All living things on Earth originate from the simple life forms that evolved in the oceans more than 3,000 million years ago. Today the oceans are home to a vast complex of marine creatures – around 7 million species live in the oceans compared to 2 million on the land. Ninety-seven per cent of all water on Earth is in the oceans, and they play an essential part in the regulation of climate and weather.
The first half of this project introduces activities focusing on the development of children’s ecological understanding of the Oceans through promoting scientific and geographical understanding. The activities also promote the development of children’s reading skills through collaborative group work. Such activities help build children’s understanding of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The children are also invited to consider environmental issues through interpretation of a modern fable designed to develop attitudes and values, an important element of ESD.
The activities in part two of this project plan are designed to promote aesthetic appreciation of the oceans to engage pupils’ affective responses. By combining rational thinking with the affective, we can promote a holistic understanding of this important topic and engage pupils’ emotions as well as their reason.
