Teacher preparation:

Overarching learning goal: Students understand that marine animals interact with other animals and with the reef, and recognise that marine creatures play an important role in keeping our oceans healthy.

Teacher content information: Earth Hour is a WWF-Australia initiative, and is the world’s largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of teachers use Earth Hour’s education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

Download the Earth Hour starter kit for your school: Earth Hour for Schools

In this activity you will encourage your students to move around a lot, so be sure to have some open space for them to move in.

Student and classroom organisation:

Step 1

Begin by asking your students to think about what animals they might find in the ocean.

Also ask them what these animals might eat and where in the ocean they might live.

Record the responses on the board or somewhere where all students can see them. For example:

ANIMAL	EATS	LIVES
Sharks	Fish, Dolphins	Everywhere underwater!
Whales	Krill	Everywhere underwater!
Dolphins	Fish	Likes calm, sheltered beaches
Sting-rays	Shellfish	On the sea floor and in the water everywhere
Fish	Smaller fish, jellyfish and algae (seaweed)	Hides in rocks and coral where sharks can't find them
Starfish	Algae and coral	Sand, coral and rocks
Jellyfish	Algae	Everywhere underwater!
Crabs	Smaller crabs and sea insects	In seashells, and on rocks and coral
Turtles	Seaweed	Coral reef and everywhere in the ocean
Octopus	Fish and shellfish	Under rocks and on the sea floor
Sea-birds	Fish and starfish	In the air!
Fisherman	Fish, sharks, crabs	On the land and in boats

Step 2

In an open space set up several chairs, and assign one chair as being a coral reef, another as rocks, and another as sand.

Next ask some or all of your students to take on the roles of animals of the sea that they have thought of. Ask your students to imagine that they are that animal and ask them to swim around their ocean like they imagine their animal would.

Ask they swim, ask them to respond to the following questions:

How does your animal sleep? Does it keep swimming or does it lie on the floor? (In this instance, inform your students that if sharks stop moving they would sink so they have to keep swimming. Fish can stop swimming though.)
What does your animal like to do for fun?
What does your animal do when it is frightened? Does it hide or swim fast?
What does your animal eat? Who will get eaten in your ocean? Who will be left?
What happens to the animals that are left? What will they eat? Is there anything left to eat?
Why is it important to look after the oceans? What can we do? Suggestions include: Don't pollute our oceans, be careful about the fish you buy, don't damage the reef.

Reflection

Upon completion of the activity, ask your students to draw what they think a healthy ocean would look like.

Who lives there?
Are there lots of animals or not many?
Which one is their favourite?
What are all the animals in the picture doing?

Have a look at our picture for some inspiration!

Earth Hour - Who are your underwater friends?

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