These resources for ages 7-11 are based on the journeys undertaken by science teams taking part in the Catlin Seaview Survey expeditions. These resources present a complete scheme of work for the science classroom, covering core science and sustainability curriculum areas as well as enhancing students’ creative and communications skills.
Science curriculum topics include:
- 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
This project-based learning resource incorporates stunning multimedia resources and is based on recent expeditions to enable students to explore marine life on the reef and the threats facing it.
This Key Stage 4 (KS4) science lesson supports students to develop the ‘sampling techniques’ component of working scientifically for GCSE. It is based on current research being conducted by Exeter University and Plymouth Marine Laboratory.
Students work scientifically to discover if zooplankton and microplastic occur together.
In this lesson students learn how to apply sampling techniques, using real field data collected by Dr Lewis’ team. The context of this lesson is the voyage the team took to the Gulf of Maine to investigate if zooplankton and microplastics co-occur.
This full lesson includes:
Lesson Overview & Teacher Guidance
Slideshow 4 Do zooplankton and microplastics occur together?
Student Sheet 4a Do zooplankton and microplastics occur together?
Student Sheet 4b Do zooplankton and microplastics occur together? (higher)
Answer Sheet for Student Sheet 4a & 4b
This is Lesson 4 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.
These Key Stage 4 (KS4) Science lessons allow students to investigate water pollution. Students work scientifically to explain what microplastics are and where they come from.
In this lesson, students develop their understanding of how human actions can have a negative impact on the marine environment. The context of this lesson is investigating the amount of microplastics that students use every day in personal hygiene products.
This full lesson includes:
Lesson overview and teacher guidance
Student Sheet 3a How much microplastic?
Student Sheet 3b Microplastics summary worksheet
Student Sheet 3c Hunting microplastic home learning
Slideshow 3 How much microplastic
Activity Overview How much microplastic?
Subject Update 4 Marine plastics
Subject Update 5 Marine plastics facts and figures
This is Lesson 3 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.
This lesson supports students to develop the ‘data handling’ component of working scientifically for GCSE. It is based on current research being conducted by Exeter University and Plymouth Marine Laboratory.
This lesson develops students’ skills in data handling and presentation.
Having learnt about microplastics and zooplankton separately, the next two lessons sees students test the hypothesis that zooplankton eat microplastics.
This full lesson includes:
Lesson Overview & Teacher Guidance
Slideshow 5 Do zooplankton eat microplastics?
Student Sheet 5a Do zooplankton eat microplastics? (Practical)
Student Sheet 5b Do zooplankton eat microplastics? (Data analysis)
Activity Overview 5 Do zooplankton eat microplastics ?
Answer Sheet for Student Sheet 5b
This is Lesson 5 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.
In this introductory lesson, we look at the scientific processes and concepts of the carbon cycle. This will enable students to grow prior knowledge of food webs, respiration, and photosynthesis, as well as the combustion of fossil fuels into a more complete model. The lesson starts with an exercise to illustrate the range of different forms of carbon and carbon compounds and where they are found. This is followed by a gamified exploration of the carbon cycle. Key vocabulary and an understanding of the carbon cycle and its link to climate change is developed through a dominos task and short answer questions.
Learning outcomes
Identify where carbon can be found
Describe ten basic processes of the carbon cycle
Demonstrate their understanding of carbon stores and movement between them
Link increasing carbon in the atmosphere to climate change
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 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 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
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
In this chemistry Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students investigate rates of decay. The lesson is focused on students designing their own investigation to see if plant-based alternatives to plastic will decay faster than oil-based plastic and thus cause less harm to the environment.
Included are teacher resources allowing students to test how a conventional plastic bag decays compares to a compostable bag (using a potato as a substitute).
This investigation replicates the research conducted by Dr Imogen Napper at the University of Plymouth.
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.
If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.
These resources for ages 11-14 are based on the journeys undertaken by science teams taking part in the Catlin Seaview Survey expeditions. Starting with the Great Barrier Reef, these expeditions seek to create a baseline survey of the world’s reefs as well as more in-depth research on the deep reef lying between 30m and 100m.
The lesson plans and accompanying activities are designed to introduce classes to what it is like to be an ocean explorer. Each lesson is designed around a ‘dive’ to investigate a particular science topic. These include identification, classification, food webs and symbiosis, adaptation and human impacts on the environment.
The enquiry-based resources incorporate the scientists’ experiences and research, and enable students to explore marine life on the reef and the threats facing it.
Students work scientifically by assessing the risks of working in a lab and the more extreme environment of the Arctic.
The context of the lesson is Dr Victoria Hill’s work into how algal growth is affected by the changing photoperiod in the Arctic.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 4: How do we investigate photosynthesis in the Arctic safely?
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Activity Overview 4: How do we investigate photosynthesis in the Arctic safely?
Student Sheet 4a: How do we investigate photosynthesis in the Arctic safely?
Student Sheet 4b: Hazards of working in the Arctic
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.
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.
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.
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.
A practical lesson where students work scientifically and develop their literacy skills by writing a conclusion using the ‘Point Evidence Explain’ technique from English.
The context of the lesson is the work of Dr Helen Findlay who is investigating ocean acidification: ‘the other carbon problem’.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 1: Are humans causing ocean acidification?
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Activity Overview 1: Are humans causing ocean acidification?
Student Sheet 1a: Are humans causing ocean acidification?
Student Sheet 1b: Practical instructions
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 Digital Explorer Media Zone. All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.
Five 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.
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.
Encounter Edu links curriculum aligned education with global burning issues to inspire STEM careers and encourage environmental stewardship. Learn more about what we do at www.encounteredu.com or by visiting our TES Shop, filled with quality, free of charge resources.
The Frozen Oceans education programme is based on the research expeditions of the Catlin Arctic Survey 2009-11. Braving temperatures of -40°C, marine biologists, oceanographers and explorers camped on the frozen sea ice and undertook transect surveys to collect data on the changes occurring in the region.
Have your class become ocean detectives with these experiments suitable for ages 11-14 and 14-16 (KS3/4).
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.
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.