The NOAA Ocean Exploration program strives to engage broad audiences to enhance America’s environmental literacy through the excitement of ocean discovery. Increasing this literacy requires high-quality, effective collaborations between ocean explorers and America’s teachers. NOAA is forming such collaborations to reach out in new ways to the public to improve the literacy of learners with respect to ocean issues.
This Web site provides an innovative way for students of all ages to learn about the oceans by offering near real-time access to a series of multidisciplinary ocean explorations. It also provides compelling imagery, video, and topical essays related to the ocean. This particular section of the site offers formal education materials.
Lesson Plans
Hands-on and standards-based lesson plans have been developed that bring
entire classrooms "on board" for exploration and discovery. Using
new technological "eyes" to see, sense, measure, image, and describe
a little known ocean world, scientists and educators are bringing the excitement
of late-breaking ocean discoveries into classrooms through the lesson plans
presented here.
Expedition Education Modules
Expedition Education Modules are designed as an education unit to share the excitement of daily at-sea discoveries and the science behind NOAA’s major ocean exploration expedition. Each module contains an Expedition Purpose, Lessons, Multimedia Learning Objects, OceanAGE Career Connections, and Other Resources and Links.
Multimedia Learning Objects
The Multimedia Learning Objects are a series of 15 interactive
multimedia presentations and learning activities that address topics
ranging from Chemosynthesis and Hydrothermal Vent Life and Deep-sea
Benthos to Food, Water and Medicine from the Sea.
Curriculum
Learning Ocean Science through Ocean Exploration is an updated curriculum for teachers of Grades 6-12 that takes lesson plans that
were developed for NOAA ocean explorations and the Ocean Explorer
Web Site and presents them in a comprehensive scope and sequence
through subject area categories that cut across individual expeditions.
Each lesson focuses on an inquiry-based approach to teaching and
learning and is correlated to the National Science Education Standards.
Professional Development
The professional development offerings provide opportunities for teachers and
other educators to engage in learning more about ocean exploration. They are
designed to introduce participants to premiere ocean scientists/explorers and
their research and explorations, and at the same time, provide exemplary tools
and resources to enhance the teaching and learning of ocean science and NOAA
ocean exploration.
Education Alliances
NOAA's Ocean Exploration Program is developing education alliances with aquariums
and science centers to offer professional development to teachers in the
use of Learning Ocean Science through Ocean Exploration. These one-day
long professional development offerings and associated follow-ups help
build regional cadres of ocean exploration teacher leaders.
NOAA Ocean Explorer Field Season CD
Download the Field Season CD, which contains information posted on the Ocean Explorer website during each field season, including essays, daily logs, photos, videos, educational resources and lesson plans.
OceanAGE Careers
Interact with some of the talented explorers who study the ocean world. From
underwater pilots to research scientists, these marine mentors will provide
students with first-hand knowledge of exciting careers through their live
interviews, profiles, and mission logs. Join us for a series of live webchats,
interactive video webcasts, and text-based forums with several ocean explorers.
CoRIS Glossary
This glossary contains nearly 3,000 technical terms, with their definitions, explanations,
and illustrative materials where apropos. The aim of the CoRIS glossary is to help the student
or layperson, as well as the professional scientist and manager, to understand the complex
language and terminology of coral reef ecosystem science.
Ocean Challenge Puzzle
Team up with other players around the globe or your classroom
to solve the puzzle. Help the group by revealing one more piece of the
hidden picture.
