Grade 6 - Exploring the Ocean
SUMMARY
A 5-7 Week Science Unit for Middle School Level.
This unit is designed for sixth grade, but could be adapted for 5th-8th grades. Students learn about the exploration of deep sea canyons, seamounts, and the Bering Sea. They develop an understanding of how technology is used to explore the ocean by participating in a deep sea sampling simulation, creating a bathymetric map, and assuming the role of scientists using hydrophones to locate whales. They then explore their local waters using sampling techniques to discover the plants and animals. Finally, they explore a new ocean topic and present their knowledge to others.
Essential Questions
- How can technology help us explore the ocean?
- Why do we want to explore the ocean?
Enduring Understandings
- The ocean is largely unexplored.
- Humans must use ingenious ways to study the ocean.
- Exploration leads to discovery.
- Science and technology can be used to detect and solve problems.
Ocean Literacy Principle Addressed
- The Earth has one big ocean with many features.
- The ocean makes Earth habitable.
- The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.
- The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.
- The ocean is largely unexplored.
LESSON PLANS
The Excitement of Exploration
In this 3-4 day investigation, students explore seven reasons for exploration, then embark on an imaginary journey to the Bering Sea. They learn about submarine research, discuss Robert Ballard, and research ocean explorers.
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Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project
Canyons in the Sea
In this 5-7 day investigation, students explore sea exploration vehicles, study deep-sea canyons in the Bering Sea, and create a mural of one canyon, simulating life sampling to understand its ecosystem.
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Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project
Mapping the Sea Floor
This activity leads students through a process of creating a model of the ocean floor, taking depth “soundings,” entering data into an Excel spreadsheet, and then creating a 3-D map of their ocean floor in Excel.
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Bathymetric Mapping
This activity introduces students to bathymetric and topographic maps, teaching them about contour lines, colors, and geological features. Bathymetric mapping is crucial for exploring and understanding the ocean floor in Ocean Explorer expeditions.
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Searching for Sounds in the Sea
In this 3-day investigation, students explore underwater sounds, learning about sound in water, hydrophones, and spectrograms. They simulate hydrophone use, study a researcher’s work, and identify animals by analyzing spectrograms and sounds.
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Location: Large Space
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On, Project
Exploring Our Local Waters
In this 3-4 day investigation, students go outdoors to explore their local water body, using sampling techniques to discover the plants and animals.
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Location: Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Hands-On, Project
Discovering Underwater Wonders
During this 7-8 day investigation, students create a list of ocean topics that they may have heard of or are familiar with, and then choose a topic to explore. They create a presentation to share their new knowledge with others.
View Lesson PlanAUTHORS
Holly Debenham, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District
Rebecca Himschoot, Sitka School District
Joni Scharfenberg, Fairbanks
Stephanie Hoag, Curriculum Consultant, Juneau
Marilyn Sigman, Science Content Specialist
Marla Brownlee, Alaska Sea Grant