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.
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.
This classification lesson is based around an expedition to the coral reef. Students learn about classification through practical sorting activities and then apply their knowledge to the amazing animals on the coral reef and some of the oddities that are found there. What is a coral? Is a dolphin more closely related to a shark or a cow? More able students can also develop their own classification key.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 8: The Indian Ocean and classification with Sheena Talma
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Activity Overview: Sorting objects practical
Student Sheet 8a: Classifying coral life
Student Sheet 8b: Making a key
Student Sheet 8c: Classification card sort
Student Sheet 8d: Coral life fact sheet
It forms Lesson 8 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.
Learn all about the amazing diversity of life in the seas around the UK. This is a fun and interactive lesson that sees students match different examples of marine life with the different marine habitats. Students are directed to use an online Thinglink activity for group investigation during this lesson.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 3 UK marine life with Dr Ceri Lewis and Dr Helen Findlay
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Student Sheet 3a What lives where
Student Sheet 3b Marine life profiles
Student Sheet 2c Marine habitats life poster (to be completed from Lesson 2 of this unit)
It forms Lesson 3 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 lesson introduces students to the diversity of habitats in the seas around the UK and looks at the different conditions experienced across a variety of habitats from the deep sea to rock pools.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 2 UK marine habitats with Dr Susana Lincoln
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Student Sheet 2a Marine habitats diagram
Student Sheet 2b Marine habitats and conditions cards
Student Sheet 2c Marine habitats life poster
Activty Overview Dictogloss of marine habitats
It forms Lesson 2 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 KS2 science lesson, students travel to the Southern Ocean and the waters around Antarctica to study penguins. Students will learn about the adaptations that allow penguins to survive. This lesson can be used as an introductory lesson to the topic of evolution for upper Key Stage 2 students, which is the focus of Mission 10
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 10 The Southern Ocean and penguin adaptation with Dr Norman Ratcliffe
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Student Sheet 10 Penguin adaptations (students are directed to use an online interactive Thinglink to complete their research)
It forms Lesson 10 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 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.
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 student knowledge of a variety of mini-beasts as well as creative writing skills.
Students can choose from a range of different mini-beast expeditions on Google Expeditions: the Ambush Bug, Whip Spider, Malayan Jungle Nymph (pictured), Giant Devil’s Flower Mantis or Darkling Beetle.
Students first describe their chosen mini-beast using the photos in the Google Expedition, commenting also on how the creature is adapted to its environment. Then, they develop creative writing skills, writing a story from the point of view of one of the mini-beasts.
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/Fhj1xU
Visit the saltmarshes of the Solent in this multifaceted lesson that brings ecology, tourism, and conservation together in your KS2 classroom.
Get ready to transform your students into eco-explorers and budding tour guides as they:
Discover a hidden coastal wonder: Take a virtual field trip to the mysterious saltmarshes of the Solent.
Become food web detectives: Guide your young scientists as they unravel the intricate connections between saltmarsh inhabitants. They’ll piece together food chains and webs.
Explore nature’s superpowers: students learn how saltmarshes act as nature’s own superheroes - protecting coastlines, purifying water, and fighting climate change as a blue carbon habitat.
Design eco-tourism campaigns: Encourage creativity as students craft eye-catching posters to promote saltmarshes as must-visit destinations. They’ll learn to balance environmental protection with responsible tourism, thinking critically about sustainable development.
This lesson brilliantly intertwines elements of the KS2 Geography and Science curricula, offering a perfect blend of ecological understanding and real-world application. It’s designed to nurture scientific thinking while fostering a sense of environmental stewardship and economic awareness.
By the end of this saltmarsh safari, your students will:
Explain the importance of saltmarshes for both nature and local communities
Demonstrate improved skills in describing and mapping food chains using scientific terminology
Show enhanced creativity in promoting eco-tourism while considering conservation needs
See the full Ocean Heroes KS2 unit on TES.
Curriculum links
Geography KS2
• Globally significant marine and terrestrial places
• Physical geography: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts
Science KS2
• construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey
Get involved in ocean conservation with this thought-provoking lesson that brings the complex world of sustainable fishing to your classroom.
Prepare to transform your students into marine detectives and eco-conscious consumers as they:
Follow the fish from sea to plate: Take your class on a journey from the ocean depths to their dinner tables, asking them to connect the ocean food they eat to marine life.
