With Explore the Blue, you'll find additional resources including Grades K-5 cross-curricular lesson plans for Science, Social Studies, Math, Language Arts, and Health/Physical Education, plus Grades 6-8 Earth and Life Science lesson plans. All plans are standards-aligned and feature videos and multimedia tools on conservation, aquatic habitats, the importance of boating and fishing to societies and economies - designed to seamlessly integrate with your current plans.
For additional resources - for the classroom or to send home with your students - click here.
For additional resources - for the classroom or to send home with your students - click here.
Teacher Resources
Adapt to Survive!
Students will learn about the ways in which plants and animals have adapted to survive in their environments.
Students will learn about the ways in which plants and animals have adapted to survive in their environments.
Toxic Buildup
Students will learn how harmful chemicals entering the food web build up with organisms in the web.
Students will learn how harmful chemicals entering the food web build up with organisms in the web.
Diversify Your Traits
Students learn about the importance of genetic diversity to the preservation of species, particularly as changes occur to the environment in which they live.
Students learn about the importance of genetic diversity to the preservation of species, particularly as changes occur to the environment in which they live.
Unwanted Invaders
Students learn about the damage invasive species can inflict on native species populations and consider what can be done to protect native species.
Students learn about the damage invasive species can inflict on native species populations and consider what can be done to protect native species.
What's in YOUR Watershed?
Students learn about the concept of a watershed and explore the effects of erosion and runoff on watersheds.
Students learn about the concept of a watershed and explore the effects of erosion and runoff on watersheds.
Classifying Aquatic Plants & Animals
Students learn about the scientific classification system and use it to identify local aquatic flora and fauna samples.
Students learn about the scientific classification system and use it to identify local aquatic flora and fauna samples.
Maintain to Sustain
Students learn about the importance of managing levels of fishing to ensure the sustainability of fish species.
Students learn about the importance of managing levels of fishing to ensure the sustainability of fish species.
Thrill of the Catch Demo
Have fun educating your students about the great outdoors with Thrill of the Catch, a unique virtual fishing game.
The Sun, Air, and Water: Living on Earth
Students will learn about physical materials in their environment.
Students will learn about physical materials in their environment.
How Do the Oceans Affect Our Weather and Climate?
Students will learn about how physical features and climate affect fishing.
Students will learn about how physical features and climate affect fishing.
Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification
Students will learn how bioacculumation and biomagnification can result in unhealthy levels of substances being stored in the tissue of animals.
Students will learn how bioacculumation and biomagnification can result in unhealthy levels of substances being stored in the tissue of animals.
Sustainability
Students will learn how habitat degradation, by catching and overfishing have all contributed to the decline of different fish species.
Students will learn how habitat degradation, by catching and overfishing have all contributed to the decline of different fish species.
Aquatic Ecosystems & Invasive Species
Students find out about Australian cane toads and how they reduced the biodiversity of many ecosystems.
Students find out about Australian cane toads and how they reduced the biodiversity of many ecosystems.
Fish Food Webs & Bioaccumulation
Students review the three main categories of water pollution: nutrient, chemical and trash.
Students review the three main categories of water pollution: nutrient, chemical and trash.
Fish Populations & Reproduction
Students will learn about the great variety of plant and animal life in aquatic biomes.
Students will learn about the great variety of plant and animal life in aquatic biomes.
Explore the Blue hosted the below webinars for teachers and students to learn about Web 2.0 tools to utilize in your classroom. Access the webinars and supporting presentations below.
Graph the Catch
Using a variety of lessons, games, and resources from the Explore the Blue website we'll help your students improve their data analysis skills while demonstrating ways they can explore their community and the wonders of the natural world. We'll practice our graphing skills with a collection of free math websites including Google Charts, Pie Color, DIY Chart and more! Your students will have fun reinforcing essential math skills, learning about different types of fish, and collecting data from the Thrill of the Catch!
Watch | Download (130MB) | Download PDF
That's a Keeper
"That's a Keeper! Reeling in Top Resources" focuses on fishing for top resources to engage and inspire your students. Along the way we reel in some great lesson plans, activities, and tools you can use right away. You'll be able to decide if your next catch is "a keeper."
What's in your Digital Tacklebox?
Consolidate and incorporate interactive "lures" into engaging lesson plans for your students. Using a new model lesson from the Explore the Blue website, we show you how to build a media-infused, non-linear presentation that hooks your students so you can reel them into the content.
Watch | Download (156MB) | Download PDF
Jump Into the Digital Stream
Jump in to the digital stream this year with tools that can help transform your classroom. We introduce you to Explore the Blue lesson plans and some of our favorite Web 2.0 sites that you can put to use in your class tomorrow!
Watch | Download (91MB) | Download PDF
Clean Up Your Act
Learn new and creative ways to reduce the paper and increase the communication and collaboration in your class with Explore the Blue resources and Google Tools. We show you a project-based learning opportunity to clean up your students' habitat and your class.
Watch | Download (82MB) | Download PDF
May I Have Your Attention Please?
Lights! Camera! Action! Learn how to help your students inspire their peers and community through creating public safety announcements utilizing a variety of Web 2.0 tools on keeping their habitats clean. Explore how to create your own rubrics to help students realize if they can truly clean up their act.
Watch | Download (72MB) | Download PDF
The One That Got Away
Everyone has a story, what's yours? Ben Parker, a fishing expert, tells his story of how he fell "hook, line, and sinker" to follow his dream. His story is made for the movies and so is yours. Watch as we create a movie together and learn how to create a new one with PhotoStory.
Watch | Download (77MB) | Download PDF
Explore the Blue: Hands-On Conservation
The Discovery Education team highlights five of our favorite Explore the Blue hands-on activities for learning about our planet's most precious resource - water. We explore together and show students the importance of conservation through cross-curricular lesson you can do in the classroom,
at home or outdoors!
Field Investigations Guide
Using Outdoor Environments to Foster Student Learning of Scientific ProcessesThe three lessons presented in Field Investigations are designed to give your students structured experiences. They learn about the kinds of questions that guide field investigations, conduct a descriptive field investigation as well as comparative investigations. They are designed to help students gain the skills necessary to conduct field investigations, such as posing an investigation question, collecting, organizing and analyzing data, and writing conclusions.
Show students the types of aquatic plants and animals you find in your region of the country.
Students will learn about how local waterways can be used for travel.
Students will learn about laws that keep water clean.
Students will learn about how physical features and climate affect fishing.
Students learn about different forms of fishing over time.