Our wonderful ocean KS1 introduces students to the marine habitat and encourages a discussion around what students already know about the ocean. Students use globes and maps to discover that we live on a blue planet. They then play a game of marine snap, matching animals to their features. Students then find out about some iconic marine creatures and make a fact sheet about their favourite.

This #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops students’ understanding of gravity. Abstract concepts, such as gravity, can often be hard for students to understand. Take your students on a rock-climbing expedition to El Capitan, where they can see the importance of understanding gravity and then perform a series of hands-on investigations in the classroom to develop understanding of the concept. Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/. To download Google Docs versions of the lesson plan and student sheet go to: https://goo.gl/tuNykS.

Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

Plastics: what are they? Part one is a Key Stage (KS2) lesson. In this lesson students explore the properties of different materials to see what makes plastic stand out. They learn how plastic is produced and then go on to investigate which material is most effective for the purpose of insulation. The lesson concludes with an overview of the historical development of plastics, with students locating significant events on a timeline. Ocean Plastics 7-11 is a Key Stage 2 (KS2) cross-curricular unit of work encompassing science and geography which also develops skills in mathematics, citizenship and spoken language. The unit addresses four key questions; what are plastics, where are plastics, what impact can plastics have and what can I do? These questions are answered by developing students understanding of properties of materials, living things, habitats and human and physical geography. The unit explores the pros and cons of a variety of plastic products, investigates how plastic finds its way to the ocean and looks at what changes can be made on a local and global scale. Students understand the complex issues surrounding oceans plastics through this units optimistic and innovative approach to challenging attitudes and behaviour. Get the whole unit resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-x-curric-7-11

This #GoogleExpeditions lesson takes students to space and consolidates an understanding of the different nodes and modules on the International Space Station. Students apply knowledge of human survival, forces and orbit and scientific methodology to design their own Space Station. Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/. This Google Expeditions Lesson is number 4 of a 4 lesson sequence. It can be used as a standalone lesson or in conjunction with others listed below. Links direct to Google Docs versions of the lessons. Lesson 1: Google Expeditions: Introducing the International Space Station https://goo.gl/Wy5A2F Lesson 2: Google Expeditions: Life in Microgravity https://goo.gl/3cqhwv Lesson 3: Google Expeditions: Microgravity and Experiments https://goo.gl/iU4V3z Lesson 4: Google Expeditions: Build your own Space Station https://goo.gl/mCo36M

This lesson is focussed on food and nutrition for Key Stage 2 (KS2) students. Students learn about diet and the importance of a balanced diet through the experiences of polar explorers. Using creativity and scientific research skills, students will create a menu suitable for an Arctic expedition. The lesson is introduced by Fran Orio, a specialist polar cook, who can make amazing meals in the most extreme circumstances. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 3: How do you eat like an Arctic explorer? Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview 3: Pemmican recipe Student Sheet 3a: Researching food Student Sheet 3b: Polar menu It forms Lesson 3 of 5 from the Frozen Oceans 7-11 unit of work. Take your class to the North Pole with this cross-curricular investigation of the Arctic Ocean. The lessons progress to cover varied topics and skills needed for a science research expedition in the polar regions. Themes include Arctic food webs, training like an explorer, expedition food, insulation and clothing, the impacts of melting ice and conducting a press conference. The lessons can also be combined into a Polar Challenge Day. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

This is the third in a six lesson unit, Submarine STEM KS2. Through a practical investigation students discover how shape and surface area affect the speed at which a submersible descends. Students develop their understanding of forces, surface area, and fair testing. This lesson is from the Submarine STEM 7-11 unit. You can access the unit here: https://encounteredu.com/teacher-resources/submarine-stem-science-ages-7-11. The unit enables students to explore materials, forces, and living things while working scientifically. The unit is based on real life submersible exploration of the XL Caitlin Deep Ocean Survey off Bermuda, the Sargasso Sea. To experience the full impact of this scheme of work it can be taught in advance of our annual Submarine Live event. Live lessons can be booked for free here: https://encounteredu.com/live

This introductory lesson looks at the scientific processes and concepts of the carbon cycle. This will enable students to grow prior knowledge of food chains and feeding relationships to understanding the drivers of environmental change. The lesson starts with an introduction to what carbon is, followed by a scaffolded understanding of the carbon cycle, reinforced by a fun activity. The lesson will close by analysing how an imbalance in the carbon cycle is leading to increased carbon in the atmosphere, which is driving the climate crisis. An interactive carbon cycle diagram complements the lesson. Learning outcomes List where carbon can be found Describe four basic processes of the carbon cycle Demonstrate their understanding of carbon stores and movement between them Link increasing carbon levels in the atmosphere with climate change