Crunch the numbers: Engage in a fun, fish-themed maths activity. They’ll calculate just how many cod it would take to feed the nation with fish fingers, bringing maths to life.
Evaluating fishing techniques: Guide your class as they explore various fishing methods. They’ll weigh the pros and cons of each, developing critical thinking skills as they grapple with real-world sustainability issues.
Step into the shoes of marine life: Through engaging activities, students will gain empathy for ocean creatures and understand the impact of overfishing on marine ecosystems.
Raise their voices for ocean health: Inspire your class to become advocates for sustainable fishing. They’ll craft persuasive arguments to convince school leaders and even government officials to ‘get fish smart’!
This lesson beautifully intertwines elements of PSHE and Geography curricula, offering a perfect blend of environmental awareness, economic understanding, and civic engagement. It’s designed to nurture critical thinking while fostering a sense of global citizenship.
By the end of this fishy adventure, your students will:
Demonstrate a clear understanding of fish as a food source and its journey to our plates
Show improved skills in debating the merits and drawbacks of different fishing methods
Develop empathy for marine life and ecosystems affected by overfishing
Craft persuasive arguments for sustainable fishing practices
See the full Ocean Heroes KS2 unit on TES.
Curriculum links
KS2 PSHE
• Sustainable development and use of natural resources
• Taking action on environmental issues
KS2 Geography
• economic activity and distribution of natural resources including food
This engaging exploration will transform your KS2 classroom into an underwater observatory, where students will discover the fascinating and sometimes concerning changes happening beneath the waves.
Get ready to embark on an oceanic adventure where your students will:
Become climate detectives: Unravel the mystery of how excess carbon in our atmosphere is changing our planet’s oceans. Watch as your students connect the dots between human activities and the transformations occurring in our marine world.
Journey from pole to pole: Take a virtual expedition from the melting ice caps to the vibrant coral reefs. Students will be amazed to learn how climate change affects vastly different marine ecosystems.
Explore a coral wonderland: Dive into a video case study of the Maldives’ coral reefs. Your class will explore this colorful underwater world and learn about the delicate balance that keeps coral reefs healthy.
Hear from the experts: Engage with real quotes from scientists and community members in an exciting poster activity. This hands-on task will bring the human element of climate change to life, showing students how these changes affect people around the world.
Become ocean advocates: Inspire your students to share their newfound knowledge through creative poster designs.
This lesson beautifully aligns with the KS2 Geography curriculum, focusing on how environments change over time. It offers a perfect blend of scientific understanding and global awareness, encouraging students to think critically about the world around them.
By the end of this ocean odyssey, your students will:
Confidently explain how excess atmospheric carbon leads to climate change
Identify and describe various impacts of climate change on our oceans
Create compelling posters to share their learning and raise awareness
See the full Ocean Heroes KS2 unit on TES.
Curriculum links
Geography KS2
How environments can change over time; focus on both terrestrial and marine systems and places.
This lesson supports students to develop pledges to protect the ocean. It features examples of young ocean heroes, examples of persuasive writing, alongside writing frames and ocean pledge ideas. It can work as a standalone lesson or as the final lesson as part of the Ocean & Climate KS2 unit.
Prepare to guide your young ocean advocates on an empowering journey as they:
Meet real-life young ocean champions: Introduce your class to inspiring stories of children just like them who are making waves in ocean conservation.
Master the art of persuasion: Equip your budding activists with powerful writing techniques. They’ll learn to craft compelling arguments that can turn the tide of public opinion on ocean protection.
Find their voice: Guide students as they develop their own unique messages to advocate for ocean health. From posters to speeches, they’ll explore creative ways to make their voices heard.
Dive deep into ocean-climate connections: Reinforce the crucial link between our oceans and climate, helping students understand why their actions matter on a global scale.
Make waves with personal pledges: Inspire your class to commit to tangible actions that protect our oceans. Whether it’s reducing plastic use or spreading awareness, each student will find their own way to become an ocean hero.
This lesson combines elements of PSHE and English curricula, offering a perfect blend of civic engagement and communication skills. It’s designed to nurture environmental stewardship while honing critical writing and speaking abilities.
By the end of this empowering adventure, your students will:
Demonstrate a clear understanding of the ocean-climate relationship
Show improved skills in persuasive writing and speaking
Develop a personal connection to ocean conservation issues
Create and commit to meaningful ocean protection pledges
See the full Ocean Heroes unit on TES.
