About this Workbook
​
Workbook 2: Marine Science for Kids (ages 7+), is written with a flexible approach to education in mind. Every home, school or group is going to teach in a different way. I can’t possibly know them all, so I’ve made two versions of this workbook (1) is a kdp workbook available to order through amazon and (2) will be a downloadable pdf available through Etsy, as a digital download. Both versions include a contents page with tick boxes, allowing your child to tick off any completed pages as they go. The downloaded workbook can be used as a workbook or worksheets and even the pre-printed workbook can be used ‘out of order’ due to the tick box system. To help, I’ve used popular resources for teaching children to create example outlines of where this workbook might fit in during your academic year. I’ve taken two approaches to the outlines (1) including pages from this workbook in lessons as the year goes on and (2) waiting until an ocean-themed unit, or time, to use the pages relevant to previous materials.
​
Children of all ages will have different capabilities, as well as interests, so I’ve tried to keep that in mind whilst writing. The book is 100 pages and could be used over a couple of years, with easier pages at the beginning of sections and more challenging pages or projects towards the end of sections. As the ocean makes up over 70% of the world’s surface it can touch so many areas of our lives. This workbook includes elements of science (naturally), geography and history – it even has a unit on prehistoric oceans. Teaching a science you might not have studied yourself, like marine biology, can’t be easy so hopefully, these outlines can give so rough examples of how some ocean learning materials can fit in with more commonly taught subjects. I used popular resources to create these outlines including CGP Discover and Learn Science Book: KS1, Collins Primary Geography Pupil Book: Year 1 and 2, DoE History programmes of study KS1-2, and Fossils and Dinosaurs by LGfL (a personal favourite).
​
Example Plans and Outlines
The Workbook Outline and Planner Examples
​
An Outline of the workbook and two examples of an overview plan for teaching using this workbook have been provided as PDFs in the box above.
​
The 7 principles of Ocean Literacy were referenced throughout the development of the workbook. The Science in the workbook can mainly be found in Unit 1: Oceanography, Unit 2: Marine Biology and Unit 4: Prehistoric Oceans. Take the ‘CGP Discover and Learn Science Book: KS1’ which covers science taught to children ages 5-6, for example - in this workbook Section 2, is all about ‘Plants’. There are 10 pages on plants – including the world of plants, flowering plants, parts of plants and plants we eat. In the workbook, I have included the types of ocean plants, sorting plants, and ocean plants we eat. So, if children are covering plants this year, then they could possibly learn about ocean plants at the same time, or if it’s been covered earlier in the year they could learn about it during some ocean-themed time later. In the following book ‘CGP Discover and Learn Science Book: KS2’, Section 2 ‘Plants’ has - a plant adventure, from Acorn to Oak, what seeds need and your vegetable patch. This would pair really well with what plants need and the seagrass life cycle.
I’ve used the Collins Year 1 & 2 Workbook as an example of a popular Geography curriculum for children ages 5-6 and 6-7 (or Year 1 and 2). The material which overlaps with geography will mainly be found in Unit 1: Oceanography. Though I couldn’t find a workbook or textbook example of KS1 History I did use BBC History pages and .gov.uk Department of Education guidance (DoE History programmes of study KS1-2). The pages relating to history will mainly be found in Unit 3: People and the Ocean. And although dinosaurs are a very popular subject amongst children (and adults) I couldn’t find many examples of a curriculum as such for this topic. I guess that is because it is technically ‘pre-history’ and therefore a branch of geology that, like marine biology, isn’t commonly taught as a subject in schools. But Fossils and Dinosaurs by LGfL is a great website, and I found the early year's section great for inspiration when structuring my own prehistoric unit. The final thing to mention is the ‘project’ sections throughout the workbook. There are three mini projects – the Ocean Animal Research project, the Storytime pages and the Prehistoric Animal Fact File. I’m hoping these can fit in well with ocean-themed time or otherwise.
​