This #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops students’ understanding of friction. Abstract concepts, such as friction, can often be hard for students to understand. Take your students on a rock-climbing expedition to El Capitan, where they can see the importance of understanding friction and then perform a series of hands-on investigations in the classroom to develop understanding of the concept. Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/ To download Google Docs versions of the lesson plan and student sheet go to: hhttps://goo.gl/aAp4Ic

In this lesson students investigate the insulating properties of materials and consider how the adaptations of Arctic organisms help develop these. The context of the lesson is helping to develop new clothing for Tyler Fish, one of the Catlin Arctic Survey explorers. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 4: How do humans and animals keep warm in the arctic? Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview 4: Investigating insulating materials Student Sheet 4a: Investigating insulating materials Student Sheet 4b: Scientific poster template Student Sheet 4c: Scientific poster template (advanced) Student Sheet 4d: Blubber gloves It forms Lesson 4 of 5 from the Frozen Oceans 7-11 unit of work. Take your class to the North Pole with this cross-curricular investigation of the Arctic Ocean. The lessons progress to cover varied topics and skills needed for a science research expedition in the polar regions. Themes include Arctic food webs, training like an explorer, expedition food, insulation and clothing, the impacts of melting ice and conducting a press conference. The lessons can also be combined into a Polar Challenge Day. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

Students explore how penguins might have evolved to suit past environmental changes. The core of this lesson is the Penguin Evolution Game, which simulates the six stages of adaptation that lead to evolution. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 11: The Southern Ocean and penguin evolution with Dr Michael Dunn Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview: Penguin evolution script (student-friendly script to describe the six stages of adaptation that lead to evolution) Activity Overview: Penguin evolution game (instructions for running this classroom simulation) Student Sheet 11a: Penguin evolution game cards Student Sheet 11b: Penguin evolution card sort Student Sheet 11c: Storyboard cloze task Student Sheet 11d: Storyboard template It forms Lesson 11 of 12 from the Our Ocean Planet resource, which is designed to support Key Stage 2 teachers to teach all aspects of the ocean. It can be used as a full topic with over 20 hours of classroom activities or using a pick and mix approach. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

In this lesson students learn about the impacts of ice in the Arctic melting by watching a series of demonstrations. The context of the lesson is the work of Dr Helen Findlay who was investigating the effect of environmental change on the Arctic ecosystem. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 5: How is the Arctic changing? Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview 5a: The albedo effect Activity Overview 5b: Sea level rise Activity Overview 5c: Ocean circulation demonstration Student Sheet 5a: Sentences card sort Student Sheet 5b: Arctic issues storyboard It forms Lesson 5 of 5 from the Frozen Oceans 7-11 unit of work. Take your class to the North Pole with this cross-curricular investigation of the Arctic Ocean. The lessons progress to cover varied topics and skills needed for a science research expedition in the polar regions. Themes include Arctic food webs, training like an explorer, expedition food, insulation and clothing, the impacts of melting ice and conducting a press conference. The lessons can also be combined into a Polar Challenge Day. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

For teachers wishing to bring a hands-on and creative element to the unit, this lesson provides the template for building a reef in your classroom and can act as the basis for future lessons. Rather than a traditional lesson, these resources describe two possible ways of making your own reef in the classroom: reef-in-a-box and a reef mural. Depending on the time, you have available, you can either use one or both of these approaches over the course of the unit. This is a single lesson from the unit Coral Oceans 7-11. This science-based unit uses the stunning imagery and 360 media from the XL Catlin Seaview Survey and covers several of the main concepts for students studying living things at upper elementary level. The unit can be used as a standalone primer for students, using a new and exciting context of corals, clownfish and sharks, or as a comparative study to the local environment. Students work through a series of connected lessons to develop their understanding of: habitats and how they provide the basic needs of plants and animals identification, classification and the use of keys life cycles, anatomy and sexual reproduction how animals obtain their food using the idea of food chains how animals and plants are adapted to their environment human impact on the environment Access the full unit’s resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/coral-oceans-science-7-11

Our ocean in crisis KS1 introduces students to the idea that plastics can damage the ocean. Students find out about an ‘Ocean hero’ and their achievements and create a portrait of that hero describing what they have achieved. For home learning, students make a pledge to change one thing to help the oceans. This is one of three lessons. The lessons introduce students to the awe and wonder of the ocean and its inhabitants building a love for marine wildlife and a desire to protect it. The unit goes on to explore some of the many ways we depend on the ocean, from food to livelihoods. Finally, this unit introduces students to what is meant by marine plastic pollution and encourages students to take a thoughtful and critical approach to the information they receive from the media. At the end of these three lessons students will be fully prepared to embark on the full Key Stage 2 unit Ocean Plastics 7-11. Get the other lessons in this unit here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/oceans-for-beginners-x-curric-7-11

