Oceanography

By Maggie Hogan

Ever since I was a young girl growing up in South Florida, my favorite memories have involved the ocean. From the year I was ten and received water skis and a skiing lesson for Christmas, to the summer I spent on a sailboat in the Bahamas, to solitary walks on the beach staring at the waves, (marveling at its Creator – whom I did not yet know) the smell of saltwater has been forever imprinted in my mind. Now I live in the northeast, and my heart longs for the translucent green and blue waters, the mind-boggling array of flamboyant fish, the feel of fine sand between my toes, and the sense of presence of my Lord in the balmy night breezes. I have been forever touched by the ocean and love it most of all of God’s remarkable physical creation!

Perhaps now you’ll understand when I tell you that I taught Oceanography as science to my boys not just once or twice, but for a total of three times before they graduated! And though they never picked up my seafaring wanderlust nor accumulated my preponderance of oceanographic memories, they always enjoyed our studies. Let me share a few ideas for teaching about that mysterious and outrageously beautiful body of water known as the ocean.

Oceanography is a goldmine for science lovers, covering geography, biology, meteorology, geology, ecology, engineering, and social science. Any of these areas can be explored in great detail (and to great delight!). With a little research, some of God's most amazing handiwork can take on a whole new life. Let’s start with a quick Bible refresher – when did God create the oceans? How about the fish and the mammals in the seas? You might enjoy reading some scripture aloud before beginning your study of oceanography. (Try Genesis 1:20-23 and Psalms 148:7-14.)

    • The Biggest of them All
Where to start with such a big subject to cover? One year we started with the biggest of all mammals: the blue whale. At the time, our youngest son Tyler was intrigued by whales and dolphins. We learned that blue whales are the loudest animals on Earth. Their low-frequency calls reach levels up to 188 decibels and can be heard for hundreds of miles. This makes the blue whale louder than a jet engine, which reaches only 140 decibels. Amazingly, a human shout is only about 70 decibels.

At an average length of 80-90 feet long, the blue whale is the largest animal that ever lived on Earth. According to www.HowStuffWorks.com “A blue whale's head is so wide that an entire professional football team -- about 50 people -- could stand on its tongue. Its heart is as big as a small car, and its arteries are wide enough that you could climb through them.”

From Head to Tail: a Science Demonstration
Trying to find a way to make such enormous dimensions more concrete, I took my small science co-op to our church parking lot. There, with string and the longest measuring tape I could find, we “measured” a blue whale. I pre-made 8.5 X 11 cardstock posters labeled: head, blow hole, flukes, dorsal fin, eyes, ears, flippers. I stationed children at the appropriate spots holding their card. The more people available, the more cards you can make. (For example, two children could hold a string 20’ long to represent a single flipper.) Everyone will quickly grasp the colossal size of a blue whale!

Materials:
    • 100’ String
    • Measuring Tape
    • Cardstock posters – one per participant

Directions:
    1. Have one child hold the end of the string. This will be the head of the whale.
    2. Walk about 25’ and station a child there to be the end of the jaw and the beginning of where the eyes, ears and blowholes are located. (You
          could also station two eyes, a blow hole, and two ears in this area.)
    3. Walk another 15’ and station your flipper holders. Each flipper is about twenty feet long.
    4. Walk another 25” to locate the dorsal fin.
    5. Finally, walk along the tail, 20 – 25”.
    6. The remaining 10-15’ are the two tail flukes which extend about ten feet on both sides.

As we read more, a question that arose was how could these mammals stay warm in arctic seas? We talked about insulation and then did one of our most memorable science demonstrations:

Whale Blubber: a Science Demonstration
Materials:
    • Ice water in a sink
    • Crisco ™
    • Disposable gloves
    •Timer

Directions:
    1. Put disposable gloves on both hands
    2. Slather Crisco™ over one hand, getting it good and thick
    3. Student plunges both hands into ice water.
    4. Time how long he can keep each hand in.
    5. Compare the insulation effectiveness of the “blubber” (Crisco™) hand with the “non-blubber” hand.

    • Bits of Blubber Everywhere
Speaking of blubber, after this demonstration, you absolutely must visit this website and read about the true story of a 45-foot, eight-ton dead whale that washed up on an Oregon beach. There, a half ton of dynamite was used to “remove” it. Not to be missed!
www.theexplodingwhale.com

    • Geography
Geography is key to any marine study. Say you're investigating the annual migration of salmon (a fascinating study, by the way). Where do they spawn? What natural obstacles do they face on their return journey (predators, currents, waterfalls, etc)? Look up other creatures’ movements. Especially interesting is the “march of the lobsters” (which one of my brothers witnessed first hand while scuba diving off the Singer Island, FL beach) and whale migration.

    • Biology
One of my favorite arms of oceanography is marine biology. The sheer number of species that live in the ocean is astounding. What are the differences between squid and octopuses? Try dissecting one of each to see the differences up close. Find out about birds that swim, and fish that fly. What kinds of fish glow in the dark and why? Pick a creature and find out everything you can about it, including what it eats (and what eats it!) where and how deep it lives, its defense mechanisms, and other fun facts.

    • Meteorology
The weather is an easily overlooked aspect of oceanography, and yet it’s a force that has tremendous impact on our lives. How does water temperature affect air temperature and pressure? Describe the difference between a hurricane, a nor’easter, a waterspout, tsunami, and a typhoon. What makes tides and what causes floods? Learn about El Niño and La Niña.