Curriculum links
KS2 PSHE
• Sustainable development and use of natural resources
• Taking action on environmental issues
KS2 English
• Plan writing by identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form, and using other similar writing as models
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.
A numeracy-based geography full lesson looking at the marine economy. Useful full lesson resource that ticks off the need to teach marine topics in KS2 geography and develops numeracy skills at the same time.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 4: Using our sea with Jennifer Gomez Molina
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Student Sheet 4a: Using our seas
Student Sheet 4b: How much is the sea worth (in two different age groups)
Student Sheet 4c: Using our seas poster
Multimedia Slideshow Marine economy (animated ppt showing aspects of UK marine economy)
It forms Lesson 4 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.
Journey to the mangrove forests of Indonesia in this thought-provoking lesson that brings conservation and community cooperation to life in your KS2 classroom.
Prepare to transform your students into conservationists as they:
Explore a magical forest between land and sea: Take a virtual expedition to the mysterious mangrove forests of Indonesia, where trees seem to walk on water!
Become mangrove detectives: Guide your young explorers as they uncover the secrets of mangroves - from their unique adaptations to their crucial role in protecting coastlines and combating climate change.
Step into different shoes: Through an engaging stakeholder activity, students will role-play as various groups with interests in the mangroves - from local fishermen to government officials. This exercise in empathy will help them understand the complexity of conservation efforts.
Solve real-world puzzles: Challenge your class to balance the needs of different groups while protecting the mangroves. They’ll have to grapple with authentic conservation dilemmas.
Build bridges for a better future: Inspire your students to find creative solutions that bring diverse groups together. They’ll learn the power of collaboration in addressing environmental challenges.
This lesson beautifully aligns with the KS2 Geography curriculum, touching on globally significant places, physical geography, and human geography. It encourages students to think critically about the interplay between nature and human societies.
By the end of this mangrove expedition, your students will:
Confidently locate and describe the natural features of mangrove forests
Demonstrate a deep understanding of the importance of mangroves to both nature and people
Show improved skills in considering multiple perspectives on environmental issues
Develop and present creative ideas for collaborative conservation efforts
See the full Ocean Heroes KS2 unit on TES.
Curriculum links
Geography KS2
• Globally significant marine and terrestrial places
• Physical geography: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts
• Human geography: land use and the distribution of natural resources
A fun, hands-on lesson that introduces classes to sediment, the ocean equivalent of soil. This practical lesson shows how important worms are for the health of the seabed.
During this lesson, students will:
Become seabed scientists: Guide your young researchers as they uncover the secrets of marine sediment - the ocean’s equivalent of soil. They’ll learn why it’s crucial for ocean life.
Meet the unsung heroes of the sea: Introduce your class to the fascinating world of marine worms. Through fun, hands-on activities, students will discover how these humble creatures are the hardworking gardeners of the seabed.
Get their hands dirty (in the best way): Engage in a messy but memorable practical activity that demonstrates how worms transform the seabed.
Investigate human impacts: Challenge your class to think critically about how human activities affect the seabed. They’ll develop environmental awareness and problem-solving skills as they consider ways to protect these crucial habitats.
This lesson brilliantly extends the KS2 Science curriculum, introducing marine sediments as a natural progression from the study of rocks and soils. It also touches on key Geography concepts.
By the end of this lesson, your students will:
Confidently describe the features and location of shallow sea habitats
Demonstrate understanding of how ocean sediment forms and its importance
Explain the crucial role of worms in creating a healthy seabed ecosystem
Show improved critical thinking skills when considering human impacts on marine environments
See the full Ocean Heroes unit on TES.
Curriculum links
Geography KS2
• Globally significant marine and terrestrial places
Science KS2
• Marine sediments have yet to feature directly in the National Curriculum, and this lesson can be used as an extension to the study of rocks and soils
• This lesson also introduces the relationship between soils and sediments and the animal life that can make them more suited to other life
• Recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things
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.
Introduce your students to the oceans! A 60-min lesson with practical activities suitable for 11-14 year olds, replicating the work of scientists on the Catlin Arctic Survey 2010-11. The scientists camped on the frozen sea ice for two months to examine what changes are occurring to phytoplankton and zooplankton in the oceans’ current state, as well as if they were to become more acidic.
Includes three simple practical activities:
what’s happening
the impact it may have on specific marine organisms
the impact on the larger food web.