Your Ocean: Pacific Ocean
Required Information: You must include size, amount of water, land area, average depth, and at least 2 interesting
facts about your ocean. Use the information below to help. Your posters must be colorful and educational, good luck!
The Pacific Ocean encompasses approximately one-third of the Earth's surface, having an area of 63.8 million
square miles —significantly larger than Earth's entire landmass, with room for another Africa to spare. It is the
largest of the 5 ocean basins. It includes 49% (170 million mi.3) of all water on Earth and has an average
depth of 14,045 ft. The Pacific Ocean is currently shrinking due to plate tectonics, while the Atlantic Ocean is
increasing in size. The Pacific Ocean also has the deepest point on Earth: The Mariana Trench. The Mariana
Trench extends to 35,797 ft below sea level. The Pacific Ocean was sighted by Europeans early in the 16th
century, and its current name was given by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan during the Spanish
expedition of world circumnavigation in 1521, who encountered favorable winds as he reached the ocean and
called it Mar Pacifico in Portuguese, meaning "peaceful sea".
Your Ocean: Atlantic Ocean
Required Information: You must include size, amount of water, land area, average depth, and at least 2 interesting
facts about your ocean. Use the information below to help. Your posters must be colorful and educational, good luck!
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions with a total area of about, 3,182,000
miles2, containing about 23% of the Earth’s water. It has an average depth of 12,877 ft. The first part of its
name refers to Atlas of Greek mythology, making the Atlantic the "Sea of Atlas". The early Greeks believed this
ocean to be a gigantic river encircling the world. Transatlantic travel played a major role in the expansion of
Western civilization into the Americas. In modern times, the ocean is sometimes called the Pond, describing the
divide between North America and Europe, in particular between the English-speaking nations of both
continents. Many British people refer to the USA and Canada as "across the pond", and vice versa. The Atlantic
Ocean is also home to the fabled Bermuda Triangle. While the Bermuda Triangle is legendary for disappearing
ships and aircraft, critics believe that stories are exaggerated or inaccurately reported, adding to the mystery.
Your Ocean: Indian Ocean
Required Information: You must include size, amount of water, land area, average depth, and at least 2 interesting
facts about your ocean. Use the information below to help. Your posters must be colorful and educational, good luck!
The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean on Earth. It takes it’s name from the country India. It covers an
area of about 2,835,000 miles2 and has an average depth of 12,999 ft. 20% of Earth’s water is found in the
Indian Ocean. Small islands dot the continental rims. Island nations within the ocean are Madagascar, the
world's fourth largest island; Reunion Island; Comoros; Seychelles; Maldives; Mauritius; and Sri Lanka. The
climate north of the equator is affected by a monsoon climate. Strong north-east winds blow from October
until April; from May until October south and west winds prevail. In the Arabian Sea the violent Monsoon
brings rain to the Indian subcontinent. When the monsoon winds change, cyclones sometimes strike the shores
of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The Indian Ocean is the warmest ocean in the world.
Your Ocean: Arctic Ocean
Required Information: You must include size, amount of water, land area, average depth, and at least 2 interesting
facts about your ocean. Use the information below to help. Your posters must be colorful and educational, good luck!
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic North Polar Region, is the
smallest, and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions. It contains 2% of Earth’s water. The
International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, although some oceanographers call it
the Arctic Mediterranean Sea or simply the Arctic Sea. The Arctic Ocean is partly covered by sea-ice year
round, but during the winter is mostly covered by this sea-ice. Its average depth is 3,406 ft and it covers an
area of 5,427,000 miles2. Icebergs occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island, and icebergs are
formed from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada. These icebergs pose a hazard to
ships, most famously the Titanic. Endangered marine species in the Arctic Ocean include walruses and
whales.[11] The area has a fragile ecosystem which is slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or
damage.
Your Ocean: Southern Ocean
Required Information: You must include size, amount of water, land area, average depth, and at least 2 interesting
facts about your ocean. Use the information below to help. Your posters must be colorful and educational, good luck!
The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean and the South Polar Ocean, comprises the
southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling
Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions. It has an average
depth of 14,500 ft and covers an area of 7848298miles2. It contains ¼ the amount of water of the Pacific (6%).
A hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica has caused phytoplankton (a major primary food source of fish and
other aquatic wildlife) to decrease, and has even been found to have damaged the DNA of some fish in the
area. Few ports or harbors exist on the southern (Antarctic) coast of the Southern Ocean, since ice conditions
limit use of most shores to short periods in midsummer; even then some require icebreaker ship escort for
access. Most Antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency,
remain closed to commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject to
inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers.