This lesson introduces ocean acidification, the other carbon problem. The ocean absorbs about 25% of human-produced carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This helps to mitigate climate change but is not without its negative consequences for the ocean.
This is a practical lesson where students will develop their working scientifically skills and develop their literacy by writing a scientific conclusion using the ‘Point Evidence Explain’ technique from English.
Curriculum links
Science KS3
Working scientifically
Using evidence to support conclusions
Analysing data and graphs
Investigation skills
Biology / Chemistry
Using the pH scale to describe change
Explaining the impact of human production of carbon dioxide on the environment
Learning outcomes
Describe patterns in results
Investigate how carbon emissions change ocean chemistry
Describe the process of ocean acidification
Write a scientific conclusion
This lesson introduces students to the idea of blue carbon habitats and their importance. Students will gain an overview of these coastal environments before analysing data to see how they play an important role in absorbing carbon and helping to tackle climate change.
Curriculum links
Science KS3
Biology
Investigate the diversity and nature of coastal ecosystems
Chemistry
Apply knowledge of the carbon cycle to climate change mitigation
Working scientifically
Analyse and interpret data
Draw conclusions from data
Learning outcomes
Identify and describe the main types of blue carbon habitats
Understand how the ocean and blue carbon habitats help tackle climate change
Analyse the ability of different habitats to absorb and store carbon
Evaluate nature priorities based on data
In this lesson, students will learn about the impact of climate change on the ocean. They will then complete a card sort and diagram activity to gain a deep understanding of how human activities link to climate change and the consequences of climate change on Earth’s systems, habitats, and people.
Curriculum links
Science KS3
Biology
Relationships in an ecosystem, environmental changes, and effects on living things.
Chemistry
Earth and atmospheric science, including climate change and its effects on the environment.
Physics
Energy, heat transfer, and the role of the atmosphere and oceans in regulating climate.
Learning outcomes
Connect climate change to changes in the ocean
List and describe climate change impacts in the ocean
Categorise the different aspects of climate change and its impacts
Create a diagram to show the linkages in climate change
In this introductory lesson, we look at the scientific processes and concepts of the carbon cycle. This will enable students to grow prior knowledge of food webs, respiration, and photosynthesis, as well as the combustion of fossil fuels into a more complete model. The lesson starts with an exercise to illustrate the range of different forms of carbon and carbon compounds and where they are found. This is followed by a gamified exploration of the carbon cycle. Key vocabulary and an understanding of the carbon cycle and its link to climate change is developed through a dominos task and short answer questions.
Curriculum links
Science KS3
Earth and atmosphere
the carbon cycle
the production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the impact on climate
Geography KS3
Human and physical geography
human geography relating to the use of natural resources
understand how human and physical processes interact to influence, and change the climate
Learning outcomes
Identify where carbon can be found
Describe ten basic processes of the carbon cycle
Demonstrate their understanding of carbon stores and movement between them
Link increasing carbon in the atmosphere to climate change
This activity teaches students about the amount of carbon in the different stores, e.g. ocean, atmosphere, and fossil fuels. It is a group activity designed for between 4 and 6 students. Students will also learn about how carbon passes from one store to another.
This activity focuses on the processes in the global carbon cycle. It can be played individually or in small groups of two to four. Each player will move their counter around the board using the instructions. Players will use a dice to see how their carbon counter will move around the different stores in the carbon cycle.
Knowledge organiser covering the carbon cycle and climate change.
This includes the following sections:
Carbon cycle processes
Where is the carbon?
Climate change key words
How has human activity changed where carbon is located?
The greenhouse effect
Climate change over time
Atmospheric CO2 over time
Evidence for climate change
This lesson reviews students’ knowledge about the carbon cycle within the context of the study of ecosystems for GSCE Science (Biology) and Geography, as well as the changing composition of the Earth’s atmosphere for GCSE Science (Chemistry). It covers the carbon cycle and major carbon stores and fluxes. The lesson combines a digital interactive carbon cycle diagram to reinforce knowledge of the processes in the carbon cycle, with a hands-on activity to introduce students to the size of the major carbon stores and fluxes. Exam style questions and a knowledge organiser provide a good revision focus.
Learning outcomes
Review basic processes in the carbon cycle
Develop fuller understanding of the carbon cycle
Compare the sizes of the major carbon stores
Demonstrate their understanding of carbon fluxes and how changes have contributed to climate change
In this introductory lesson, we look at the scientific processes and concepts of the carbon cycle. This will enable students to grow prior knowledge of food webs, respiration, and photosynthesis, as well as the combustion of fossil fuels into a more complete model. The lesson starts with an exercise to illustrate the range of different forms of carbon and carbon compounds and where they are found. This is followed by a gamified exploration of the carbon cycle. Key vocabulary and an understanding of the carbon cycle and its link to climate change is developed through a dominos task and short answer questions.
Learning outcomes
Identify where carbon can be found
Describe ten basic processes of the carbon cycle
Demonstrate their understanding of carbon stores and movement between them
Link increasing carbon in the atmosphere to climate change
Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life.
Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life. https://encounteredu.com/teachers/units/ocean-plastics-science-11-14
If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.
In this biology Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students will learn about plastics and bioaccumulation. This lesson is focused on how chemical pollutants cause harm to marine organisms. Included are teacher resources to model bioaccumulation and an orca case study.
