Exploring the Oceans: Science Activities for Kids
by Anthony D. Fredericks
illustrated by Shawn Shea
A giant squid, boasting an arm span of more than 30 feet, darts through the frigid Arctic waters off Alaska's coast in search of food. A school of tuna zooms through the water at speeds of more than 35 miles per hour. A pod of whales surfaces, blows streams of water vapor from their blowholes, then crashes into the water with majesty and grace. This is the oceana magical and majestic environment that covers nearly two-thirds of the earth's entire surface. From sea treasures on sunken pirate ships to vast deposits of precious minerals and amazing new creatures, the undiscovered reaches of the world's oceans are infinite.
ISBN 1-55591-379-2 Grades 3 - 8
8-1/2 x 11, 128 pages
b/w illustrations
Sorry, this title is currently out of stock at the publishers, Check back I think they ae printing more!
Exploring the Oceans is full of exciting hands-on activities and projects that will help children, parents, and teachers learn and appreciate this important ecosystem.
Designed for kids ages 8 to 12, this book is both a practical and useful tool for teaching children about the role oceans play in our lives. Students can participate in a variety of activities that relate to real-life concerns about the condition of our oceans, such as creating and then cleaning up a simulated oil spill.
Kim Toomey Curriculum Administrator
Exploring the Oceans is a perfect book for any upper elementary or middle school teacher wanting an excellent survey course on oceans. It would also make a terrific home school resource as it requires few elaborate items for experiments and includes resource addresses and websites. The format is user-friendly, not intimidating, but the information is scholarly and experiential. ... The book manages to take a huge topic and organize it into manageable and stimulating segments. The "fantastic facts" are fun, motivating even the most reluctant of learners.
Nancy Nixon Colorado Libraries
This volume is an excellent resource book for teachers and students who are interested in exploring different aspects of marine science. The author presents readers with a workbook filled with a "wow-factor" attitude describing the beauty, mystery, and majesty of the oceans within the context of the scientific method of learning. As he states in his introduction,. "The oceans of the world are where new discoveries are being made every day and where new and incredible adventures await those willing to make those discoveries." The book contains a section that focuses on the negative effects humans have had on the marine environment, and the author issues a challenge to readers to help preserve what is left of the oceans and their inhabitants.
The book presents many hands-on activities that are suitable for a wide range of elementary and middle school students. The activities contain easy-to-follow directions and use common, inexpensive materials. Each activity also includes a concise, easily understood explanation of the results of the activity in a section entitled "What Happens." ...
The author has included an extensive, current annotated bibliography (listing 74 sources), along with a useful glossary and a valuable index. The book is easily adapted to Internet applications due to its exhaustive listing of Web sites throughout the continental United States having to do with aquariums, environmental groups, and other information and resources. The value of this book as a resource is alone worth the cost of the volume and makes it an essential part of an elementary or middle school library.
Charles and Glenda Denny University of South Carolina Sumter, SC
