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BLOG POST Helping Kids Help the Ocean An 11-year-old in Texas is saddened by the oil spill and begins searching for something she can do to help. A 13-year-old in Washington, D.C., convinces her mom to make small changes in thei...MORE STORIES


	BLOG POST MORE STORIES Coral Reefs Need You For those of you who have had the opportunity to visit a coral reef, you know th...
	BLOG POST MORE STORIES Saving Sharks and Dolphins, Near and Far Sophi Bromenshenkel is an unlikely shark-lover. She's eight years old and hails...
	BLOG POST MORE STORIES Teens Making a Difference in Your Community Over the past year I have been working for an organization called Coastal Americ...

EDUCATOR RESOURCES

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					NOAA's Adopt a Drifter Program Apr 20, 2012 - 12:50PMNOAA is working with students across the globe to place floating buoys throughout the ocean through their Adopt a Drifter Program. The buoys will drift with the help of ocean currents and record the sea surface temperature and...

Celebrate World Ocean Day

Jun 3, 2011 - 2:55PM

June 8th is World Ocean Day- a great time to celebrate all that the ocean...

Marine Debris: Trash Travels, But You Can Help Stop It

Sep 19, 2010 - 12:09PM

Marine debris--or trash that has washed or been dumped into our ocean and...

SPOTLIGHT


How You Can Help the Ocean Make the ConnectionThe first step in making a difference is learning about the ocean and how your actions have an impact....

A Current Event in the Classroom: Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill May 10 2010 - 6:10pm Sometimes, a tragic event can become a powerful teaching opportunity. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has the potential to capture students’ attention and stimulate discussion on topics like: • biology and ecology (How will the oil effect wildlife and the environment?), •...	Marine Debris: Trash Travels, But You Can Help Stop It Sep 19 2010 - 12:09pm Marine debris--or trash that has washed or been dumped into our ocean and coastal areas--is not only unsightly but can also pose a serious hazard for humans and marine life. On Bonaire, beach-goers made a trash sculpture from debris that came from as far away as South Africa.
Animals and the Oil Spill: What Can You Do? Jun 16 2010 - 1:40pm Lately we’ve been fielding questions from Smithsonian visitors wondering how they can help with the oil spill cleanup in the Gulf of Mexico. If there is any good news coming out of this situation, it’s that thousands of people across the U.S. care deeply and are finding ways to respond to the oil...	Clean-up Your Act Jun 1 2010 - 7:40pm Even if you don't live near the coast, water—and anything else—that goes down your drain can eventually end up in the ocean. You can help keep the ocean and other waterways healthy by picking your cleaning products carefully. Many household chores can be done with simple, non-toxic ingredients like...
Alaska SeaLife Center Delegation Feb 7 2011 - 8:00pm What can students do to help the ocean? It turns out, a lot! These students from Alaska are among dozens from the U.S. and Mexico who are developing action plans on ocean and climate-related issues in their local communities. They’re getting advice from their teachers and experts at aquariums and...	Event: Demystifying Seafood Apr 6 2011 - 1:09pm
Educational Uses of Gyotaku or Fish Printing Jul 18 2011 - 12:01pm Gyotaku is a traditional form of Japanese art that began over 100 years ago as a way for fishermen to keep a record of the fish they caught. They would apply sumi ink to one side of a freshly caught fish, then cover the fish with rice paper and rub to create an exact image of the fish. The ink...	Pick Five for the Environment Apr 21 2011 - 6:13pm The Environmental Protection Agency's Pick Five for the Environment website offers users personal action ideas that will lead to a healthier environment. Interested in learning how you can do more for the environment this Earth Day 2011? There are opportunities in your backyard!
The results are in... Oct 30 2009 - 6:00pm In September, during the Sant Ocean Hall's first anniversary celebration, the Ocean Portal Team hit the museum floor to tell visitors about the OP and get some early feedback. Let's face it, we spend a lot of time at our computers, so we were very excited to meet people face-to-face. We asked...	On Earth Day, Think Blue. Apr 22 2010 - 12:37am Earth Day is a fitting occasion to celebrate the Big Blue. While our planet may be called “Earth,” 71% of its surface is actually covered by water. This vast ocean makes our planet habitable—for us and all life. It produces half the oxygen we breathe. It moderates climate, absorbs carbon from the...
A Watershed Moment for the Ocean Jun 2 2010 - 9:05am As the days grow long, school bells fade into distant memories, and families start taking long weekends at the beach, the Ocean Portal Team is preparing for the weeks ahead. The way we see it, June 2010 is going to be a significant month for the ocean.	How Do You Prepare for a Hurricane? Students Tell Us How Apr 1 2011 - 1:14pm How should you prepare for a hurricane? Students from Bay High School in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi--who were participating in the Third Student Summit on the Ocean & Coasts--created this instructional video to help show the importance of storm preparation and evacuation techniques. The...
Love Salmon? Listen Up. Dec 20 2010 - 6:25pm Salmon are one of the most widely loved varieties of seafood in the world. A ubiquitous alternative to meat and poultry, salmon wear a halo of healthfulness, as they are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. But many wild salmon stocks are dwindling, which means that unless otherwise specified,...	Flip the Switch Jun 1 2010 - 7:38pm Many household electronics, such as video game consoles, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances, continue drawing power after they are switched off. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that this “phantom” energy use accounts for 75% of the power consumed by electronics in the average home...
Amazing Ocean Mobile App: What Does It Do? Apr 12 2012 - 3:10pm Amazing Ocean is a brand new mobile app developed by the U.S. Department of State that features Smithsonian Ocean Portal and Sant Ocean Hall content. The app allows users to explore photos, videos, and rich ocean-themed content on their mobile devices. Amazing Ocean is free and available for...	Seafood for Thought Nov 18 2010 - 4:49pm Sunday, November 21 marks World Fisheries Day, an annual occasion observed in many fishing communities around the world. It’s a great opportunity—even for those of us who do not fish for a living—to pause and reflect on the importance of maintaining healthy fisheries.