Lesson overview

This lesson sets the scene for the whole deep-sea exploration unit. 71% of our blue planet is covered by ocean, with an average depth of 2.3 miles. At least 97% of our biosphere is in the ocean and it produces half the oxygen we breath. The oceans affect people’s food, safety, livelihoods, transport and access to resources, yet we know very little about the deep ocean – we have better maps of the moon! This lesson explores the importance of the ocean and introduces students to some of the strange creatures which inhabit the deep sea.

Learning outcomes

• Discuss prior knowledge of the ocean
• Understand the scale of the ocean
• Describe how the ocean affects our lives
• Compare, observe and ask questions about the features of deep-sea creatures
• Review learning and make suggestions for future learning

Lesson steps

1. Brief and Assessment for Learning (10mins)
   Students are introduced to the unit, lesson title and expected outcomes and discuss what they already know about oceans.
2. Oceans and us (15 mins)
   Students are guided in discussion about the importance of deep-sea exploration, the scale of oceans and how they affect our lives
   
3. Deep-sea creatures (10 mins)
   Students view the Deep-sea creatures gallery, make observations and ask questions about the features of living things.
4. Deep-sea funnies game (15 mins)
   Students demonstrate their learning by playing Deep-sea funnies though comparing size, depth, weird rating and predator level.
5. Future learning (10 mins)
   Students discuss what they are interested in finding out about during this unit and share ideas.
   

England

Science Key Stage 2

Living things and their habitats

• Identify and name a number of living things in the wider environment
• Recognise that environments can change

Working Scientifically

• Ask relevant questions and use different types of scientific enquiry
• Make systematic and careful observations

Key Stage 2 Geography

Geographical Skills and Fieldwork

• Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate and describe features

USA

NGSS Grades 2-5

• Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
  5-PS2-1. Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.

• Engineering Design
  3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
  3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
  3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.