Friday, April 07, 2006
National Week of the Ocean...
Okay... this is indeed a busy week. We have discussed that April 2nd through 8th is Week of the Young Child and National Library Week, but did you know that it is also National Week of the Ocean.
It's good for us to celebrate that there is still a place of mystery in this ever-shrinking planet. The sea fascinates children, not only for the colorful and astonishing array of its known animals, but for the potential of its unknown creatures as well. Dragons may no longer be on the wing, but they may be on the fin — somewhere under those waves.
The oceans represent the last true frontier on this planet. The fact is, we know more about the moon than we do about the seafloor. Certainly, the ocean will represent a great challenge to future generations. Considering the role the oceans play in determining global climate and environmental change, the very fate of our species may dependent to a degree upon our understanding of the marine environment.
National Week of the Ocean may be about over, but go ahead and celebrate it anyway. I won't tell and the children will enjoy it... Here are some sites to find some ideas or simply spend some time browsing:
Okay... this is indeed a busy week. We have discussed that April 2nd through 8th is Week of the Young Child and National Library Week, but did you know that it is also National Week of the Ocean.
It's good for us to celebrate that there is still a place of mystery in this ever-shrinking planet. The sea fascinates children, not only for the colorful and astonishing array of its known animals, but for the potential of its unknown creatures as well. Dragons may no longer be on the wing, but they may be on the fin — somewhere under those waves.
The oceans represent the last true frontier on this planet. The fact is, we know more about the moon than we do about the seafloor. Certainly, the ocean will represent a great challenge to future generations. Considering the role the oceans play in determining global climate and environmental change, the very fate of our species may dependent to a degree upon our understanding of the marine environment.
National Week of the Ocean may be about over, but go ahead and celebrate it anyway. I won't tell and the children will enjoy it... Here are some sites to find some ideas or simply spend some time browsing:
- Crayola.com has some great activities and things to do for National Week of the Ocean.
- Shedd Educational Adventures (SEA) contains a treasure trove of aquatic science resources for teachers and students. SEA brings the Philippines to life for your students with fact sheets and multimedia interactives based on the Wild Reef exhibit at Shedd Aquarium.
- For school age children, Secrets@Sea is the world's first online ocean adventure learning game. Easy to set-up and quick to download, Secrets @ Sea is deep with educational content!
- Secrets of the Ocean Realm from PBS is another great site for school age children with photos, information, quizes, activities, and more.
- The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a great website with web cams, videos, activities and games, even cool facts about the animals on display.
- At the Kid Space site, maintained by the New England Aquarium, students can learn about kelp and deep-sea vents, discover how animals keep warm, and find out how many fish live in the sea.
- The International Year of the Ocean Home Page, a publication from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), provides a variety of fun facts, stories, and activities. You can explore the Puffy the Puffers Fun Facts Activity Book, read or hear the story The Whale and the Plover in English or Hawaiian, and learn about endangered seals and sea lions.
- Visit DLTK Kids for ocean activities, crafts, coloring pages, and more.
- Danielle's Place has lots of Under the Sea activities and crafts.
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:21 PM 
