World Oceans Day- Lesson Plan SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Dear Teachers, World Oceans Day is a great way to introduce students to conservation and teaching them to protect our valuable oceans. So on Monday June 8 th, help celebrate our oceans and use this lesson to inspire your students on how they play a role in protecting the environment. Topic- The effects of oil spills and pollution on marine life Suitable for Stages 2 and 3 Objectives To promote student awareness of the impact of oil spills and pollution on the environment To educate students on what they can do to help protect the environment. Resources needed  Large clear plastic container with lid (Soda bottle will work)  Cooking vegetable oil  Mix bits of plastic rubbish  Small marine animal figurines  Blue food colouring  Plastic cup  Feathers

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Underwater Seafari – Shapes, Sizes & Colours Early Learning A GREEN frog A SHINY Dugong Seahorse A BIG shark A sea STAR A ROUND stingray A COLOURFUL fish Lesson Steps: Introduction Activities 1.Introduce the topic of oil spills and plastic pollution by getting students to brainstorm “what do you think happens to oil, food scraps and rubbish that are poured down the kitchen sinks and drains?” 2.Continue discussion with students and explain where all drains lead to and how pollution affects the marine environment. 3.Divide students into teams and carry out the following three experiments to demonstrate to students the following effects of pollution onto marine life. Body Activities Experiment 1- Oil spills and Pollution in our water o Give each student team a plastic soda bottle and get them to fill up with water o Students can add blue food colouring to represent the ocean, o Give students small marine animal figurines to put inside their bottles. (you can also use glass beads and fishing sinkers to represent animals if you do not have small figurines) o On their worksheet get students to write down their observations at this point. o Give students oil and bits of rubbish to place inside their bottles. o On their worksheets get students again to write down their observations once the pollution enters the water. (Ask students to look at how the oil and rubbish affects the animals and the water conditions.) Get the students to place the lid on the bottle and then ask students to shake really fast the bottle. (this is to represent changing weather and tidal currents.) On their worksheet, get students to write down their observations. ( point out to students how the oil moves throughout the bottle rather than sitting on top of the water.)

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Underwater Seafari – Shapes, Sizes & Colours Early Learning A GREEN frog A SHINY Dugong Seahorse A BIG shark A sea STAR A ROUND stingray A COLOURFUL fish Experiment 2- Impact of oil on Bird Feathers o Give each student group a plastic cup and get them to pour out some of the oil into the cup. o Give each group a feather and ask students to dip their feather into the oil. o On their worksheet get students write down their observations on what the oil does to the feather. Experiment 3- How easy is oil to clean? o Get the students to take their oily feathers and place one oily feather in the following cleaning solutions -Salt Water -Warm Fresh Water -Warm soapy water o Students observe which is the best solution to clean the birds feathers. o Discuss with students what options are available to animals in nature and how can they clean themselves if they come into contact with oil or pollution? Ask students how birds would get warm soapy water and why it is important for humans to intervene and help clean the animals if there is a large oil spill in the ocean. Conclusion Activities o Overall group discussion- once you have finished your experiments- ask students what can they do to help prevent oil spills and water pollution from happening. o Brainstorm ideas on why recycling is important and how your school can stop rubbish from entering the water ways. o Take your students to your local beach, river or water ways and conduct a pollution survey in that area or undertake a clean up our waters day.