This is a single lesson in the Ocean Plastic Science Unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life.
Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life.
If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.
In this biology Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students learn how plastics affect the marine environment. This lesson is focuses on the physical harm caused by plastics to marine organisms. Included are teacher resources that promote students to become advocates for reducing plastic waste to protect our oceans.
This is a single lesson from the Ocean Plastics Science unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life.
Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life.
If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.
In this chemistry Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students investigate rates of decay. The lesson is focused on students designing their own investigation to see if plant-based alternatives to plastic will decay faster than oil-based plastic and thus cause less harm to the environment.
Included are teacher resources allowing students to test how a conventional plastic bag decays compares to a compostable bag (using a potato as a substitute).
This investigation replicates the research conducted by Dr Imogen Napper at the University of Plymouth.
This is a single lesson from the Ocean Plastics Science unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life.
If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.
In this chemistry Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students investigate the different properties of plastics. In groups students design an investigation testing either thermal insulation or tensile strength. Included are teacher resources with an investigation template.
This is a single lesson from the Ocean Plastics Science unit. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life.
Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life.
If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.
In this chemistry Key Stage 3 (KS3) lesson, students will learn how monomers and polymers dictate the properties of plastics. This lesson focuses on how plastics are made. Included are teacher resources for students to make their own polymer, using PVA and borax, to observe how changing the structure of a substance changes its properties.
This individual lesson is part of a larger unit called Oceans Plastics. Ocean Plastics Science is a Key Stage 3 (KS3) resource combining both biology and chemistry. Students are taken on the journey of plastic. Exploring how plastics are manufactured, used, and disposed into the ocean. Students will learn the science behind what makes plastics both brilliant for everyday purposes and devastating to our oceans and marine life.
Included in this topic are teacher resources that promote students to conduct authentic research, emulating research conducted by The University of Plymouth. Students will test the properties of plastics, investigate compostable alternatives, and analyse case studies to discover how plastics can physically and chemically harm marine life.
If you liked this resource, please rate and review below. This will help to promote oceans education in schools worldwide.
Submarine STEM 11-14 provides middle school / lower secondary school science and design and technology teachers with an engaging resource to explore the science and engineering of submarine exploration. The 6 lessons of Submarine STEM 11-14 are based on the exploratory submersible journeys undertaken as part of the XL Catlin Deep Ocean Survey. The XL Catlin Deep Ocean Survey was the first Nekton Mission and the first multidisciplinary scientific research program to measure the health and resilience of the deep ocean off Bermuda, the Sargasso Sea (between Bermuda and Canada) and off Canada’s east coast.
Submarine STEM challenges students to consider different aspects of submarine design. Each lesson contains a standalone practical investigation examining the scientific principles involved in safely exploring the deep ocean. The deep ocean is extremely difficult to observe and until recently marine science was conducted entirely from the surface. Students will follow in the footsteps of pioneers in deep ocean exploration, considering the different scientific concepts from forces and pressure to material choices needed for surviving in this inhospitable yet amazing environment.
Plastic, Plankton and Poo is a science Key Stage 4 unit of work, this video lesson can be used as part of Lesson 7.
In this lesson the science team explain the societal importance of their work and how their research can be used by policy- makers, community organisations and wider society.
This full lesson includes:
Student Sheet Video 4
Student Sheet Video reflection
The video can be used as a stimulus to a larger discussion about the impact of plastics on the environment and how science can help inform decisions about the future use of plastic.
There are also opportunities to use a flipped approach to learning, setting the video lesson as pre-work before the topic is taught or as home learning to provide reinforcement of factual knowledge or to encourage further reflection.
The science team explain how laboratory work can complement field sampling. Learn how these experiments allow for controlling variables (ie experimental constants) and how the scientists design their experiments using the idea of a fair test.
This full lesson includes:
Student Sheet Video 3
Student Sheet Video reflection
This video lesson can be used as part of Lesson 5 of the Plankton, Plastics & Poo unit. There are also opportunities to use a flipped approach to learning, setting the video lesson as pre-work before the topic is taught or as home learning to provide reinforcement of factual knowledge or to encourage further reflection.
All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.
The scientists provide an insight into field sampling techniques. Join a microplastics research team as they explain how to identify a research survey site and how to ensure that any samples collected can be used as valid data.
This full lesson includes:
Student Sheet Video 2
Student Sheet Video reflection
This video lesson can be used as part of Lesson 4 of the Plankton, Plastics & Poo unit. There are also opportunities to use a flipped approach to learning, setting the video lesson as pre-work before the topic is taught or as home learning to provide reinforcement of factual knowledge or to encourage further reflection.
All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.
Introducing the issue of marine plastics and their impact on the ocean ecosystem, this video looks at how scientists investigate environmental issues and the potential impact of human actions. Students will also be able to relate existing knowledge of the carbon cycle, food webs and human impacts on the environment to the work of a professional research group.
This full lesson includes:
Student Sheet Video 1
Student Sheet Video reflection
This video lesson can be used as part of Lessons 1 or 6 of the Plankton, Plastics & Poo unit. There are also opportunities to use a flipped approach to learning, setting the video lesson as pre-work before the topic is taught or as home learning to provide reinforcement of factual knowledge or to encourage further reflection.
All lessons and resources are available from Encounter Edu’s TES profile.