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A "Sea" of Resources on the Internet!

It is said that scientists today know more about outer space than they know about Earth's oceans. Yet what they do know about our oceans is fascinating, mysterious, and vital to our survival. Education World™ recently explored a sea of oceanographic information currently available on the Internet and selected some of the best spots for you to visit. Bring your students along! Introduce them to the wonders hidden just below the surface of the sea!

The sites recommended below are organized by grade level. However, most sites provide information and activities that can be adapted for students of all ages and ability levels. A final section highlights a few Web sites that will provide "oceans of fun for all!"

OCEAN SITES FOR PRIMARY STUDENTS (GRADES K-2)

At the Kid Space site, maintained by the New England Aquarium, students can learn about kelp and deep-sea vents, discover how animals keep warm, and find out how many fish live in the sea. Each topic includes background information and a hands-on activity that can be completed at home or in the classroom with readily available materials.

The International Year of the Ocean Home Page, a publication from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provides a variety of fun facts, stories, and activities for primary students, both readers and non-readers. Students can explore the Puffy the Puffers Fun Facts Activity Book, read or hear the story The Whale and the Plover in English or Hawaiian, and learn about endangered seals and sea lions. These and the other online activities that are provided at this site will keep students busy and fascinated for hours. Teachers will also find lots of classroom resources here.

OCEAN SITES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS (GRADES 3-6)

The Ocean 98 site, produced in cooperation with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), contains information and activities for elementary students at all ability levels. Younger students can learn about ocean currents, waves, tides, plants, and animals as they follow the adventures of Victor the Vector. More advanced students can discover fascinating ocean facts, read current ocean-related news stories, follow the voyage of crewmembers aboard the Picton Castle, or create their own virtual expedition aboard the UN Seahorse.

Students can visit Habitats Path, maintained by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation. Here they can tour Monterey Bay marine habitats. As they follow the path from the Kelp Forest to the Outer Bay, students explore such ocean phenomena as kelp, reefs, shale, and tidal pools, and learn about marine plants and animals. Students will enjoy looking at the colorful aquarium photographs and almost-live-action cam shots from various places within the aquarium as they read the accompanying text.

OCEAN SITES FOR STUDENTS GRADES 7 AND ABOVE

One site for older students, maintained by NASA, provides access to the background, status, and documentation of SeaWiFS, NASA's global ocean color monitoring mission located at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Students can learn about the SeaStar ocean-monitoring spacecraft, obtain information from an oceanographic research station, view archival and real-time satellite images of the ocean, and learn what scientists are learning by studying the color of the oceans.

The ninth Jason Project expedition focuses on life within the structure of several ocean environments, providing students with an opportunity to explore the earth's physical systems, how those systems affect life on earth, and the technologies scientists use to study those systems. Students can make a virtual visit to the three research sites (Monterey Bay, Bermuda, and the East Pacific Rise), participate in long-term monitoring of ocean structure, and compare and contrast the findings with data from student-led research investigations in their local aquatic environments.

OCEANS OF FUN FOR ALL!

• At the Ocean Planet Exhibition site, presented by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, students of all ages can explore ocean science and resources, learn about sea plants and animals, and find out more about oceans in peril. The site also provides a variety of links to educational materials that have either been developed specifically for the Ocean Planet Exhibition or that complement the materials presented in the Exhibition.
• The Athena Earth and Space Science site, maintained by The Learning Technologies Project, provides information and activities about a variety of ocean topics. Students can listen to a whale, track drifter buoy data, learn about El Niño, or find the Gulf Stream, and more. The information on each topic is clearly presented and activities are provided for students of all ages. The site includes additional links to resources about the oceans.
• At the Earthwatch Institute Ocean Projects site, students can learn about projects to protect such ocean resources as reefs, manatees, and sea turtles, among others. They can visit Pelican Lagoon to learn about efforts to save the echidna, an egg-laying mammal that has existed since the time of the dinosaurs. Or they can accompany institute volunteers to Montana where the largest T. Rex specimen ever found has been uncovered. Each topic provides colorful photographs, a summary of the entire project, and a chance to talk to the experts who participated in each project.

Article by Linda Starr
Education World®
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