The Frozen Oceans (Primary) education programme is based on journeys undertaken by explorers and scientists. The programme is suitable for ages 7 - 11/KS2.
Take your class to the North Pole with this cross-curricular investigation of the Arctic Ocean. The lessons 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.
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
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.
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.
Sarah Outen, is a young athlete and adventurer travelling from London around the world and back again, to develop lessons for Key Stage 2 Science.
Take your class room on a trip of a life time across 14 countries and 20,000 miles with Sarah’s human-powered journey by bike, kayak and canoe.
The resources have been written to cover key aspects of the Key Stage 2 (8-11 years) Living Things module.
Join Digital Explorer’s Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop live from Timor Leste in the Coral Triangle for an engaging experience that will allow your students to discover the importance of this unique ecosystem from the comfort of their classroom. This education event is a fantastic opportunity for schools to follow scientists and explorers on their journey as they dive into the secrets of the Coral Triangle.
You can follow Jamie’s journey with TES at www.tes.co.uk/CoralExplorer!
These three primary science lessons sponsored by Catlin Group are designed to accompany the Coral Live! 2015 event. Each lesson features engaging, fun activities on the following topics: Reef Builders, Amazing Polyps and Food Chains.
This #GoogleExpeditions lesson takes students to the International Space Station where students explore space and gravity.
Journey off the planet with this Google Expedition to explore forces and motion in a new and exciting way.
Google Expeditions are immersive 360 degree photo stories designed for use in the classroom. For more see: https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/.
This 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 direct to Google Docs versions of the lessons.
Lesson 1: Google Expeditions: Introducing the International Space Station https://goo.gl/Wy5A2F
Lesson 2: Google Expeditions: Life in Microgravity https://goo.gl/3cqhwv
Lesson 3: Google Expeditions: Microgravity and Experiments https://goo.gl/iU4V3z
Lesson 4: Google Expeditions: Build your own Space Station https://goo.gl/mCo36M
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 #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
Our wonderful ocean KS2 is a resource for year 3, year, 4, year 5, and year 6 students. This lesson introduces the marine habitat and encourages a discussion around what students already know about the ocean. Students use globes and maps to discover that we live on a blue planet and to understand the scale and depth of the ocean. Students learn the names of the five oceans and are introduced to five iconic species from a variety of habitats. They then conduct their own research using fact-sheets, books and online resources to discover more about these species, presenting their findings in a poster.
This is one of three lessons. The lessons introduce students to the awe and wonder of the ocean and its inhabitants building a love for marine wildlife and a desire to protect it. The unit goes on to explore some of the many ways we depend on the ocean, from food to livelihoods. Finally, this unit introduces students to what is meant by marine plastic pollution and encourages students to take a thoughtful and critical approach to the information they receive from the media. At the end of these three lessons students will be fully prepared to embark on the full Key Stage 2 unit Ocean Plastics 7-11.
Get the other lessons in this unit here: https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/oceans-for-beginners-x-curric-7-11
Students develop their understanding of simple food chains or webs and scientific vocabulary through making an Arctic life mobile.
They will also be introduced to the work of marine scientist, Dr Ceri Lewis, who has worked in the Arctic investigating the impact of environmental change on this fragile ecosystem.
This full lesson contains:
Slideshow 1: What organisms live in the Arctic?
Lesson Overview and Teacher Guidance
Activity Overview 1: Arctic mobiles
Student Sheet 1a: Researching Arctic organisms
Student Sheet 1b: Arctic organisms cards
Student Sheet 1c: Arctic life mobiles
It forms Lesson 1 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 #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
Submarine STEM 7-11 delivers a comprehensive scheme of work covering Materials, Forces and Living things and develops students’ ability to work scientifically.
The unit is based on the exploratory submersible journeys undertaken as part of the XL Catlin Deep Ocean Survey off Bermuda, the Sargasso Sea (between Bermuda and Canada) and off Canada’s east coast.
Using our exclusive galleries, videos and online 360 VR technology students are fully immersed in the deep ocean. Students will understand the scale and depth of the ocean, explore and investigate the creatures which inhabit this inhospitable environment and consider how forces and materials are integral to submersible design. Throughout the unit students plan, carry out and evaluate scientific investigations, culminating in an exciting DT challenge.
Fully-resourced lesson developing classification skills using the amazing life in seagrass meadows.
This lesson takes your class on an underwater adventure to the seagrass meadows off Sicily and brings marine biology to life in the KS2 classroom.
Students will take the role of junior marine biologists:
Dive into a hidden world: Take a virtual plunge into the seagrass meadows surrounding Sicily, and discover this lesser-known but incredibly important underwater habitat teeming with life.
Become sea creature detectives: Equip your young explorers with the tools to identify and classify the diverse array of creatures calling seagrass meadows home. From fish to crustaceans to reptiles, students will sharpen their observation skills and learn to spot key characteristics.
Master the art of classification: Guide your class through the exciting process of grouping sea creatures based on observable features.
Start to use classification keys: Introduce the concept of classification keys in a fun, hands-on way. Students will feel like real scientists as they use these tools to identify and categorize the unique inhabitants of seagrass meadows.
Uncover nature’s secrets: As they explore this underwater world, students will also learn about the crucial role seagrass plays in our oceans and climate, connecting this lesson to broader environmental themes.
This lesson brilliantly aligns with the KS2 Science curriculum, focusing on classification skills and the use of keys. It offers a perfect blend of scientific inquiry and environmental awareness, encouraging students to think critically about biodiversity and ecosystems.
By the end of this underwater expedition, your students will:
Confidently identify key features of seagrass habitats and their inhabitants
Demonstrate improved skills in grouping organisms based on observable characteristics
Show proficiency in using classification keys to identify marine life
See the full Ocean Heroes KS2 unit on TES.
Curriculum links
Science KS2
• Group organisms based on characteristics
• Use classification keys
This lesson is an exciting scientific adventure on the carbon cycle Perfect for KS2 students, this lesson will transform your classroom into a living laboratory where young minds will unravel the mysteries of one of Earth’s most crucial processes.
Dive into the world of carbon with your class as they:
Discover the building blocks of life: Students will be amazed to learn that carbon is all around us, from the air we breathe to the food we eat.
Become carbon cycle detectives: Through engaging activities and visual aids, students will piece together the puzzle of how carbon moves through our world. They’ll trace carbon’s journey from plants to animals, from the atmosphere to the oceans, and back again.
Play the ‘Carbon Cycle Game’: Students become carbon atoms, moving between different parts of the ecosystem in this fun, interactive activity that brings the carbon cycle to life.
Connect the dots to climate change: Guide your students as they make the crucial link between human activities, the carbon cycle, and our changing climate.
Blend science and geography: This lesson intertwines concepts from both subjects, showing how carbon’s journey affects both land and sea, and how environments change over time.
This lesson acts as a springboard, building on students’ existing knowledge of food chains and animal needs, while preparing them for more advanced concepts in environmental science. It’s designed to spark curiosity, encourage critical thinking, and foster a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of our world.
By the end of this lesson, your students will:
Confidently explain what carbon is and where it can be found
Understand and articulate the stages of the carbon cycle
Make connections between human activities and changes in the carbon cycle
See the full Ocean Heroes KS2 unit on TES.
Curriculum links
Science KS2
Brings together learning on: transport of oxygen in humans and other animals; what plants and animals need to survive; how living things are, connected in feeding relationships; combustion through heating of materials.
Geography KS2
How environments can change over time; focus on both terrestrial and marine systems and places.
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 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