Lesson overview

This first lesson is all about creating the spatial framework for exploring the ocean, its climate zones, and how it is affected by the nature and climate crises. It is important for students to have some basic locational awareness when engaging with environmental change. Specifically to the ocean it is also important that students understand that the ocean is not just a big ‘bath tub’ but has distinct climate zones (warm, mild, cold), and that as the temperature of the planet increases, that these climate zones can change, with potential knock-on effects for ocean life and human reliance on a healthy ocean.

Learning outcomes

• Name the different parts of the ocean

• Understand that temperature varies across the ocean

• Map ocean conditions, names, and descriptions

Lesson steps

1. Exploring our ocean world (10 mins)

The lesson starts with a basic overview of the world using a child-friendly map or globe, using the prompt on slide 2. Students are asked to identify areas of land and ocean, thinking about the proportion of ocean to land (roughly 2:1). Then review the learning outcomes on slide 3, before moving on to the naming rhyme activity for this first step.

Introduce the rhyme on slide 5 and the associated actions on slide 6. This information is also included on Student Sheet Five oceans rhyme. Practise this rhyme until students are confident in the words and actions. This first lesson step also includes slides showing photographs from each of the oceans (slides 7 to 11).

There is a drive to move from talking about the world’s oceans to emphasising that there is just one interconnected world ocean. This may be an overly complex distinction for this age group, where learning the ocean regions is the main learning objective. However, you may wish to point out how connected all these ocean regions are. For more information, see the Subject Update ‘How many oceans are there?’ linked from the lesson page.

2. Ocean temperature investigation (10 mins)

Like land, the ocean varies in its temperature. This lesson step develops students’ understanding of the different temperature zones in the ocean. Follow the guidance on the Activity Overview Ocean temperature activity.

Use slides 12 and 13 to introduce this activity, emphasising that the ocean has different temperatures in different areas.

Review the activity with a whole class discussion using the following prompt questions on slide 14 and then develop these further. Questions for whole class discussion:

• What did the first/second/third container feel like?
• What words could we use to describe the feeling?
• Where do we think water from the first/second/third container could be found in the ocean?
• Why do you think this?

Explain that oceans have different temperature zones. Slide 15 can be used as a prompt. Develop students’ understanding by pointing out that blue/purple regions are colder, green/yellow regions are mild, and orange/red regions are warmer.

• Cold zones: near the North and South Poles
• Mild zones: in the middle latitudes
• Warm zones: near the Equator

Point these areas out on the map/globe, and review the key learning points about ocean temperature zones. Ask students to share one thing they learned about ocean temperatures.

3. Creating our ocean map (20 mins)

This section brings together the learning from the first two steps into a map. Students will work individually (print out the Student Sheet Our ocean map template A4 and stick to A3 backing paper) or in small groups (print out the map template A3 and stick to A2 backing paper). Slide 17 and the Student Sheet Word bank can be used to assist students.

• Students should start by sticking the map in the centre of the backing paper (you may wish to do this in advance to save time).
• Then ask students to add the map title and their name(s) to their map.
• Add directional language to the map and ask students where each of these should go.
• Students should then choose colours to shade in the three main temperature sections in the ocean (e.g. (dark) blue for polar/cold waters, light blue/green for temperate/mild waters, and yellow/orange for tropical/warm waters). Students may also wish to shade in the land as well. This should be in a contrasting colour such as brown or dark green.
• Then ask students to add the temperature words to the appropriate areas of the ocean.
• Students should then add the names of the major geographical ocean regions.

Complete this section, reviewing progress, and addressing any misconceptions through a mini plenary discussion.

4. Learn more about each ocean (15 mins)

Depending on the level of your class, the previous steps may be sufficient for a single lesson. However, it is great to extend the learning to include more information about the different ocean areas as well looking at and placing photos of different ocean areas.

Hand out the Student Sheet with ocean descriptions and photos. Choose students to read through each of the descriptions. After reading through all the descriptions ask students to think about which ocean area they apply to. Once the class has settled on their decision, ask students to cut out and stick these to their ocean poster, perhaps putting these descriptions on the edge and linking them with a line or arrow.

Repeat this process with photos of different parts of the ocean if there is time.

5. Review key learning (5 mins)

Use this final section to review the learning through a short quiz using slides 18-38.

Science Key stage 1

• Working scientifically: use observations to compare and contrast ocean environments

Geography Key stage 1

• Locational knowledge: name and locate the world’s ocean(s)

• Human and physical geography: identify hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the equator and North/South Poles

• Geographical skills and fieldwork: use maps, atlases and globes to identify ocean areas; use simple directional language

PHSE Key stage 1

• Living in the wider world: develop awareness of the wider world and our responsibility towards ocean environments