    • Geology
No earth science is complete without a look at geology. Geology shapes the ocean and gives it structure. What kinds of rocks/shells do you find at the beach? What are tectonic plates and how do they influence the shape of the ocean floor? Where and what is the Marianna Trench? Read about mysterious deep sea vents. Explain what happens when an underwater volcano erupts. Map the “Ring of Fire.”

    • Ecology
Ecology takes on a whole new shape under the sea. Habitats underwater or on the seashore are beautifully intricate and complex. What kinds of creatures live by the coast? Make a food-chain showing who eats what. Compare and contrast tide pools, coral reefs, and deep sea habitats. How do oil spills affect the environment?

    • Social Science
So far we've mainly looked at the ocean apart from human influence. Why does the ocean matter to us? What natural resources do we derive from the sea in terms of food, fuel, or other raw materials? What part does the fishing industry play in the Gross National Product the USA and other nations? Tuna, salmon, crabs, shrimp, clams and many others are all fairly normal dishes for Americans, but what do other cultures eat? Take a field trip to a seafood restaurant and try something new.

    • Engineering
Seafaring has been one of man's most important engineering projects. How are boats built? Why do they float? Look at different purposes for ships from fishing to leisure, from war to ice-breaking, from research to transport, and consider how their shape and design aids their purpose. Research submersibles. What is SONAR and how does it work? Tour a ship, bridge, or submarine.

    • Naval Science
The sea has played a huge role in history. Look at the 15th and 16th century explorers and trace their travels. How have different bodies of water played into important parts of history: Ancient Greece and Rome? The Children of Israel? World War II? How has seafaring changed over the centuries? Read about the Merrimack and the Monitor, and other historical ships.

    • Job Opportunities
There are lots of job opportunities in the field of Oceanography. Many traditional job fields have a marine counterpart that specializes in coastal or underwater applications of that job. For example, a Marine Engineer uses their knowledge of construction and the ocean to aid in hurricane relief and preparedness, and in the construction of various coastal and underwater projects such as pipelines. Sciences such as Biology, Botany, and Meteorology can also focus on marine and coastal life. A Marine Biologist (or Botanist or Meteorologist) can find work in museums, in research labs, at national parks or refuges, or even working on an underwater research station! Other less technically demanding fields that allow one to work around the ocean and learn more about Oceanography can include life guarding at the beach, working in an aquarium, or in various support positions on a ship.

    • Conclusion
Long after your homeschooling days have ended I hope that you, as I do, will occasionally sit back and recall your oceanography study with the knowledge that you: shared God’s wonders with your kids, explored science in a meaningful way, and created pleasant, even humorous memories! God bless your studies.

Additional Oceanography Resources

What is it?
Definition taken from Wikipedia:
Oceanography (from Ocean + Greek γράφειν = write), also called oceanology or marine science is the branch of physical geography that studies the Earth's oceans and seas. Oceanographers study a wide range of topics such as plate tectonics, ocean currents and marine organisms. These diverse topics reflect multiple disciplines that oceanographers blend to help us understand Earth's interdependencies: biology, chemistry, geology, meteorology, and physics.

Genesis 1:20-23

God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."

Psalms 148:7-14

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

How many oceans are there in the world?
There’s really only one big ocean – they’re all connected. But it’s generally recognized that there are five main areas in this one big ocean:
    • The Pacific Ocean
    • The Atlantic Ocean
    • The Arctic Ocean
    • The Indian Ocean
    • The Southern Ocean

Recommended Curriculum

Christian Kids Explore Biology by Stephanie Redmond grades 3 - 6
Scientist’s Apprentice by Hilary Welliver grades K-4
Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Marine Biology by Sherri Seligson high school

Recommended Literature

    • Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Newbery Medal in 1961. Inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, living on an island off the coast of California. When the Russians invade Karana’s island, she is inadvertently left behind. She fends for herself for 18 years, foraging on land and in the ocean, clothing herself, securing shelter, and taming a wild dog.

    • The Cay by Theodore Taylor
One of my very favorite books ever with powerful themes of sacrifice, prejudice, love, and survival. On the Dutch island of Curacao, in 1942, 11-year-old Phillip Enright lives with his parents. But as war draws near, he is put on a ship to Virginia. When his boat is attacked, Phillip is blinded and finds himself adrift on a life raft with an old black man and a cat. Phillip must come to terms with racism, survival, and his own handicap.
Grades 4 & up

    • Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
True story of an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nat’s determination to master sea navigation and his long hours of study led to his famous work: The American Practical Navigator, which hugely benefited the sailing community.
Grades 5 & up

    • Stowaway by Karen Hesse
Newbery Medal-winning story based on actual Endeavour stowaway Nicholas Young, about whom little is known. Hesse used the real 1768 diaries of Captain Cook and shipboard naturalist Joseph Banks to research this book.
Ages 10 & up

    • Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft by Thor Heyerdahl
Record of the astonishing 1947 journey of 4,300 nautical miles from Peru to the South Sea Islands by six men on a balsa log raft.
High School.

    • The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes
Awarded the Newberry Medal in 1923, this is a rousing, well-researched tale of 17th English century life at sea.
12 & up

    • The Voyager's Stone by Robert Kraske
A young boy tosses a bottle holding a letter into the Caribbean Sea, and readers follow its journey across oceans and around continents until finally a girl in Australia plucks it out of the water. Includes fascinating tidbits about forces of nature and sea creatures as well as simple, informative black and white illustrations and maps. Reminiscent of Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling C. Holling
Grades 3 and up