The Ocean

Idea behind the song:

I was shocked when I realized that we know more about outer space than we do about our own oceans! How can this be? Since most of the oxygen we breathe and much food comes from the ocean, it's critical we protect the oceans! Shout it from the mountaintops. I recently saw Robert Ballard on ABC News as a result of the latest national ocean study. Dr. Ballard was saying he wished for much more ocean education...and wished there would be an initiative for ocean education like NASA has for space science education.

Lesson idea:

This song is the "theme song" for my ocean unit. (my visual presentation will be posted when I get it completed). I teach it to them and then play it over and over to start the unit.

Many of my students have computer class where they have to create PowerPoint presentations of topics of their choice. Offer them extra credit if they will make a PowerPoint presentation that will go along with this song.

We do a newspaper project in astronomy where students have to determine and write an editorial, (an editorial is a requirement of our Language Arts program), "Should We Fund NASA?" Students look at the national budget and consider what adavances in society have come from NASA (spin-offs) vs. what costs NASA has.

This consideration would be a good connection to oceanography. How much should we fund NOAA vs. NASA? What rides on the development of each program? This would invite much critical thinking and study. Students would have to consider what is known and what is at stake in each case.

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