Session 9: Revive The Ocean

Start thinking:

The oceans produce at least half the oxygen you breathe, regulate the climate and support millions of species, but they are under pressure from human activity.

If the ocean could send us an SOS message, what would it say?

The oceans face many challenges because

of humans. They might say:

“I fed your ancestors for generations. Now, my ecosystems are running completely on empty.”

“Your nets are scraping my reefs bare. Give my marine life a chance to recover.”

“I gave you life, water, and air. Stand up for me before I am gone.”

“Your rubbish is choking my creatures. Stop treating my depths as your landfill.”

Today’s Big Question:

Why is the ocean in so much trouble, and what would it take to bring it back?

Why is the ocean in so much trouble, and what would it take to bring it back?

• Pollinators help plants reproduce
• Food systems depend on pollination
• Living systems are interconnected

​

​

​

​

PATHWAY 1

Revive The Ocean

• How the ocean supports life on Earth
• How humans disrupt the ecosystem - fertiliser runoff, dead zones, plastic, overfishing and coral bleaching

10 mins

PATHWAY 2

A Sea Change

• How carbon emissions change ocean temperature and chemistry
• Links between climate change and oceans

10 mins

z

Ocean Rescue Challenge

You are part of a UN mission focused on reviving the ocean ecosystem globally. The goal of the mission is to identify solutions to the challenges facing the oceans, and to choose those which will be most effective in restoring our oceans.

​

To begin, we need to identify which factors harm the ocean and which help it.

​

​

Ocean Rescue Challenge

In your groups, group the following factors into ‘helps the ocean’ and ‘harms the ocean’:

Ocean Rescue Challenge

Ocean Rescue Challenge

Now you have to decide which solutions to invest in. You have enough money to pay for three solutions.

In your group, choose three that will have the greatest impact. For each one, explain:

• What solution have you chosen?
• What problem does it solve?
• Why is it more important than others?

WE HAVE COVERED:

• Why the ocean is essential for life on Earth
• How marine systems function and why balance matters so much
• How eutrophication works
• Key threats to ocean health and the damage that each causes
• How carbon emissions cause ocean acidification
• Examples of recovery, including Marine Protected Areas

Learner Journal

Part 1: Three Things I Learnt Today

Open your Learner Journal. Write down three things you learnt. These can be facts, ideas, or things that surprised you.

Why is the ocean in so much trouble, and what would it take

to bring it back?

Write your response in your Learner Journal, then finish sections 3-5.

Learner Journal

Part 2: Reflective Question

“The oceans are more than just a home for amazing creatures; they are the great life-support engine of our entire planet, regulating our climate and producing the very air we breathe.” Sir David Attenborough, naturalist and broadcaster (2017)

Every breath we take connects us to the sea, where microscopic plankton and vast food webs work together to keep our planet healthy and stable. Despite immense pressure on these fragile ecosystems, conservation efforts prove that wildlife can bounce back with astonishing strength when allowed to recover.

Lock-In Quote