Ocean Heroes KS2 Unit

Dive into an ocean adventure with this captivating Ocean Heroes KS2 unit. This comprehensive series of nine lessons takes students on an unforgettable journey from the depths of the sea to the forefront of climate action.

Lesson 1 Climate, carbon, and the ocean: discover the mysteries of carbon’s journey through our world, setting the stage for understanding climate change.

Lesson 2 Climate impacts: explore the profound effects of climate change on our oceans, from melting ice caps to coral bleaching.

Lesson 3 Nature as hero: introduce the concept of blue carbon habitats and their crucial role in combating climate change.

Lesson 4 Seagrass animal classification: dive into the vibrant seagrass meadows of Sicily, honing classification skills while exploring marine biodiversity.

Lesson 5 Community conservation: visit Indonesia’s mangrove forests and tackle real-world conservation challenges through stakeholder role-play.

Lesson 6 Saltmarsh food chains: explore the Solent’s saltmarshes, mapping food webs and designing eco-tourism campaigns.

Lesson 7 Wonderful worms and ocean sediment: get hands-on with marine sediments and discover the vital role of worms in seabed health.

Lesson 8 Sustainable fishing: investigate overfishing impacts and debate sustainable fishing practices, connecting ocean health to our plates.

Lesson 9 Ocean Heroes in action: empower students to become ocean advocates through persuasive writing and personal pledges.

This unit seamlessly blends elements of Science, Geography, Maths, English, and PSHE, offering a truly cross-curricular exploration of our blue planet. From hands-on experiments to creative projects, students will engage with complex environmental concepts in accessible, exciting ways.

By the end of this unit, your class will have:

Gained a comprehensive understanding of ocean ecosystems and their importance
Developed critical thinking skills around environmental challenges
Honed their abilities in scientific observation, data analysis, and persuasive communication
Cultivated a deep sense of environmental stewardship and global citizenship

Ocean Heroes is a full unit of work covering all aspects of the ocean and climate change across Key Stage 2. Each lesson has been written with scientists and partners as part of the Convex Seascape Survey, with the University of Exeter and Blue Marine Foundation. Together they form a learning journey through some of our most important ocean habitats and living things. These lessons cover core aspects of the science and geography programmes of study as well as developing numeracy and literacy skills.

The unit works works as a progressive learning journey, although individual lessons will still work as standalone teaching opportunities. The unit has a special focus on blue carbon, the coastal and seabed habitats that offer hope in tackling climate change.