This article discusses the different zones of light that exist within the ocean and how the varying degrees of sunlight and total darkness affect what lives in each zone. Specifically, it covers: the photic zone, the only region where plants and organisms that depend on photosynthesis can live; the aphotic zone, where light is too dim for photosynthesis and organisms rely on detritus (bits of decaying ... Full description.

In this activity students will become familiar with oceanography terms by writing an oceanography horror story. Terms include sea floor features, marine organisms, oceanographic sampling, and creative writing. Students can use their imaginations to good advantage in this activity, but they must get the facts right! For example, they can change one characteristic of an organism, such as increasing ... Full description.

In this lesson students will investigate sampling strategies for biological communities in the ocean to see how well biological samples represent the actual communities from which they are taken. As a result of this activity, they will be able to identify the three realms of the Arctic Ocean and describe the relationships between these realms. They will also learn the concepts of sampling at intervals ... Full description.

This tutorial describes animals and plants that have adapted to urban environments. It defines terms such as urban and wilderness, and introduces aphids and their relation to ladybugs, spiders and their relation to bugs, and species of birds and scavengers that have done well in human-made landscapes. A quiz is available. Full description.

This website provides students with an introduction to the history of life and how it resulted in today's biodiversity. There are three tiers of difficulty available for different grade levels. During this tour students learn about geologic time, fossils, ancestral relationships, cladograms, variation, natural selection, and extinction. Students learn that life has been around for a very long time ... Full description.

This article explains why the study of paleontology is important to science education. Topics include the basic methods and goals of paleontology, how it is relevant to the modern world, and why paleontology can be useful in keeping students involved and interested in science. Links to additional information are embedded in the text. Full description.

This lesson plan includes a teacher's demonstration and a slideshow tutorial. The purpose of this activity is to introduce students to the concept of biological invasions in aquatic environments as well as the development of public policy as it relates to the ocean. At the end of the lesson, students will understand that ballast water is water used on board ships to stabilize them in the water allowing ... Full description.

This site gives students a chance to get acquainted with some of the most fearsome and fascinating creatures that roam the ocean's depths. The information includes habitat, average adult size, natural history, range, and a photograph. Areas covered include the kelp forests, the food chain, animals with venom, fish with bioluminescence, sharks, whales, coral reefs, and animals living in areas of upwelling. ... Full description.

This site explains the geologic history of the Lake Temiskaming area in Quebec. With the help of a series of maps and animations, visitors can see how the continents came together and drifted apart from the Orovician Period (about 500 million years ago), to the Late Permian (about 260 million years ago), and on to the Late Creataceous period (about 70 million years ago), when the shapes of our modern ... Full description.

This six-day unit provides an in-depth look at the dynamic forces at work on the sea floor. Throughout the unit, students collect their findings in a portfolio. The comprehensive curriculum materials include teacher tools with individually downloadable readings, detailed daily breakdowns of tasks that include teacher strategies for using the activities, a portfolio grading sheet, a project rubric ... Full description.