MY HERO Multimedia Ocean Conservation Resources for Elementary Students

1. What are 3 or more facts that you learned from this video?

2. Create a poster of ocean life. Make sure to label the marine life and plants that live in the ocean.

3. With your family, learn more about: the Great Barrier Reef, islands created by underwater volcanoes, Mariana Trench, or whatever interests you about ocean life.

Perils of Plastic introduces the concept of the detrimental effects of plastic and the need to recycle through animation and music.

For Early Elementary Students: Download and print this coloring and activity book to extend elementary student learning about the importance of Kelp as a habitat for marine life. 

Appropriate For All Ages

Students look at this underwater photograph and describe what they see. Be specific about the colors and marine life. This can be done as a writing assignment or students can recreate this photograph in a piece of art. 

Students are encouraged to investigate other underwater life and create an illustration of a healthy ocean ecosystem. 

Kelp Forests:

Watch the film The Kelp Lady

1. What is a kelp forest and why is it important for ocean health?

2. How does kelp get energy to grow?

3. Students create their own kelp forest using the art medium of their choice. Write a few sentences or a paragraph about your poster. Submit to MY HERO through the Create Program.

Link to a lesson plan for further exploration of Kelp Forests:

Ecological Interactions and Biodiversity of Kelp Forests Lesson Plan

Marine Protected Areas

Link to Marine Protected Area Lesson Plan. Students learn about human impacts on marine ecosystems using the films below.   

Additional Films Related to Marine Protected Areas

What can you do to protect our oceans and other waterways? Be inspired by 9 year old Milo Cress's efforts. 

Watch the film The Last Straw and learn about nine-year-old Milo Cress who is concerned about the millions of straws that pollute waterways, waste fossil fuel and harm ocean creatures. He convinces restaurants to “go straw-free,” and three Cape Cod girls “take the pledge to skip the straw!”

1. In the film The Last Straw, Milo Cress identified a problem, got others involved and created an action plan. Reflect on the usage of plastic straws in your community. Are there ways you can be inspired by Milo and reduce the use of straws where you live?

2. What detrimental effect has plastic had on the health of our oceans? How has this problem developed over time? What can be done to improve the situation?

3. Identify bodies of water in your community or part of the world. Who is working towards keeping these bodies of water clean and protected? What can you do to help?

Additional MY HERO Environmental Films Organized by Grade Level, Selected Environmental Films by Category and Sylvia Earl Ocean Conservation Award Winning Films from the MY HERO International Film Festival.