Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: Sensory map

20 minutes

Find Out: The ocean’s invisible powers

25 minutes

Take Action: Reef of appreciation

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

develop an appreciation of the ocean's beauty and emotional significance by connecting with nature and diverse cultural perspectives
investigate the critical ecological role of oceans and communicate key facts that build ocean literacy.

Success criteria

Students can:

express why the ocean is important to them personally or culturally
explain at least 1 way the ocean supports life on Earth
contribute to a collaborative display that shows appreciation and understanding of the ocean.

Tune In: Sensory map

Step 1

Begin by inviting students to briefly share why they love the ocean. Write a few responses on the board as a visual reference (for example, ‘I love the waves,’ ‘I feel calm when I’m in the water,’ and ‘I like seeing sea animals’).

Living and teaching in a rural or regional area? Differentiate Step 1 to invite students to share what they love about any local body of water, such as a lake, river or other waterway and how this is connected with the health of the ocean.

Step 2

Explain to the class that they will take a quiet moment to mindfully tune in to the sounds of the ocean. They will hear a series of real ocean-related sounds, like waves, animals, and weather. As they listen, invite them to think about how these sounds make them feel and why the ocean matters to them personally.

Play the following sounds:

Step 3

Discuss that mindfully listening to nature sounds (or preferably sounds in nature) is a known way to destress and reduce anxiety.

This set of calls was obviously based around one location in nature, the ocean.

Outline to the class that they will now explore the deep connection between people and the ocean through the perspective of surfers, environmentalists, and First Nations custodians. You’ll hear what the ocean means to them, why they love it, why the ocean is one of the most important parts of our climate system, and why protecting it matters.

Step 4

As a class, watch this video.

Once the video has finished, pause and invite students to reflect on their thoughts and feelings.

Step 5

Next, emphasise the following points to students:

The ocean absorbs 90% of the extra heat in the atmosphere and 30% of the extra carbon dioxide, helping to regulate the Earth’s climate by acting as a giant carbon sink that mitigates further global warming.
Changes in the ocean, such as warming waters, rising sea levels, and coral bleaching, are some of the most visible signs of climate change.
First Nations peoples have had deep cultural and custodial connections to the ocean for tens of thousands of years, and their knowledge and care are vital in protecting it.

Learning extension: Ask students to create a poster that highlights the ocean’s role in regulating the Earth’s climate and the visible signs of climate change (like warming waters, coral bleaching, and rising sea levels). On the poster, they should also include a section about the cultural and custodial connection of First Nations peoples to the ocean.

Find Out: The ocean’s invisible powers

Step 1

Divide students into 5 groups and provide each group with 1 copy of the activity sheet. In their groups, students will investigate the ocean’s invisible powers by working together to complete a set of worksheets with quiz-style questions on 5 key topics:

oxygen production
ocean power generation
amazing biodiversity
climate regulation
human benefits.

Learning support: Students may need some guidance for this activity. The answers for each activity are provided in the teacher content information below.

Step 2

After students have shared their interesting facts, use the following questions to spark a class discussion:

What surprised you the most about the ocean's invisible powers?
How do you think these invisible powers are connected to the health of our planet?
What role do we, as individuals and communities, play in protecting these ocean functions?
Why is it important to understand how the ocean contributes to climate regulation, oxygen production, and biodiversity?
How might the invisible powers of the ocean help us in addressing climate change and eco-anxiety?

Encourage students to connect their findings to real-world actions and the importance of the ocean in shaping a sustainable future. This transitions smoothly into the next activity, where they’ll explore how these powers connect to climate action and sustainability.

Take Action: Reef of Appreciation

Preparation

This activity requires specific materials. Please read the suggestions in the Teacher Content Information, and/or provide students with the following craft materials:

cardboard
cloth (to use as a backdrop)
glue
markers and pencils.

Step 1

Drawing inspiration from the ocean's incredible invisible powers, your students will design and create a vibrant wall display symbolising the beauty and diversity of the ocean. Each student will create 1 visual contribution to the display. Each contribution should include:

a personal message

OR

a fact about the ocean or marine ecosystems (for example, ‘Coral reefs support 25% of all marine life’).

Provide students with a list of contribution ideas to choose from, such as:

paper seaweed streamers with handwritten messages
drawings or cut-outs of ocean creatures (such as sea stars, whales, fish) featuring facts
a small section of ‘reef’ showing its value to ocean life
3D models of ocean creatures made from discarded or recycled materials.

Encourage creativity while ensuring each student includes either a message or a fact in their design.

Step 2

Once students have planned their idea, give them time to create their visual contribution using drawing materials, recycled items, or craft supplies.

Step 3

As students finish, invite them to add their pieces to the “Reef of Appreciation” display. This could be a wall mural, a classroom corner, or a hanging 3D installation, anywhere students can see and celebrate their collective reef. Encourage students to read and explore each other’s work, noticing the different messages and facts shared.

Blue Minds would love you to take a photo of your display and share it on a collective dashboard straight from your classrooms to learn from and share with students and teachers all over the country. To access, use the password blueminds, make an account, log in and share it!

Learning opportunity: Invite other classes to view your Reef of Appreciation display! It can inspire more teachers and students to the wonders of the ocean, and why we need to take action to protect our planet.

Reflection

Step 1

Pass out a piece of coloured card to each student. Invite each student to write 1 word on their card that describes what the ocean means to them, followed by a short sentence explaining why. These cards can be collected and added to the ocean display as a ‘word wave’.

The Power of the Ocean - Appreciation and Connection

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Summary

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