Catch!...the World's Oceans

Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association

Children get to know each other through an icebreaker activity that introduces the importance of water on Earth.

This activity takes approximately 15 minutes.

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A fun way to explore the distribution of water on Earth's surface.
Activity can be used as an icebreaker, as part of a water cycle lesson/unit, or to build math skills.

A kinesthetic approach to understanding the distribution of water on Earth's surface, students pass an inflatable Earth globe around a circle taking note of whether their pointer finger contacts land or water (teacher or student keep a tally).
Students then review data to determine how much of the earth is covered by water relative to land, with a brief discussion at the end about how oceans influence climate and weather.
Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.

This hands-on activity is engaging and accessible to diverse learners.
Students not only learn each other's names, but also concretely learn that there is more water than land on the Earth's surface.
The main activity requires no pre-requisite knowledge, though if the instructor chooses to engage students in a discussion about the role of oceans in climate and weather, the teachers and students will need some prior background knowledge.
The teacher's guide is organized and simple to follow. Options are provided for learners of different ages (5-13).

If an inflatable Earth globe is available, this activity is an easy and engaging way to understand the distribution of water around the globe.

Entered the Collection: August 2020 Last Reviewed: June 2020