These lesson plans in life sciences, physical science, chemistry and engineering link to projects of NOAA's Aquarius undersea research station. Topics include the: impacts of buoyancy, pressure and light on underwater research; effects of physical oceanography on coral reefs; effects of water temperature on the coral/zooxanthellae symbiosis; engineering of AUVs; fish survey techniques; chemical ecology; ... Full description.

Set of six interdisciplinary lesson plans from the Smithsonian, complementing their online "Ocean Planet" exhibit. Topics include: ocean bottom features and seafloor mapping; marine habitats and biodiversity; consumer goods from the ocean; oil spills impacts and solutions; causes of marine strandings; ocean-inspired vocabulary. Units contain: background; instructions for the teacher; maps, data and ... Full description.

Marine video programs designed to enhance science education in middle schools. Broad range of ocean science topics, participating teachers can download teaching guides. Archived program packets are downloadable as pdf files. Fees apply for purchase of videos. Full description.

Award-winning ideas from SEA Semester's educators. This collection of over 25 lesson plans covers topics in marine biology, coastal ecology, chemical and physical oceanography, seafloor geology and nautical science. Each plan includes target grades, keywords, introduction and background, advice on how to best integrate the activities into classroom curriculum, instructions and tips, materials list, ... Full description.

These very complete and teacher-friendly lesson plans target the New Jersey (Atlantic) coast, but most could be easily adapted to other regions. Topics covered: beach profiling; beach zonation; horseshoe crabs; hermit crabs; fish anatomy; mollusks; sea shells; estuaries; currents; seafloor mapping; water quality; water clarity; oxygen; pH; plankton; salinity; food web; marshes. Plans include: objectives; ... Full description.

Part of a set of multidisciplinary lesson plans from the Smithsonian, this lesson plan examines the marine environment and how human activities can upset the delicate balance. Includes downloadable student activities, and tips on engaging students. Background material and most of the materials are provided. The "Resources" link provides an abundance of additional information, in the form of links ... Full description.

What does over-fishing mean? What are the effects of over-fishing on fish stocks? Through the game in this lesson, students will understand the effects of over-fishing on the sustainability of fish stocks and, thus, the ability to meet the human demand for seafood. Full description.

Students investigate parts of ocean waves and their measurements. An on-line wave simulator allows then to study the effects of wave height, length and period on a boat's movements. Using records of tsunami waves, students compare these heights to familiar landmarks and test a hypothesis about possible relationships between wave height and ocean size and depth. Full description.

Lesson plan on floods provides background information, compares the roles of wetlands and flood plains in a river's natural flood control with the pros and cons of engineered flood control. Includes glossary, resources and additional sources of information, discussion questions. Student activity demonstrates water movement on a wide flood plain and narrow channel. Full description.

Unit from Smithsonian multidisciplinary ocean curriculum. Lesson plan focuses on ocean bottom features including continental shelf, deep ocean plain, and mid-ocean ridges. Students study the discovery and mapping of seafloor features, learn to read seafloor maps, then create a map of Atlantic seafloor features. Unit includes: background essay; teacher instructions; maps and forms for student activity; ... Full description.