Grade:
11-12
Subject:
Marine Science
/ Geography
Topic:
Geography
Ocean Geography Webquest
Adam Fox
January 2010
Coastal Carolina University
NSF GK-12 Program
http://kingfish.coastal.edu/GK-12
Standards Addressed:

Ocean Literacy Standard 1: Earth has one big ocean with many features.
a. An ocean basin’s size, shape and features (islands, trenches, mid-ocean ridges, rift
valleys) vary due to the movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates. Earth’s highest peaks,
deepest valleys and flattest vast plains are all in the ocean.
Summary:

The purpose of this activity is to provide students with a basic geographic background that
applies to marine science. Using the Internet as a resource, students will label places and
features on a map. This activity may also help students improve their ability to find information
on the Internet. Most, if not all, of the locations that students map in this activity are referred to
later in our class, so we can constantly refer back to this.
Performance Objectives:


Students will use the Internet to look up information.
Students will have a basic idea of where places are on a world map.
Materials



Large world maps (enough for each pair/group to have their own). Dry-erase maps work best,
but large disposable copies would work, too.
Overhead/wet erase markers
Computers with Internet access
Hook:

Put up/project a large, blank world map. Ask the class if anyone can accurately locate a
foreign country that has been in the news recently. We picked Haiti, Iraq and Afghanistan as
examples.
Concept Exploration:
1. It’s important to know some basic geography
2. The internet is a valuable resource for finding information
a. This might be a good place to talk a little about the reliability of particular types
of reference material
b. Wikipedia is great for finding out background information, but it isn’t always
correct and you should find cite better sources if writing a paper.
c. Google maps is not the best source for finding natural geographic features.
3. Using the internet, find and label/draw the features on the worksheet.
a. Since a lot of their search results will come up with strangely colored
bathymetric maps, it may help to explain how to read one before setting them
loose. Generally, blue is underwater, and darker = deeper. Green is low-lying
land, yellow is higher elevation land, and red are tall mountains.
b. Some students will undoubtedly search for “What is the distance between
Florida and England?” This generally doesn’t work, but they may waste a lot of
time trying. If they can’t find a place or an answer with Google (which most of
them attempt to use), have them look up the Wikipedia article or check on an
actual website that might have the relevant information.
Additional Resources:

Most of answers to this activity can be found using Wikipedia
http://kingfish.coastal.edu/GK-12
http://www.nsfgk12.org
Name___________________________________ Block__________ Date______________________
Maps!
Maps are important for understanding the world around us. This activity will help you visualize
some of the things we will talk about in class. The Internet is a great tool for scientists (and students!).
It puts a vast amount of information right at your fingertips. As a group, use your online skills to help
you find the features below. Use dry-erase markers to label your maps. If you cannot fit a label, use
a symbol and create a key in the “Legend” space on your map.
1. Label the following map features:
• Equator
• International Date Line
• Prime Meridian
2. Draw a small compass rose in the top right corner of your map page. It should have
arrows pointing North, South, East and West.
3. Label the following locations. Use one color for water bodies and another for land.
• All 7 Continents
• Caribbean Sea
• Iceland
• New Zealand
• Antarctic Peninsula
• Galapagos Islands
• Indian Ocean
• Pacific Ocean
• Arctic Ocean
• Greenland
• Japan
• Southern Ocean
• Atlantic Ocean
• Gulf of Mexico
• Madagascar
• South Georgia Island
• Black Sea
• Hawaii
• Mediterranean Sea
• Put a small star over South Carolina
4. Using the scale at the bottom of your map, how far (in kilometers) is it from the tip of Florida to
the southern tip of England? Hint: Use the scale on your map to find how many km are represented
by 1cm. Then measure cm on the map and convert to km.
5. Using the scale, how far (in km) is it from the southern tip of South America to the northern top of
the Antarctic Peninsula?
6. Draw and label the following ocean features. Mark trenches as ••••••••••••.
Mark ridges as xxxxxxxx. Use an arrow to mark currents.
• Aleutian Trench
• Peru-Chile Trench
• Pacific-Antarctic Ridge
• Japan Trench
• Tonga Trench
• Mariana Trench
• Mid-Atlantic Ridge
• The Gulf Stream Current
7. Ocean trenches and ridges form on the borders between ______________________.
8. Which of the features in Question 6 is the deepest known spot on Earth?
9. Locate and label the following features.
• Great Barrier Reef
• Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary
• Great Pacific Garbage Patch
• Gray’s Reef Marine Sanctuary
• Site of Titanic Shipwreck
• Flower Garden Banks Marine Sanctuary
• Epicenter of 2004 Tsunami
• Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary
• Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary
• Papahānaumokuākea (Northwest Hawaiian Islands)
Marine National Monument
10. What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? How large is it? What is the name of the ocean current
that formed it?
11. Pick one of the US marine sanctuaries / monuments above, and answer the following questions:
Marine Reserve:________________________________________
• What is the size of your reserve? (square km/square mi/acres or “as big as…”)
• When was it established?
• What are 3 kinds of organisms that can be found there?
• What are two threats that your sanctuary faces?