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Ocean First Education brings the sea to life through high-quality, innovative marine science education and creates lifelong students and stewards of the sea.
The Latest
Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation Partnership

There’s no question the first six months of 2020 have been unlike any in our lifetime. Most of us have had our lives uprooted, jobs in peril, and a shadow of uncertainty cast over every waking hour. For all the challenges we’ve faced, however, there have been some rather incredible opportunities sprouting from the chaos. 

Ocean First Education (OFE) and Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) have forged a new partnership to bring marine science education and the wonders of the underwater world to students across the planet. The GHOF conducts scientific research and hosts educational programs aimed at conserving the marine environment, helping to ensure that future generations can enjoy and benefit from a naturally balanced ocean ecosystem. Ocean First Education, meanwhile, has developed some of the best and most robust K-12 online marine science resources on the market. The long-term data gathered from GHOF and other partner research projects will be integrated into the curriculum to provide real, relevant, and up-to-date science.

The new Guy Harvey and Ocean First Education curriculum will first be distributed via a third-party distribution partner, Discovery Education, to students across the country. Stay tuned for the release of the new co-branded curriculum.

In the News
NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries 360 Lesson Plans

Several months ago, Ocean First Education was hard at work creating hands-on lesson plans to accompany the new National Marine Sanctuaries 360 videos. Five multi-day lessons were created to accompany four 360 videos. The narrated 360 videos highlight four national marine sanctuaries around the U.S. from the Florida Keys to Hawaii, including the Great Lakes, so there is something for everyone. COVID-19 have you skipping your vacation plans? Take a virtual tour through all four sanctuaries this summer!

You can access these free 360 videos and lesson plans here. We’d love to know what you think!

Ocean View
Summer of Marine Science

The world is a different place. Distance learning has become a household word and many summer camps and programs have gone virtual. If you’re looking for online marine science content for your K-12 student, we have got you covered with a variety of unique online experiences. Dive into the depths below with our 360 Lesson Plans, short 360 videos with a standards-based lesson plan offering an escape from reality. A collection of short courses covering topics such as sea turtles, sharks, manta rays, and marine invertebrates offer not just fascinating facts and information, but provide a look into the lives of a variety of marine organisms. We also provide a collection of hands-on activities you can engage in with your budding marine scientist in our Parent Portal. Whatever your future Sylvia Earle or Jaques Cousteau might be curious about, we welcome you to explore new depths. 

Ocean First is offering the SSI Marine Ecology series online. Join marine scientists at Ocean First for virtual ecology seminars covering sea turtles, sharks, coral identification and more. Participants can earn their SSI ecology certification, or join for an hour of comradery and education. Review the calendar of events here.

Looking for something more hands-on? Join any one of Ocean First Institute’s virtual summer camps. Each program includes a package of hands-on materials available for local pick-up or delivery. Check out their variety of options for students entering third through eighth grade. Classes begin July 6th!

1 Topic : 5 Facts
How well do you know the ocean?
This regular feature will help acquaint you with our blue planet.
Topic: Sea Lions
  1. There are six species of sea lion alive today: California sea lion, Steller sea lion, Australian sea lion, Galapagos sea lion, New Zealand sea lion, and South American sea lion. 
  2. Sea lions are found in bodies of water throughout the world, from subarctic to tropical oceans – except for the Northern Atlantic Ocean.
  3. Sea lions, seals, and walruses are in a scientific group of animals called pinnipeds, which means "wing foot" or "feather foot." 
  4. Sea lions have an external ear flap and are able to rotate their hind flippers forward, whereas seals do not have an ear flap and are not able to rotate their back flippers. 
  5. Steller sea lions are the largest species with adult males weighing between 450–1,120 kg (990–2,470 pounds) almost three times the size of females! While the Galapagos sea lions are the smallest of the six species, the males up to about 200 kg (440 pounds).
Events and Announcements
Coming Soon!

lionfishMarine Mammals: A Life Aquatic, short course. Marine mammals have fascinated the public for centuries and are important sentinels of our ocean ecosystems. As mammals that rely on the ocean for survival, this group of diverse animals all exhibit tremendous adaptations that allow them to thrive in a challenging ocean environment. In this course, students will dive into the fascinating world of whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, walruses, manatees, dugongs, sea otters, and polar bears to learn about the difficulties these animals face making a living in the ocean, and the adaptations they have evolved to make them extremely successful in an aquatic environment.

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