Endangered Oceans Activities

Our oceans and many of the creatures that live in them are in big trouble!  We must do everything we can to protect them!

The ocean covers more than seventy percent of the surface of the earth.  Our oceans are in trouble as the result of pollution and over fishing.  Many species of marine wildlife are in danger of extinction, and our coral reefs, wetlands, and kelp forests are disappearing.  It is important that we teach children about protecting our oceans which are a major source of resources for our planet.

Activities:

To teach the concept of entanglement which is one of the greatest dangers to sea turtles and shorebirds, give each student a rubber band which they loop around their thumb and fourth finger.  They must try to get the rubber band off without using their other hand. 

Clean up an oil spill:  Fill a tub with water. an oil spill. Get used oil from an automotive shop and pour some into tubs. Give the students, detergent, sponges, strainers, alum, coffee filters, etc. Each group tries to get their water as clean as possible.  

Experiment with an algae bloom:  Get two glass jars and fill them with water.  Place a water plant in each jar.  Label one jar pond water and the other jar fertilized water.  Place 1/4 teaspoon of liquid lawn fertilizer in the jar labeled fertilized water.  Stir it thoroughly to dissolve.  Place the jars in sunlight.  Observe the jars and record any observations daily.  The second week, place another 1/4 teaspoon of liquid lawn fertilizer in the jar.  Students should notice that the pond plant in the fertilized jar is rapidly growing and taking up all the space in the jar.  Algae blooms in the oceans can decrease light penetration, causing seagrass beds to die and deplete oxygen levels in the water., If there were fish in the jar, the fish would die because of the plant overgrowth.

Fish Tales is a wonderful activity about the effects of pollution on marine life.

Read books about the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Play the game Turtle Hurdles from Aquatic Project Wild

Adopt a sea turtle

Back to Under the Sea  ~  Fishy Links - Ocean Life Links ~ Teacher's Guide

Fishy Tales - Student Storybooks for Under the Sea ~  Fishy Fun

Dauphin Island Sea Lab

 © 2001 S. Seagraves

Be sure to visit our classroom web site for more thematic units, lesson plans and online activities

 Mrs. Seagraves' QUEST Class