In this Key Stage 4 (KS4) lesson, students work scientifically to explain how humans affect the marine environment. The ocean is worth $49.7 trillion per year to the global economy and its beauty is priceless. People, every day, all over the world, use the ocean for a whole variety of purposes: but what impact does this human activity have on the ocean, the organisms that live there and on us? This full lesson includes: Lesson Overview & Teacher Guidance Slideshow 2 Human impact on the marine environment Student Sheet 2a Card sort for bioaccumulation Student Sheet 2b Human impacts summary Student Sheet 2c Human impacts summary (higher) Subject Update The marine carbon cycle Answer Sheet for Student Sheet 2b & 2c Subject Update 3 Trophic cascades This is Lesson 2 of 7 in the Plankton, Plastics and Poo unit of work, which is based on current research being conducted at the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The unit consists of enquiry-based lessons which support students to work scientifically by simulating the researchers’ investigations, and encourages students to the use their findings to have a wider impact. The resource uses innovative methods to bring cutting edge science to the classroom, including: - Using real field and laboratory data. - Practical investigations that replicate the work of the scientists. - Using social media to connect with the scientists. - The opportunity to connect with scientists through Skype in the classroom events. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

Introducing the issue of marine plastics and their impact on the ocean ecosystem, this video looks at how scientists investigate environmental issues and the potential impact of human actions. Students will also be able to relate existing knowledge of the carbon cycle, food webs and human impacts on the environment to the work of a professional research group. This full lesson includes: Student Sheet Video 1 Student Sheet Video reflection This video lesson can be used as part of Lessons 1 or 6 of the Plankton, Plastics & Poo unit. There are also opportunities to use a flipped approach to learning, setting the video lesson as pre-work before the topic is taught or as home learning to provide reinforcement of factual knowledge or to encourage further reflection. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

Students work scientifically by using analytical techniques in a systematic way to identify mixed up samples of ocean water. The context of the lesson is a mix up in a lab which students have to use their skills to solve. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 5: Ocean detectives Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview 5: Ocean detectives Student Sheet 5a: Ocean detectives Subject Update 2: Thermohaline circulation Six enquiry-based lessons introducing ocean science concepts for ages 11-14. These lessons and activities are full of practical ideas to bring carbonate chemistry and marine biology to the science classroom. All lessons demonstrate science at work and are based on recent research conducted in the Arctic. Designed to be used in conjunction with the Encounter Edu Media Zone. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

Students work scientifically using models to explain the impacts of Arctic ice melting. Polar explorer, Ann Daniels puts this lesson into context, sharing her experiences of supporting Arctic fieldwork. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 6 Can ice melting in the Arctic really cause sea level rise? Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview 6 Sea level rise Student Sheet 6a Is all ice equal? Student Sheet 6b Storyboard Subject Update 4 A melting Arctic Subject Update 5 All about ice Six enquiry-based lessons introducing ocean science concepts for ages 11-14. These lessons and activities are full of practical ideas to bring carbonate chemistry and marine biology to the science classroom. All lessons demonstrate science at work and are based on recent research conducted in the Arctic. Designed to be used in conjunction with the Encounter Edu Discovery Zone. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

The scientists provide an insight into field sampling techniques. Join a microplastics research team as they explain how to identify a research survey site and how to ensure that any samples collected can be used as valid data. This full lesson includes: Student Sheet Video 2 Student Sheet Video reflection This video lesson can be used as part of Lesson 4 of the Plankton, Plastics & Poo unit. There are also opportunities to use a flipped approach to learning, setting the video lesson as pre-work before the topic is taught or as home learning to provide reinforcement of factual knowledge or to encourage further reflection. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

Students work scientifically by writing a method to test a hypothesis and then practise this in an exam setting. The context of the lesson is Dr Ceri Lewis’ work into the impact of ocean acidification on copepods; a type of zooplankton with calcium carbonate shells. The lesson builds on students’ prior knowledge of the environmental impact of anthropogenic CO2 production. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 2 How does ocean acidification affect organisms? Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Activity Overview 2 Investigating how ocean acidification affects organisms with shells Student Sheet 2a Investigating how ocean acidification affects organisms with shells Subject Update 1 Ocean acidification Six enquiry-based lessons introducing ocean science concepts for ages 11-14. These lessons and activities are full of practical ideas to bring carbonate chemistry and marine biology to the science classroom. All lessons demonstrate science at work and are based on recent research conducted in the Arctic. Designed to be used in conjunction with the Encounter Edu Discovery Zone. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

Students work scientifically by developing and using a model (a food web) to formulate hypotheses. The context of the lesson is Dr Ceri Lewis’ investigating how ocean acidification might affect the plankton at low trophic levels and the cascade effects at higher levels. The lesson builds on students’ prior knowledge of interdependence. This full lesson contains: Slideshow 3: How does ocean acidification affect communities? Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance Student Sheet 3a: Arctic food webs Student Sheet 3b: Arctic organisms Subject Update 1: Ocean acidification Subject Update 3: Trophic cascades Six enquiry-based lessons introducing ocean science concepts for ages 11-14. These lessons and activities are full of practical ideas to bring carbonate chemistry and marine biology to the science classroom. All lessons demonstrate science at work and are based on recent research conducted in the Arctic. Designed to be used in conjunction with the Encounter Edu Discovery Zone. 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.

This lesson supports students to develop the ‘writing scientific conclusions’ component of working scientifically for GCSE. It is based on current research being conducted by Exeter University and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. In this lesson, students return to their experiments and observe the gut contents of the brine shrimp, applying model conclusions to what they can see. Students develop their ability to write scientific conclusions using the secondary data from the research team. The lesson ends with students considering the implications of microplastics being consumed by zooplankton on a wide scale. This full lesson includes: Lesson Overview & Teacher Guidance Slideshow 6 Do Zooplankton eat microplastics? (Conclusions) Student Sheet 5a Do zooplankton eat microplastics? (Practical) Student Sheet 6a Model conclusions Student Sheet 6b Do zooplankton eat microplastics? (conclusions) Activity Overview/Technician Notes 5 Do zooplankton eat microplastics Answer Sheet for Student Sheet 6b This is Lesson 6 of 7 in the Plankton, Plastics and Poo unit of work, which is based on current research being conducted at the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The unit consists of enquiry-based lessons which support students to work scientifically by simulating the researchers’ investigations, and encourages students to the use their findings to have a wider impact. The resource uses innovative methods to bring cutting edge science to the classroom, including: - Using real field and laboratory data. - Practical investigations that replicate the work of the scientists. - Using social media to connect with the scientists. - The opportunity to connect with scientists through Skype in the classroom events. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

An in-depth introduction to the themes of extreme environments and how science is conducted in remote regions, for schools internationally. The booklet includes lesson plans and activities about current research on snow and ice extent, ocean currents, ocean acidification and marine biology. Designed to be used in conjunction with the Encounter Edu Discovery Zone. The enquiry-based resources incorporate the scientists’ experiences and research, and include booklets with structured lesson plans, activity and experiment sheets, an interactive Media Player with videos and images from the expeditions, along with posters and other related resources.

The science team explain how laboratory work can complement field sampling. Learn how these experiments allow for controlling variables (ie experimental constants) and how the scientists design their experiments using the idea of a fair test. This full lesson includes: Student Sheet Video 3 Student Sheet Video reflection This video lesson can be used as part of Lesson 5 of the Plankton, Plastics & Poo unit. There are also opportunities to use a flipped approach to learning, setting the video lesson as pre-work before the topic is taught or as home learning to provide reinforcement of factual knowledge or to encourage further reflection. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.

Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-science-11-14 If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

In this chemistry Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students investigate the different properties of plastics. In groups students design an investigation testing either thermal insulation or tensile strength. Included are teacher resources with an investigation template. This is a single lesson from the Ocean Plastics Science unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

In this biology Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students will learn about plastics and bioaccumulation. This lesson is focused on how chemical pollutants cause harm to marine organisms. Included are teacher resources to model bioaccumulation and an orca case study. This is a single lesson in the Ocean Plastic Science Unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

In this chemistry Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students will learn how monomers and polymers dictate the properties of plastics. This lesson focuses on how plastics are made. Included are teacher resources for students to make their own polymer, using PVA and borax, to observe how changing the structure of a substance changes its properties. This individual lesson is part of a larger unit called Oceans Plastics. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

In this biology Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students learn how plastics affect the marine environment. This lesson is focuses on the physical harm caused by plastics to marine organisms. Included are teacher resources that promote students to become advocates for reducing plastic waste to protect our oceans. This is a single lesson from the Ocean Plastics Science unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life. Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.

This lesson introduces ocean acidification, the other carbon problem. The ocean absorbs about 25% of human-produced carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This helps to mitigate climate change but is not without its negative consequences for the ocean. This is a practical lesson where students will develop their working scientifically skills and develop their literacy by writing a scientific conclusion using the ‘Point Evidence Explain’ technique from English. Curriculum links Science KS3 Working scientifically Using evidence to support conclusions Analysing data and graphs Investigation skills Biology / Chemistry Using the pH scale to describe change Explaining the impact of human production of carbon dioxide on the environment Learning outcomes Describe patterns in results Investigate how carbon emissions change ocean chemistry Describe the process of ocean acidification Write a scientific conclusion

This lesson introduces students to the idea of blue carbon habitats and their importance. Students will gain an overview of these coastal environments before analysing data to see how they play an important role in absorbing carbon and helping to tackle climate change. Curriculum links Science KS3 Biology Investigate the diversity and nature of coastal ecosystems Chemistry Apply knowledge of the carbon cycle to climate change mitigation Working scientifically Analyse and interpret data Draw conclusions from data Learning outcomes Identify and describe the main types of blue carbon habitats Understand how the ocean and blue carbon habitats help tackle climate change Analyse the ability of different habitats to absorb and store carbon Evaluate nature priorities based on data

This lesson brings the KS3 curriculum to life, seamlessly blending key concepts from biology, chemistry, and physics into a cohesive exploration of Earth’s systems. Through a carefully crafted series of activities, students will: Unravel climate change’s impact on our oceans, discovering how seemingly small changes can create ripple effects across entire ecosystems. Engage in a dynamic card sort activity that challenges them to categorise and connect various aspects of climate change, from causes to consequences. Get creative by designing an eye-catching diagram that visually represents the complex web of linkages in climate change. Develop critical thinking skills as they analyse how human activities contribute to climate change and how these changes affect Earth’s delicate balance. Gain a deeper appreciation for the role of oceans in regulating our climate, tying together concepts of heat transfer, atmospheric science, and marine biology. By the end of this lesson, students will not only understand the science behind climate change but also feel empowered to discuss its far-reaching impacts on habitats, ecosystems, and human societies. This comprehensive approach ensures that students grasp the interconnectedness of Earth’s systems and the urgent need for environmental stewardship. Aligned with key KS3 curriculum links, this lesson provides a perfect blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on learning. It’s an ideal way to spark curiosity, foster environmental awareness, and inspire the next generation of climate scientists and ocean advocates. Curriculum links Science KS3 Biology Relationships in an ecosystem, environmental changes, and effects on living things. Chemistry Earth and atmospheric science, including climate change and its effects on the environment. Physics Energy, heat transfer, and the role of the atmosphere and oceans in regulating climate. Learning outcomes Connect climate change to changes in the ocean List and describe climate change impacts in the ocean Categorise the different aspects of climate change and its impacts Create a diagram to show the linkages in climate change

This comprehensive lesson explores the fundamental aspects of climate change, from its causes to the methods scientists use to study Earth’s climatic history. Students will delve into the greenhouse effect, examine evidence of past climate changes, and engage in hands-on analysis of sediment cores. Students will: Unravel the greenhouse effect: explore the mechanisms behind global warming and its impact on our planet. Journey through Earth’s climate history: discover how scientists uncover information about past climates and the evidence they use. Analyse ancient climate data: engage in a practical sediment core analysis activity, comparing evidence from sediment and ice cores. Interpret proxy data: Learn how scientists use indirect indicators to reconstruct past climates and practice these techniques. By the end of this lesson, students will: Explain why global warming happens Describe how the climate has changed over time Identify the evidence scientists have for climate change Demonstrate techniques in using proxy data to measure climate change This lesson provides students with a deeper understanding of climate change processes and scientific methods, while addressing key areas of the KS3 Science curriculum. **Curriculum links ** Science KS3 Earth and atmosphere: The composition of the atmosphere The production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the impact on climate Evidence for past climate change Working scientifically: Using evidence to support conclusions Analysing data and graphs Investigation skills