In this Key Stage 2 (KS2) lesson, students simulate the training of Arctic explorers to learn how lifestyles can affect physical and mental health. The lesson is introduced by Ann Daniels, a record-breaking polar explorer as the first woman in history, along with expedition teammate Caroline Hamilton, to reach the North and South Poles as part of all women teams. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 2: How do you train like an Arctic explorer? Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview 2a: Tyre drag relay Activity Overview 2b: Sleeping bag relay Student Sheet 2a: Training storyboard It forms Lesson 2 of 5 from the Frozen Oceans 7-11 unit of work. Take your class to the North Pole with this cross-curricular investigation of the Arctic Ocean. The lessons progress to cover varied topics and skills needed for a science research expedition in the polar regions. Themes include Arctic food webs, training like an explorer, expedition food, insulation and clothing, the impacts of melting ice and conducting a press conference. The lessons can also be combined into a Polar Challenge Day. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

This lesson introduces students to the water cycle. They will consider whether it rains more in the UK or the Arctic and then carry out a practical to link the ideas of temperature and evaporation. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 6: The Arctic Ocean and the water cycle with Prof Penny Holliday Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview: Evaporation rates practical Student Sheet 6a: Water cycle card sort Student Sheet 6b: Water cycle data activity Student Sheet 6c: Water cycle exam style questions Mark scheme: Water cycle exam style questions It forms Lesson 6 of 12 from the Our Ocean Planet resource, which is designed to support Key Stage 2 teachers to teach all aspects of the ocean. It can be used as a full topic with over 20 hours of classroom activities or using a pick and mix approach. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

This is the second in a six lesson unit, Submarine STEM KS2. This lesson explores the depth of the ocean through creating a scale diagram of the different ocean zones and identifying significant points within these zones. This lesson is from the Submarine STEM 7-11 unit. You can access the unit here: https://encounteredu.com/teacher-resources/submarine-stem-science-ages-7-11. The unit enables students to explore materials, forces, and living things while working scientifically. The unit is based on real life submersible exploration of the XL Caitlin Deep Ocean Survey off Bermuda, the Sargasso Sea. To experience the full impact of this scheme of work it can be taught in advance of our annual Submarine Live event. Live lessons can be booked for free here: https://encounteredu.com/live

This #GoogleExpeditions lesson takes students into space to explore microgravity. On the International Space Station, astronauts don’t experience complete weightlessness, but instead microgravity. How does this force affect sleeping, eating and exercising? Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/. This Google Expeditions Lesson is number 2 of a 4 lesson sequence. It can be used as a standalone lesson or in conjunction with others listed below. Links direct to Google Docs versions of the lessons. Lesson 1: Google Expeditions: Introducing the International Space Station https://goo.gl/Wy5A2F Lesson 2: Google Expeditions: Life in Microgravity https://goo.gl/3cqhwv Lesson 3: Google Expeditions: Microgravity and Experiments https://goo.gl/iU4V3z Lesson 4: Google Expeditions: Build your own Space Station https://goo.gl/mCo36M

This group activity is designed to deepen students’ understanding of the carbon cycle. It is aimed at upper primary classes, as it represents a simplified model of how carbon moves. Students will develop their understanding of how carbon moves between the atmosphere, plants, and animals, as well as how the burning of fossil fuels over the past 250 years has caused an imbalance in the carbon cycle.

This #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops students’ understanding of experimental conditions and how microgravity might affect some of the investigations they conduct in the classroom. The International Space Station is not just a place for amazing views of planet earth, but a space science laboratory for conducting experiments. How might the experiments you conduct in the classroom be different if you were an astronaut doing them in space? Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/. This Google Expeditions Lesson is number 3 of a 4 lesson sequence. It can be used as a standalone lesson or in conjunction with others listed below. Links direct to Google Docs versions of the lessons. Lesson 1: Google Expeditions: Introducing the International Space Station https://goo.gl/Wy5A2F Lesson 2: Google Expeditions: Life in Microgravity https://goo.gl/3cqhwv Lesson 3: Google Expeditions: Microgravity and Experiments https://goo.gl/iU4V3z Lesson 4: Google Expeditions: Build your own Space Station https://goo.gl/mCo36M