Exploring Ocean Mysteries is a curriculum that makes it easy to teach the seven Ocean Literacy Principles while meeting NGSS, Common Core and Climate Literacy standards. Lessons are targeted to middle grades and adaptable for grades 4-12. They use the National Marine Sanctuary System as an engaging backdrop that helps students understand their importance for exploration, research, Indigenous cultures and more.
Ocean Literacy Essential Principle 4: The ocean makes Earth habitable.
This lesson focuses on how marine photosynthetic organisms contribute oxygen to our atmosphere. Students will research and present about a marine organism that photosynthesizes and consider the importance of those organisms as historic and current contributors to atmospheric oxygen.
Lesson Plan
Students will:
- Design and conduct an experiment to test if photosynthesis occurs in an aquatic organism.
- Argue from evidence about how photosynthesis by marine organisms could impact atmospheric oxygen levels.
- Discuss how the ocean produced enough oxygen over eons to make Earth habitable for oxygen-breathing organisms.
- Explain the importance of marine autotrophs in the production of oxygen, orally and in writing.
- Explain the importance of national marine sanctuaries for protecting highly productive seagrass beds and kelp forests.
Does photosynthesis occur in aquatic organisms? Do they produce oxygen? Use this handout to investigate further.
Use the PowerPoint presentation to engage students in additional critical thinking questions and discussion. The Slide Notes provide additional information, which you can use to add to student ideas.
Select an important photosynthetic organism to investigate further.
