Teach third graders how animals and plants live in specific geographic locations within the ocean's waters due to environmental factors including water temperatures, currents, tides, salinity, light intensity and nutrient concentration. Assign students specific areas of the ocean to create a project with a sampling of different animals and plants from that geographic environment. For example, ocean biome projects could focus on bottlenose dolphins in Florida’s coastal waters, leatherback turtles in South America, African penguins in South Africa or humpback whales in Australia.
The gray whale follows a 12,000-mile migration route from the Arctic to Baja California, Mexico, according to PBS. Researchers have found that whales travel to cold waters for feeding and warmer waters to give birth, according to Whale Route. Students can trace the migration routes of sea life in their ocean biome project with a migration map or a directional sign showing the number of miles and the direction the animals will migrate.
Oceans would not be full of life if it were not for plants, which are available as a food source and protection for sea animals. Diverse species of phytoplankton, including microscopic photosynthetic bacteria to larger unicellular and colonial algae, are eaten by small crustaceans. Small fish eat the small crustaceans, and the small fish are eaten by sharks, squid, whales and other larger sea animals, according to Science Encyclopedia. Ask students to include three or four different levels of the food chain in their ocean biome project to explain the food chain.
Use a small aquarium or fish bowl to create an ocean biome project which can be presented to the entire classroom. Spread small stones or gravel along the bottom and add plants and animals that are found in the ocean biome you are creating. Add a map or informational poster to the outside of the backside of the aquarium for migration and food chain instruction.