Ocean Literacy

The Ocean and You
Ocean literacy is an understanding of the ocean's influence on you—and your influence on the ocean.
Whether they live near a beach, or thousands of miles inland, whether they’ve touched a sea star in a tide pool, or watched a movie about an injured dolphin, young learners are fascinated by ocean animals. As they get older, their ocean awareness expands to include concern about huge disasters like hurricanes and tsunamis, and massive climate-triggered changes like melting polar ice. Connect your learners to the ocean with howtosmile.org activities aligned to each of the seven Ocean Literacy principles below. Read "Ocean Literacy: The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences" here. This framework introduces ocean sciences consistently into K-12 classrooms. Partners in framing the principles included the National Geographic Society, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science. Learn more about the principles and where they come from in this College of Exploration video.
Essential Principles
Choose one of the essential principles to view related activities.
  1. The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of the Earth.
  2. The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.
  3. The ocean makes the Earth habitable.
  4. The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.
  5. The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.
  6. The ocean is largely unexplored.

The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of the Earth.

Many earth materials and geochemical cycles originate in the ocean. Many of the sedimentary rocks now exposed on land were formed in the ocean. Ocean life laid down the vast volume of siliceous and carbonate rocks.
Mid-Ocean Ridge Spreading
Erosion
Causes and Effects of Melting Ice
Sand Activity

The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.

The ocean controls weather and climate by dominating the Earth's energy, water and carbon systems.
The Carbon Cycle and its Role in Climate Change
The Carbon Cycle and its Role in Climate Change
The Carbon Cycle and its Role in Climate Change

The ocean makes the Earth habitable.

Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere originally came from the activities of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean.
Candy Chemosynthesis
The Great Plankton Race
Nutrients in an Estuary

The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.

Ocean life ranges in size from the smallest virus to the largest animal that has lived on Earth, the blue whale.
Map That Habitat
Under Pressure
Coral, Carbon Dioxide and Calcification
Make Your Own Deep-Sea Vent
Amphipods
Candy Chemosynthesis
The Great Plankton Race
Nutrients in an Estuary

The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.

The ocean affects every human life. It supplies freshwater (most rain comes from the ocean) and nearly all Earth's oxygen. It moderates the Earth's climate, influences our weather, and affects human health.
Ocean in a Bottle
Blazing the Trail
The Carbon Cycle and its Role in Climate Change
Particle Detection
The Carbon Cycle and its Role in Climate Change
The Great Plankton Race
Causes and Effects of Melting Ice
Dough Creatures
Nutrients in an Estuary
Passion for Pixels

The ocean is largely unexplored.

The ocean is the last and largest unexplored place on Earth—less than 5% of it has been explored. This is the great frontier for the next generation's explorers and researchers, where they will find great opportunities for inquiry and investigation.
Heat Capacity
Spill Spread
Blazing the Trail
Make Your Own Deep-Sea Vent
Candy Chemosynthesis
Exploring the Ocean with Robots