Lesson overview

This lesson introduces students to the breadth and wonder of the world’s ocean. Students will learn about the names and locations of the world’s ocean basins before looking at some of the major marine features. The lesson also sets up the students’ learning over the next lessons, where they will explore different aspects of the coral ecosystem.

Learning outcomes

• Name and locate the world’s oceans
• Name and locate major marine features
• Write geographical descriptions for major marine features

Lesson steps

1. Mission statement from Prof Alex Rogers (5 mins)
   Students are introduced to the ocean voyage they will go on for the next six lessons. Opportunities for literacy practice using Prof Alex Rogers’s opening statement.
2. Our ocean in numbers (5 mins)
   Students guess the answers to ocean questions choosing from a list of numbers on the board.
3. Naming and locating the oceans (20 mins)
   Students follow clues to name and locate the world’s oceans. Students also have the opportunity to solve the problem of trying to count the number of oceans.
4. Marine wonders (20 mins)
   Students explore some of the world’s major marine features. This is also an opportunity to practise atlas skills or the use of online maps.
5. Voyage map (45 mins)
   Using the idea of a marine chart, students use the map template to make their own voyage map, where they can record their learning over the next weeks as they explore the world’s oceans.
6. Reflection (10 mins)
   Use the reflection pyramid to guide students to review their learning for this lesson.

England

Geography Key Stage 2

• Locational knowledge
  Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant marine places including their defining physical and human characteristics.
• Skills links
  Students work geographically by using maps and atlases to locate and describe features studied.