The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF), in partnership with K2 Studios, has released a set of lesson plans to help middle school students dive into a new IMAX® film, Ocean Odyssey.
Narrated by legendary oceanographer and conservation icon Dr. Sylvia Earle, Ocean Odyssey takes viewers on a spectacular 3D underwater journey from the Great Barrier Reef to Antarctica, following a whale mother and calf on their 1,500- mile migration.
Through their journey, viewers learn about the remarkable ways ocean currents nurture a diverse cast of marine creatures, how the ocean sustains all life on earth, and what we can all do to protect our living oceans. Designed for IMAX® and Giant Screens, this film contains stunning imagery and award-winning cinematography to transport viewers deep into the blue heart of our planet—our oceans.
In order to help students learn more about the topics covered in the film, KSLOF created the Ocean Odyssey Educator’s Guide for middle school students (grades 6-8), but the curriculum can be easily adapted for older age groups. K2 Studios also developed an educator’s guide for elementary school students (grades 3-5) with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The free guide contains lesson plans, worksheets, and grading rubrics that teachers can use in their classes after seeing the film. These activities provide a way for students to delve into important educational and conservation topics in the film, while aligning to standards that teachers need to incorporate in their science classes.
One of the lessons, called Stringing it Together, allows students to explore feeding relationships and food webs in a coral reef ecosystem. This highlights one of the main themes of the film, the interconnectedness of life in the ocean. Another lesson focuses on ocean conservation and showcases Sylvia Earle’s Hope Spots – unique places in the ocean that deserve to be protected. In the exercises, students explore an established Hope Spot to determine the threats it faces, the ecosystem services it provides, and the reasons why it is so important to protect.
Adapted from a Press Release and a news article by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation
