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.
Our Ocean Planet is a full unit of work covering all aspects of the ocean across Key Stage 2. Each lesson is written with an ocean expert - scientist, advocate or explorer (great for STEM careers). Together they form a learning voyage around the world, discovering more about out ocean planet through core aspects of the science and geography programmes of study as well as developing numeracy and literacy skills.
The unit works in two parts. First, students will explore the UK seas learning about the names and locations of marine places, marine habitats and the diversity of marine life, as well as the contribution of the sea to the UK economy. Students then go on a global ocean voyage to each of the main oceans, learning about diverse marine topics from the water cycle in the Arctic to evolution in the Southern Ocean and classification on coral reefs in the Indian Ocean.
A full list of topics is below and the downloads include the unit booklet with lesson plans, student sheets, practical guidance and subject updates. Slideshows for each lesson are separate downloads.
Mission 1: UK seas with Paul Rose
Mission 2: UK marine habitats with Dr Susana Lincoln
Mission 3: UK marine life with Dr Ceri Lewis & Dr Helen Findlay
Mission 4: Using our seas with Jennifer Gomez Molina
Mission 5: Our ocean voyage with Prof Alex Rogers
Mission 6: The Arctic Ocean and water cycle with Prof Mark Brandon
Mission 7: The Atlantic Ocean and climate with Prof Penny Holliday
Mission 8: The Indian Ocean and classification with Sheena Talma
Mission 9: The Pacific Ocean and plastic pollution with Jo Royle
Mission 10: The Southern Ocean and penguin adaptation with Dr Norman Ratcliffe
Mission 11: The Southern Ocean and penguin evolution with Dr Michael Dunn
Mission 12: Captain’s log
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 Sustainable Fisheries resources have been developed in partnership with nef (new economics foundation) and their work on fishing and fisheries policy.
A scheme of work for Science or Geography, with lesson plans and activities. It covers fish as a food source, marine food webs and changes to them, commercial fishing methods and an introduction to sustainability. The activities are focused on the seas around the UK and EU.
Includes the lesson booklet and all accompanying slideshows, images and activities
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.
Students will learn about the link between latitude and climate, applying key terms such as equator and climate zones. They will also look at the influence of the ocean on climate and why the UK is warmer than it ‘should be’.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 7 The Atlantic Ocean and climate with Prof Penny Holliday
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Student Sheet 7a World city cards
Student Sheet 7b World climate zones
Student Sheet 7c Explaining the UK climate
Student Sheet 7d The ocean and climate
It forms Lesson 7 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 an introductory lesson to the world’s oceans. Students will use map skills to name and locate the world’s oceans and learn about major marine landmarks, from the deepest point to the biggest tide and many places in between.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 5 Our ocean voyage with Prof Alex Rogers
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Student Sheet 5a World oceans map
Student Sheet 5b Marine wonders card sort
Student Sheet 5c Voyage map template
It forms Lesson 5 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.
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.
Plastic pollution is one of the major issues affecting the ocean. Students will begin by learning about the impact of litter on marine life. They will then explore the 3 Rs (reduce, recycle, reuse) and how they can be applied to the issue of marine plastic pollution. Students will then be guided to reuse common plastic waste to make a new useful object such as a bird-feeder or snack box.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 9: The Pacific Ocean and plastic pollution with Jo Royle
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Activity Overview: Reusing plastic bottles
Student Sheet 9a: Reusing plastic bottles preparation
Student Sheet 9b: Reusing plastic bottles guidance
Student Sheet 9c: Reusing plastic bottles review
It forms Lesson 9 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.
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.
A series of fact cards on marine life in and around the Great Barrier Reef, giving information on feeding, habitat and threats.
Designed to be used in conjunction with the non-ICT Seaview classroom activities, looking at Classification, Food Webs, Mutualism and Symbiosis, and Threats.
These cards are suitable for ages 11-14 and 14-16 (KS3/4).
This #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops student skills understanding of biomes and ecosystems.
This introductory lesson introduces students to the main biomes around the planet, their features and locations. Further in-depth lessons on the different biomes are listed below.
Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/.
This is Google Expeditions Lesson is number 1 of a 4 lesson sequence. It can be used as a standalone lesson or in conjunction with others listed below (links go to Google Docs versions of the lessons).
Lesson 1: Google Expeditions: Biomes & Ecosystems https://goo.gl/0eMtoz
Lesson 2: Google Expeditions: Biomes & Ecosystems: Tundra and Taiga https://goo.gl/L6cpjH
Lesson 3: Google Expeditions: Biomes & Ecosystems: Tropical Rainforest and Temperate Forests https://goo.gl/wGM97d
Lesson 4: Google Expeditions: Biomes & Ecosystems: Savannah and Desert https://goo.gl/sBrZzi
Ocean Plastics Geography is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource developed in partnership between the Geographical Association and Encounter Edu.
The lessons address the issue of marine plastic pollution, the harm caused by plastics to the environment and communities, how we deal with all the waste, ending with a debate on approaches to reducing ocean plastic pollution.
Fieldwork templates for investigating plastics in the local area are included as well as a wealth of case studies exploring both the human and physical elements of plastic pollution. https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics
If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.
This #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops students’ understanding of volcanoes
Take a virtual field trip to Tolbachik Volcano and use this inspiration to develop students’ work on natural hazards and volcanoes.
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/4wY6NI.
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.
Aimed at ages 11-14 and 14-16/ KS3/4.
An enquiry-based scheme of work investigating the seas around the UK and EU. The lesson plans and activities cover why fish stocks are decreasing, the issues and impacts associated with overfishing, and marine ecosystems and sustainability.
The activities examine different stakeholder views and use current data from the UN FAO, MMO and the new economics foundation.
Includes the lesson booklet and all accompanying slideshows and activities.
This is an introductory lesson to the UK’s surrounding seas. Students will be able to name and locate the UK’s seas, major marine landmarks and places, and there are opportunities for developing map skills.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 1 The UK Seas with Paul Rose
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Student Sheet 1a UK places and seas (different age ranges available)
Student Sheet 1b UK marine landmarks (different age ranges available)
Student Sheet 1c Postcard template
Student Sheet 1d Travel brochure template
It forms Lesson 1 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.
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.
Take your pupils on a journey from the classroom – Google Earth can bring the world closer and inspire curiosity as an integral part of lessons.
With tours or layers you can dive into the oceans, track endangered species, monitor earthquakes and weather, keep up-to-date with resource conflicts – or create your very own layers.
The manuals bring together skills for space and mapping, using tech tools and project management.
This Geography #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops student understanding of the concept of environmental change using Borneo as a case study.
Students will visit Borneo using the Google Expeditions virtual field trip and learn about the factors driving environmental change including the role of palm oil production. Students will then propose solutions to the problems resulting from deforestation.
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/Smu3UK
This #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops students’ understanding of environmental change.
In this lesson students understand the impact of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere on the marine environment and in particular the coral ecosystem.
High CO2 has two impacts on the ocean: warming and ocean acidification. This virtual field trip shows the impact of warming oceans in terms of coral bleaching.
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 go to: https://goo.gl/RhfeXy
This #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops students’ skills in geographical descriptions, identifying similarities and differences between LEDCs and MEDCs, as well as the physical geography of rivers.
Students go on virtual field trips using Google Expeditions to both the Amazon and the River Thames, identifying, comparing and describing.
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 go to: https://goo.gl/Y3OTY8
A full enquiry-based scheme of work for 11-14 year-olds following the journey of the expedition teams to the Arctic Ocean.
It is full of lesson plans and activities covering extreme environments, expedition life, marine food webs, environmental changes and other issues facing this remote region. Designed to be used in conjunction with the Classroom Media Player.
This #GoogleExpeditions lesson develops student skills understanding of biomes and ecosystems.
This introductory lesson focuses on the features and locations of rainforest and temperate forest biomes.
Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/.
This is 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 go to Google Docs versions of the lessons).
Lesson 1: Google Expeditions: Biomes & Ecosystems https://goo.gl/0eMtoz
Lesson 2: Google Expeditions: Biomes & Ecosystems: Tundra and Taiga https://goo.gl/L6cpjH
Lesson 3: Google Expeditions: Biomes & Ecosystems: Tropical Rainforest and Temperate Forests https://goo.gl/wGM97d
Lesson 4: Google Expeditions: Biomes & Ecosystems: Savannah and Desert https://goo.gl/sBrZzi
Plastics in oceans is a growing problem. This Key stage 3 (KS3) lesson introduces students to the topic of marine plastics. First, they visit the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ and find out what is happening in the middle of the ocean. Then, students will develop their knowledge of ocean currents and how they can concentrate plastic waste. Last, students will investigate how rubbish reaches the middle of the ocean.
This is a single lesson from Ocean Plastic Geography unit. Ocean Plastics Geography is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource. The lessons addresses the issue of marine plastic pollution, the harm caused by plastics to the environment and communities, how we deal with all the waste, ending with a debate on approaches to reducing ocean plastic pollution. Fieldwork templates for investigating plastics in the local area are included as well as a wealth of case studies exploring both the human and physical elements of plastic pollution.
Get the whole unit’s resources here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics
This engaging nine-lesson unit for KS3 Geography introduces students to crucial aspects of ocean science and climate change, providing a comprehensive exploration of one of the 21st century’s most pressing issues. Covering 70% of Earth’s surface and absorbing over 90% of excess heat from global warming, the ocean plays a vital role in our planet’s systems and human livelihoods.
Lesson Progression:
Lesson 1 Mapping the Ocean
Introduces ocean classification and mapping, emphasising interconnectedness.
Lesson 2 Climate Change - Past to Present
Explores climate science fundamentals and research methods.
Lesson 3 The Carbon Cycle
Examines the Earth’s carbon cycle and blue carbon concept.
Lesson 4 Climate Impacts
Investigates effects on vulnerable ecosystems like the Arctic and coral reefs.
Lesson 5 How We Use the Ocean
Explores ecosystem services and human impacts.
Lesson 6 Ocean Resources - Human Impact Case Studies
Focuses on the continental shelf and resource management.
Lesson 7 Nature-based Climate Solutions
Compares carbon sequestration in various ecosystems.
Lesson 8 Climate Action, Policy & Science
Traces the history of ocean-climate understanding and action.
Lesson 9 Ocean and Climate Unit Assessment
Summative assessment of key concepts and applications.
Throughout the unit, students develop skills in:
Analysing maps and data
Understanding complex Earth systems
Evaluating human-environment interactions
Critical thinking about sustainability and conservation
The lessons align with KS3 Geography curriculum requirements, covering locational knowledge, physical and human geography, and geographical skills. Cross-curricular connections with Science, Maths, and PSHE enrich the learning experience.
By the end of the unit, students will have a comprehensive understanding of ocean-climate systems, their importance, and the challenges they face. They’ll be equipped to think critically about environmental issues and consider potential solutions, fostering a sense of global citizenship and environmental stewardship.
This engaging lesson introduces students to the complex world of ocean geography, tracing the evolution of our understanding from ancient times to modern oceanography. Students will explore various ways of classifying and mapping our oceans, considering both biophysical characteristics and human-oriented divisions.
Key lesson components include:
Examining historical perspectives on ocean exploration and mapping
Understanding the ocean’s role in the broader Earth system
Analyzing different methods of dividing and classifying the ocean
Debating the implications of these divisions for ocean management and conservation
The lesson incorporates a variety of activities, including class discussions, map analysis, and group work. It aligns with the KS3 Geography curriculum, covering aspects of physical geography, cartography, and human-environment interactions.
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Describe key moments in the history of ocean exploration and oceanography
Explain how the ocean connects to other Earth systems
Identify and explain various methods of dividing and classifying the ocean
Discuss the implications of ocean divisions on future management and conservation
Curriculum links
Geography KS3
Locational knowledge of environmental regions
Physical geography weather and climate, hydrology
Understanding how human activity relies on the effective functioning of natural systems
Interpret a range of maps, globes and GIS to interpret and analyse places
Cross-curricular connections
Science: study of the earth and atmosphere
History: study of the impacts of European exploration