teach about whale migration, behavior, size, blubber, and more.
Activities
Learn about Earthwatch research teams and see what its like to be an explorer. Includes Teachers Guide.
Looking at the articles, pictures, and other materials in this Research Starter may give you more ideas about the study of oceans.
Resources
Whales Extension Activities
Extension activity for Whales by Seymour Simon.
A Whale is Not a Fish Extension Activities
Extension activity for A Whale Is Not a Fish by Melvin Berger.
Starfish: The Stars of the Sea Lesson Plan
Simple, easy to read, rhyming text describes the characteristics and behavior of starfish: the stars of the sea!
Seahorse Reef Lesson Plan
This informative book by the Smithsonian Institution follows a few days in the life of a male sea horse in the coral reefs of the Central Philippines.
Clifford Saves the Whales Lesson Plan
This beginning chapter book featuring Clifford the Big Red Dog will expand children's knowledge of whales and the concept of endangered species.
Lesson Plans
Sea Otters
Students learn about the characteristics and behaviors of sea otters and other mammals. They will do so through various forms of research.
Costa Rican Sea Turtles
Students learn about Costa Rican sea turtles while also enhancing their research, vocabulary, and creative writing skills.
Discovering the Deep
by Bryna Watkins and Valeta Pafford
Presents a comprehensive, hands-on lesson unit plan about the ocean and ocean life that involves extensive reading and research.
by Jill White
This is a unit that investigates things with shells. The students take an in-depth look at animals with shells and different types of shells.
