Kindergarten - Discovering Our Blue Planet

Watershed Connectivity

The project connects students to their local environment and improves their understanding of watersheds, ecosystem connectivity, and the role of city government in protecting the environment. Students demonstrate how stormwater carries pollutants directly into nearby water ways.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Community Service, Field Trip, Hands-On, Project

Globe Toss

Students explore aquatic environments, noticing water in neighborhoods, oceans, rivers, and more. They begin their discovery with a globe game, learning about “Our Big Blue Planet.”

Location: Classroom, Large Space
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

Where does my water come from?

After listening to a story about a river, students are introduced to watersheds by simulating a watershed with crumpled paper, ink, and water. They investigate the sources of home drinking water in their community, through home inquiry and an actual or virtual field trip.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

The Missing Sea Otters

Over 4–5 days, students read a mystery about Aleutian sea otters and study a population graph. They research ecological relationships using videos, websites, and readings, then share findings and create murals of the sea otter/kelp bed ecosystem.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Multimedia, Project

The Legend of the Bidarki

Students explore the interconnections between the ocean, humans, and living things through a case study of harvesting bidarki in Port Graham and Nanwalek, reflecting on their personal connections to the ocean.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Project

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.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project

Where Did the Rubber Bath Toys Go?

Students read a true story about bath toys lost at sea. Using a world map, they track where and when the toys washed ashore, then write a hypothesis explaining how the toys traveled to those global locations.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On

Arctic Sea Ice Data

This 5-6 day investigation challenges students to think about how sea ice is changing and the effects of a warming climate on sea level in Alaska.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On

Around Our School

Children take a walk around or near the schoolyard and begin to observe, wonder, and ask questions about aquatic life.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Hands-On

Animal Habitats

Students identify specific traits of a habitat. They think about why particular animals live in various habitats and how they are well-suited for their habitat.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

Aquatic Habitats

Students identify specific traits of a habitat. They start with a familiar local habitat and then focus on aquatic habitats.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

How Do Scientists Learn About Ecosystems?

In this 3-4 day investigation, students explore the sea otter mystery, simulate scientific methods like observation and sampling, and reflect on data collection through discussions and posed questions.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

Fishing for the Future

Students discuss changes in fishing methods, then play a game to explore sustainable fishing. They simulate fishing with evolving technology across ocean areas, learning the consequences of overfishing and migration to meet needs.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

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.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project

Weather and Circulation Systems

Students explore how Alaska’s ocean currents reflect major weather patterns. They observe wave motions in a tub, map potential currents, and analyze meteorological data to evaluate how well wind patterns align with their predictions.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

Water Cycle Simulation

Students take part in a simulation of water moving through the water cycle through various paths, visiting eight stations around the classroom. They record and reflect on their journey and then build simple water cycle models using ziplock bags or jars.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

What’s in the Jars?

This activity requires a jar of water collected from a local outdoor source (ocean, pond, river) and a jar of land (soil and rocks), and allows children to begin the scientific questioning process.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

One Small Square

In this lesson, students explore a small square of their environment, using tools like survey tape and magnifying glasses to discover plants and animals. They document and share findings, comparing them to other students’ observations.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Hands-On

Dirty Water Clean Water

Students learn about water pollution and wastewater treatment through a visit from a local “expert,” and make posters or presentations to share and clarify their understanding.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Field Trip, Project

Melting Sea Ice and Sea Level

Students investigate whether melting Arctic sea ice affects sea levels by observing an ice cube melting in a cup of water. They record predictions, analyze results, and discuss how ice displacement explains why sea ice melt does not raise sea levels, with extensions exploring water density differences.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On

Water Detectives

Students become “Water Detectives,” exploring and mapping water in their neighborhoods, backyards, and nearby ecosystems. They discover water’s presence in oceans, rivers, ponds, and creeks during a walk near their school.

Location: Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

We Search

Students choose a freshwater, tide pool, or ocean animal to research. They learn that animals live in specific habitats that meet their needs and discover how to find information through books, the Internet, local observation, and experts.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Project

A Salmon’s Life Journey

Students explore the salmon life cycle and watershed connections, using cards to generate questions. They research, gather evidence, and share findings through cooperative work and poster presentations.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On, Project

Interconnections

In this 4-5 day investigation, students explore hypotheses on sea otter decline, play a food web game, predict experiment outcomes, and evaluate evidence. They diagram the food web and predict ecosystem changes based on findings.

Location: Large Space
Activity Type: Game, Project

Ocean Impacts

Students research a current ocean-related issue in small groups, using resources to create informative posters. They participate in a viewing session, asking questions about other posters and sharing their findings.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: 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.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

Waves in the Water

In this 7-10 day investigation, students explore waves and tides through discussion, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, creating marigrams and comparing tide patterns to assess the movement of bath toys to their final locations.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project, Worksheet

Biologist and Subsistence Backpacks

Children explore biologists’ and subsistence users’ roles using themed backpacks with tools like magnifying glasses and maps. Through play, activities, and discussions, they compare scientific and traditional knowledge of aquatic plants and animals.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Temperature and Sea Level Rise

Students investigate how warming seawater affects sea levels by measuring water expansion when heated. They analyze their results, discuss thermal expansion’s role in sea level rise, and explore the broader impacts of melting Arctic sea ice on climate and ecosystems.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On

Fish Finders

Students explore the needs of salmon at each stage of their life cycle, and then go into the field to investigate a local aquatic habitat and its potential as salmon habitat. NGSS-aligned Fish Finders investigation.

Location: Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On, Worksheet

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.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

Changing Landscape

Changing Landscape asks students to analyze “repeat photographs” (taken from the same vantage point at different times) of Alaska glaciers to observe the effects of retreating glaciers on the landscape.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Multimedia

Let’s Make a Map

Students develop a map based on recent “water detective” explorations.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Alaska Waters Discovery Centers

Children explore discovery centers with tools, games, and hands-on activities like sand and water tables. They learn about aquatic animals and environments, sharing observations and practicing scientific thinking through open-ended play.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Brine Shrimp, Amazing Survivors!

Students set up experiments to test their predictions about what brine shrimp eggs need to hatch and to grow. They make daily observations, ask questions, and record and share information.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

Our Nearby Ecosystem

Over 4–5 days, students prepare for and complete a field trip to apply skills from the sea otter mystery. Activities may include ecosystem mapping, a stream walk, or a coast survey. Back in class, they analyze and share their findings.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Hands-On, Project

Human Impact Survey

Students plan and carry out a survey of human impacts to a local aquatic environment. They analyze their findings and prepare to share them with the community.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Project

Tides

Students explore tides through discussion, a NOAA tutorial, and group activities to understand their causes, predictability, and connection to waves and currents.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project

Field Session

Students apply classroom knowledge and nature walk experiences to observe and measure local habitats. They explore, conduct “timed counts” of organisms, and focus individually on a small area for further study.

Location: Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

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.

Location: Large Space
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On, Project

Take a Close Look

Show students the jar of water that they looked at in activity What’s in the Jars? Ask students what they notice about the water in the jar. Students will make an entry in their science notebooks, carefully drawing what they see.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Shells: Take a Closer Look

Children explore shells through observation, drawing, and writing. They compare shells, record details in notebooks, and use descriptions to identify each other’s shells, fostering observation skills, collaboration, and descriptive language use.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Make Your Own Watershed

Students explore the salmon life cycle and watershed connections, using cards to generate questions. They research, gather evidence, and share findings through cooperative work and poster presentations.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

Friends of the Sea

Students discuss stewardship actions and develop an action plan that they will carry out as a class. They host a “Friends of the Sea” party to involve the school and community in their stewardship efforts and to share the results of their investigations.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: 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.

Location: Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Hands-On, Project

Tide Patterns

Students explore tides through discussion, a NOAA tutorial, and group activities to understand their causes, predictability, and connection to waves and currents.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Project, Worksheet

Melting Ice

Students investigate how melting glacial ice affects sea levels by conducting an experiment comparing land and sea ice melt. They analyze predictions, record observations, and discuss the implications of rising sea levels, including regional variations and climate impacts.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On

Density

Students conduct hands-on experiments to understand thermohaline circulation, learning how temperature and salinity affect density. They design their own experiments to simulate ocean mixing, building on introductory activities that define density.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Multimedia

Stream Table

Students use a stream table to model how melting glaciers impact stream flow, erosion, and habitats. Through hands-on experiments, they observe sediment transport, canyon formation, and siltation, analyzing the effects of increased glacial melt on landscapes and ecosystems.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On

Sea Soup

In this 2-3 day investigation, children explore tiny plants, animals, and nonliving things in water. They listen to a read-aloud, explore learning centers, role play, and create a Sea Soup recipe.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Sorting Shells

Students explore and sort shells by properties like color, shape, texture, size, and weight. Starting with simple groupings, they progress to complex sorting using Venn diagrams, sharing their ideas through drawings and discussions.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Communication

Students will present their “At Home In the Water” activities, contribute to a hall display, and take part in a classroom or school-wide celebration. They may also share their work with peers, families, community members, and other students in Alaska online.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Project

Aquatic Puzzles

Children assemble puzzles to learn about aquatic animals and their life cycles, exploring how living and nonliving things appear in water and how they change as they grow.

Location: Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Transparency/Turbidity

Students construct a mini Secchi disk to investigate transparency and the effects of increased turbidity from the increased flows as glaciers melt on aquatic and marine ecosystems.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On

Let’s Meet the Invertebrates

Students explore 3-5 invertebrate groups, focusing on unique features. They organize traits, examples, and habitats in a “Meet the Invertebrates” chart, drawing and labeling invertebrates for their charts and science notebooks.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

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.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Project

Hot and Salty, Cool and Fresh

Students conduct hands-on experiments to understand thermohaline circulation, learning how temperature and salinity affect density. They design their own experiments to simulate ocean mixing, building on introductory activities that define density.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

Drawing from Description

Children will look closely at the parts of a small aquatic animal with a listening and drawing activity.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Glacier Game

Review the effects of retreating glaciers and increasing stream flows and erosion on river, coastal, and ocean ecosystems.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

Creature Features Class Book

Students create a class “Creature Features” book by selecting local aquatic animals, writing descriptions using a guided framework, and drawing detailed illustrations. They share their work with peers and an external audience, encouraging discussion.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Currents from a Cup

Students investigate how polar and tropical climates influence ocean currents by conducting an experiment with hot and cold water to observe density-driven movement.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project

How Does It Look and Feel?

This investigation allows students an opportunity to share their thinking. First, they practice in the classroom and then share their thinking and work as part of a classroom and/or whole school celebration of the Alaska Seas and Watersheds Curriculum.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

What Do You Know Game

Students play a “What Do You Know” game to learn about local plants and animals, practicing addition and discussing questions with multiple answers. They explore aquatic ecosystems and build knowledge through gameplay and math problems.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

Seafloor Topography

In this 3-4 day investigation, students explore how seafloor topography steers ocean flows and blocks deep water mixing. They create a seafloor model, test colored saline water, and reinforce learning through discussion, writing, and an animated video.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Multimedia, Project

Bering Sea Expedition WebQuest

In this 6-8 day investigation, students use a WebQuest activity to research the effects of melting sea ice in the Bering Sea Ecosystem. The students create research proposals to earn a place on the scientific research vessel Healy, and present their findings and proposals to a “Research Board committee”.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project

Our Book about Things in the Water

Students will create a mini-book in pairs, describing the textures of living and nonliving things in water. They will match materials to textures like rough, smooth, or soft, and explain their choices in class.

Location: Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

ABC Sea/River Book

Students create an ABC Sea/River Book by illustrating and describing local aquatic plants or animals, emphasizing letter sounds and detailed observations, then share their work to enhance understanding and communication skills.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

Debris Detectives Field Trip

Students take a field trip to investigate some of the phenomena that they have been studying. They inventory debris along a shoreline or riverbank and study local water movement patterns to develop ideas about where the debris might have come from.

Location: Classroom, Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Project

The Old Days

Students interview long-term residents to document environmental changes over the past 50 years. They summarize their findings in reports and create a newspaper to share with the community.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project

Making a Mural

Children collaborate to create a mural of an aquatic environment, representing sea creatures and natural elements. They explore textures, colors, and shapes, using descriptive language to explain their artistic choices and share their learning.

Location: Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Plant or Animal Research

Students research a local aquatic animal, document their findings, create a detailed paper sculpture based on their research, and present their work to classmates and guests, showcasing their understanding of the creature’s characteristics and habitat.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

Global Conveyor Belt

Over 5-12 days, students synthesize their learning about ocean circulation, including the global thermohaline conveyor belt, through discussions, videos, and a culminating project. They analyze real or hypothetical ocean events, design an action project, and revisit their initial investigation to apply new concepts.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project

Using Photographs to Document Change

Students compare historical and recent photos of their local environment to document physical changes over time. They analyze causes of change, predict future transformations, and discuss the impacts on ecosystems.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project

Field Trip to a Local Habitat

Children explore a local habitat, observing living and nonliving things in the water. They use science notebooks to record findings, drawing on prior knowledge and experiences for detailed observations before writing and drawing in their notebooks.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Hands-On

Life Cycle Wheels

Children begin by continuing to learn about the wide variety of aquatic plants and animals in their region. Each child then chooses a special plant or animal to research, depict, and share with the class.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

Explaining Impacts of Environmental Change

In this culminating activity, students will share their knowledge of the impacts of environmental change with others by creating a digital story of the potential effects of a warming climate in their community, the Arctic, and/or the Bering Sea.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Multimedia, Project

Growing Up Sockeye

In this culminating activity, students will share their knowledge of the impacts of environmental change with others by creating a digital story of the potential effects of a warming climate in their community, the Arctic, and/or the Bering Sea.

Location: Classroom
Activity Type: Hands-On, Project, Worksheet

High-Tide, Low-Tide Game

Children learn more about their special species and others as they explore life cycles and tide-related behaviors.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

Sharing What We Know

This investigation allows students an opportunity to share their thinking. First, they practice in the classroom and then share their thinking and work as part of a classroom and/or whole school celebration of the Alaska Waters.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Marine/Freshwater Animal or Plant Riddle

Students create riddles based on marine or freshwater animals, using research to craft clues, and present their work in a display or celebration to engage others in guessing and learning about aquatic life.

Location: Classroom, Large Space
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

Field Trip Session

Students conduct a detailed investigation of “one small square” at the field site. They share their findings and then make a detailed representation of their research “square” using drawings, notes, and labels.

Location: Classroom, Large Space
Activity Type: Field Trip, Hands-On

Alaska Waters Celebration

After learning and practicing ways to present information, they will display and present their work to others with the whole school and/or community and prepare for an Alaska Seas and Watersheds Celebration.

Location: Classroom, Large Space
Activity Type: Hands-On