Ocean links, lessons, and resources

National Oceans Week

By Alan Haskvitz, Reader’ Digest Hero in Education

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Haskvitz

With all the television programming on the importance of oceans it is a great theme to use when creating some new lessons in science, math, English, and social studies. Students are easily motivated by the speed and size of ocean dwellers as well as the impact the seas have on our environment. Here are some quality sites and lessons:

Oceanography

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/oceanography.html

Marine organizations

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/environment/marine.html

Zoology links

http://www.reacheverychild.com/science/zoology/zoology2.html

Simple lesson plans

Not much research necessary, but a variety of interesting slants on the ocean theme.

http://atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Ocean/

http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/science/environment/oceans/

Superior variety of lesson plans by grade level.

Spend a while here. Plenty of learning levels and ideas.

http://www.vims.edu/bridge/lesson.html

Integrated primary level plan

http://homepage.mac.com/gaylejb/Ocean/Ocean_Lesson_Plans.html

http://www.kinderplans.com/content.cfm?pageid=140

Integrated lesson plans for upper elementary

http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson060.shtml

Web quests, lesson, and even lessons about lobsters

http://www.proteacher.com/110054.shtml

NOAA Lessons

From the government for grades 5 to 12 with search engine

http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/lessonplans/lessonplans.html

From the Smithsonian

Search results for ocean including squid lessons,

http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/db/search/detail.aspx?museumid=-1&supplierid=-1&pamphletcategoryid=-1&statusid=-1&mediaid=-1&KEYWORD=ocean+&gradeid=-1&categoryid=-1

Ocean Careers

http://www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures/educators/oceancareers/

Thematic units on the ocean

An excellent selection that includes a reading list.

http://www.theteacherscorner.net/thematicunits/ocean.htm

Oceans for Life

Videos and lessons for older students

http://www.oceanslive.org/portal/

Read, Write, Think lesson on eels

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=832