The Homework Files: Exploring Oceans

THE MIGHTY OCEANS:
http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/habitats/oceans/
http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/

Start your student investigations off with an overview of the mighty oceans, with sea life forms, marine food chains, coral reefs, and creatures of the deep all introduced.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

OCEANS ALIVE!
http://www.mos.org/oceans/
http://www.mos.org/oceans/resources/index.html

With over 70% of our planet covered by water, it's a good thing for students to understand the oceans. Start with The Water Cycle here, where students are invited to build their own water cycle models, then hop over to Physical Features of the Ocean, and Ocean Profiles. Students can also research the effects of tides, currents, wind, and waves, and then go on to explore life at different zones in the sea - this topic would make a great, wall-length poster for a dedicated group of students. The 2nd link above offers a variety of excellent student opportunities to extend their learning or to complete a creative project on ocean themes.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

THE SAVAGE SEAS:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageseas/

PBS offers this excellent online resource on the stormy oceans. Understand the Power of Waves, Tsunamis, the Winds of Trade, and animate a wave machine. Are there monsters beneath the sea? Find out about giant squids, and you decide. Journey to the bottom of the ocean floor, or simulate what it's like in the deepest, darkest sea. Ice, icebergs, El Nino, global warming, and cyclones of the sea can all be explored under "The Weather Factory". Lots of animations and videos keep this site exciting for student investigations and possible research topics.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

BLUE PLANET - THE SEA LIFE:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/blueplanet/

Who can resist the tremendous and unusual varieties of sea creatures? Explore them
at this Blue Planet series website, produced by the BBC, with learning games also available. It's a great site to narrow in on a specific sea animal topic.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

HOW DEEP CAN THEY GO?
http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/oceanography_how_deep.html
http://www.extremescience.net/DeepestFish.htm
http://www.extremescience.net/howdeep2.htm
http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/ps_vents.html

Use this colorful object graph for an overview of how deep various ocean life, human life, and machines can go, and as a possible topic for student research investigations and reports. They can create their own poster, elaborating on specific attempts to charter the deep sea, how deep each item has explored, and when. The 2nd and 3rd links above provide further information on exploring deep ocean creatures and ocean zones. The 4th link offers a Smithsonian Popular Science article, "Creatures of the Thermal Vents" - fascinating!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

OCEAN SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY - JASON I:
http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/education/jason-1-game.html

Have your students research ocean topography as outlined here, and then use the game format and templates to build a class project, with mapping the oceans, winds, ocean currents, weather, and high sea adventures. Game instructions, pieces, Discovery cards, and Quiz Cards are all covered.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

SEA STATE:
http://www.vims.edu/bridge/datatip.html

What does the term "Sea State" refer to? It's the ability to forecast ocean conditions, a useful skill and help to those who spend their lives or careers upon the high seas. Learn all about it, then participate in the various activities outlined here - perfect for middle and high school ocean projects. Data activities, discussion questions, and data sheets are included.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

IN THE OCEANS:
http://www.vega.org.uk/video/programme/78
http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2001/Apr/hour1_042001.html

This resource offers an online video module to explore fish supplies in the ocean, a possible research topic for high school students. The 2nd link above explores oceans and fisheries.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

OUR RESTLESS TIDES:
http://co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/restles1.html

For those students wishing to learn more about how the tides operate, try this resource from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Six chapters online explore tidal forces, factors influencing tides, and the science of tidal prediction. Students may wish to explore building a table tide model with this research topic.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

PROJECT OCEANICA:
http://oceanica.cofc.edu/home.htm

If your students have become real oceanography experts and fans by the end of your oceans units, then visit this site for some exciting, current research going on with American high school and college students.

_______________________________________________________________________

More to be added! Send in your favorite ocean sites as well:
everydayteaching@gmail.com

RETURN TO EVERYDAY TEACHING CALENDAR & RESOURCES:
http://www.everydayteaching.com/

©2007. All rights reserved.

Reproducible for personal & educational use only. All others require permission: everydayteaching