Amid the sounds of waves washing on shore and seagulls crying, listeners of National Public Radio,Voice of America, and other stations could hear short segments about the sea as part of The Ocean Report. These shorts covered everything from incredible sea creatures to ocean conservation. Each report was a timely, fact-packed mini-lesson-perfect for incorporating into any curriculum.
Now, KIDSNET and SeaWeb have compiled many of these shorts along with background information and hands-on activities designed to help students in grades 4-8 discover how important the ocean is in all our lives. Listed below are the three main parts of the guide. Clicking on a link will take you to a menu of background topics and corresponding activities. You can also find activities by clicking on the "Activities" link that appears at the top of every page. Note that part three is a wrap-up for the entire guide and contains lots of ideas for putting what students learn to work in your community.
Throughout this guide, you’ll find links that you can click on to take you to The Ocean Report audio clips and other resources. The clips, which are also compiled in a searchable database, highlight and expand on the concepts presented in the guide. Use them to pique students’ interest, enhance their understanding of presented concepts, and provide additional information for research. A special student page includes a listing of the audio clips in this guide that students can play back, age-appropriate resources and links.
We would like to express special thanks to Mr. Wolcott Henry, Mr. Peter Benchley, and Dr. Sylvia Earl for their contributions to the sights and sounds of the curriculum. A special thanks also goes to the over 500 individuals that provided their expertise to The Ocean Report over the years. Finally, we would like to thank The Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation for their support.