Nearing the end of their ocean voyage, students will investigate one of the issues facing the world’s ocean, plastic pollution. Students will begin by learning about the impact of litter on marine life. They will then explore the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and how they can be applied to the issue of marine plastic pollution.
In this lesson, students will complete research about different biomes, such as Tundra, Taiga, Desert, Savannah, Temperate forest and Tropical rainforest. They will develop their ability to consolidate their research as they have to write a 100-word piece of writing for each biome studied.
In this lesson, students investigate the insulating properties of materials and consider how the adaptations of Arctic organisms help develop these. The context of the lesson is helping to develop new clothing for Tyler Fish, one of the Catlin Arctic Survey explorers.
The context of the lesson is Dr Ceri Lewis’ work into the impact of ocean acidification on copepods, a type of zooplankton with calcium carbonate shells. The lesson builds on students’ prior knowledge of the environmental impact of anthropogenic CO2 production. Catch Dr Ceri Lewis as she investigates microplastics in the Arctic from 4-15 May over free live lessons.
Having made their discovery that microplastics affect zooplankton feeding and that this could have devastating environmental consequences, the question is, what changes do they want to see, and who should make them?
Renewable energy is currently responsible for approximately 30% of energy production in the UK. This figure has steadily risen since 1990, but is the increase enough? Can we produce enough energy via renewable sources to meet energy needs? What are the issues faced when generating renewable energy? In this lesson students will evaluate the positives and negatives of renewable energy production. They will also consider how renewable energy is affected by the weather.
This lesson helps students identify the different habitat zones on the coral reef and describe the differences in the environmental conditions. During their second dive students develop their identification skills through surveying the reef and identifying different coral types. Students draw conclusions about the reasons for the variety and abundance of coral species across the reef.
This lesson discusses the properties of materials and their use in submersible design. Students will compare a variety of materials for their submersible and justify their choices. An investigation into how saltwater affects materials allows pupils to make predictions, write conclusions and conduct a fair test.
Students will look at two main schools of thought: ‘turn off the taps’, stopping plastic from entering the ocean by reducing plastic pollution, limiting single-use plastic use, improving waste management, and introducing alternative products; and ‘bail out the bath’, removing plastic waste from the ocean and beaches. Students engage in a silent debate followed by a group discussion to focus on what they believe is the most effective solution.
The Arctic Ocean is one of the least understood regions on the planet. This lesson introduces students to the region and provides a background to the physical characteristics of this frozen ocean. Students will develop their geographical literacy skills through a piece of extended writing.