Using our seas with Jennifer Gomez Molina

Lesson overview

The sea is worth over £18.5 billion to the UK economy. In this lesson, students will investigate the main uses of the sea, before analysing data demonstrating the worth of the major marine industries to the UK economy. Students will develop both a knowledge of the marine economy and develop their data analysis and numeracy skills.

Learning outcomes

  • Name and describe uses of the sea
  • Get information from a bar chart
  • Draw a chart
  • Make a conclusion based on data
  • Calculate a percentage

Lesson steps

  1. Mission statement from Jennifer Gomez Molina (5 mins)
    Students are introduced to the uses of the seas and the ideas of marine careers by Jennifer Gomez Molina.
  2. Marine economy and places (10 mins)
    Students connect learning about the uses of the sea to their learning about marine landmarks in Lesson 1. Students consider how marine landmarks may have an economic use.
  3. Using the sea (30 mins)
    Using a virtual seaside created with Thinglink, students explore how the UK’s seas are used. Students note how different people use the sea in different ways.
  4. Marine economy data (25 mins)
    Students work through data on the UK’s marine economy, developing and applying data analysis and numeracy skills. There are differentiated Student Sheets depending on the ability of your students.
  5. Using our seas poster (15 mins)
    Students demonstrate their learning by creating a poster about the uses of the UK’s seas. This activity is suited to being completed as home learning.
  6. Reflection (5 mins)
    Students reflect on their learning, considering what they have learnt, what connects to their prior knowledge and what they still want to know.

Differentiation

By task
To support lower ability students, focus on describing how the sea is useful using technical terms. Use Student Sheet 4a to facilitate this. Students can demonstrate their learning on the ‘Type of use’ and ‘Description’ sections of Student Sheet 4c.

To challenge higher ability students, focus on the contextualised numeracy skills. Use Student Sheet 4b to facilitate this. Students can demonstrate their learning on the ‘Worth’ sections of Student Sheet 4c.

By outcome
The open nature of the research activity (Thinglink Using our seas) allows students to demonstrate learning at a variety of levels.