Educational Resources
These resources were created by Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant educators. Parents, students and teachers are invited to explore marine science topics at home or in the classroom.
Included are activities, lesson plans and identification sheets that highlight coastal Georgia flora, fauna, educational activities and research. For questions about educational resources, contact Anne Lindsay at lindsaya@uga.edu.
Activities
Are you a Fish? (Grades Pre-K – 1)
This hands-on educational activity is designed to teach students the basic biological differences between fish and humans.
Feelin’ Crabby (Grades Pre-K – 1)
Through two creative activities, students will learn the basic anatomy and the function of blue crab body parts.
Freshwater Wetland Investigations (Grades K-5)
Explore a series of lesson plans that cover hydrology and soils, water chemistry, plant classification, environmental impacts, wildlife life cycles and habitats.
Fungi, Ferns and Frogs, Oh My! Coloring Georgia’s Freshwater Wetlands (Grades K-5)
Freshwater wetlands are an important part of the landscape. Use this activity to take a journey into the beauty found within them.
Marine Invertebrate Matching Game (Pre-K – Grade 12)
Learn to identify different benthic marine invertebrates found in the Skidaway River.
Reading Between the Lines: Marine Debris Program Activity Sheets (Grade 3)
This resource features a variety of activity sheets focused on marine debris.
Maritime Forest Scavenger Hunt (Grades 3-6)
These ID cards help students of all ages search for and identify several plant species found in Georgia’s maritime forests.
Make Your Own Alligator (Grades 3-12)
This activity teaches students how to use recycled materials to create their own alligator.
UGA Aquarium Activity Book (Grade 4)
Print this booklet ahead of your next visit to the UGA Aquarium on Skidaway Island and fill it out while exploring the facility.
Freshwater Wetlands and Climate Change (Grade 5)
This activity features information about different types of wetlands in the U.S. Students can test their knowledge by doing a crossword puzzle and answering review questions.
Dichotomous Key to Marine Fishes (Grades 5-8)
This resource allows students to determine the identity of marine fishes by using a series of choices between two categories.
Water Drop Plankton Study (Grades 5-12)
Learn about the importance of phytoplankton! This activity teaches students how to ID phytoplankton as well as how to collect and record data.
Backyard Transect (Grades 6-12)
This hands-on educational activity is designed to teach middle and high school students to study a natural community using a random sampling method.
Freshwater Wetlands and Climate Change (Grades 6-8)
This activity shares information about freshwater wetlands and the role they play in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Curricula
Elementary Basic Observation Buoy (eBOB) Guide (Grades 1-5)
This document provides teachers and parents with a guide to engage elementary students in STEM concepts related to buoys, flotation, and water properties.
Adopt-A-Wetland Curriculum Guide (Grades 3-12)
Learn about wetlands, their importance and how to “adopt” and monitor them.
CrabEcology Curriculum (Grade 3)
These educational games and activities will help third graders learn all about crabs and their habitats on the Georgia coast.
Marine Debris & Me Curriculum (Grades 4-8)
This resource teaches students about marine debris and its impacts on humans and the environment through hands-on exercises and graphing studies.
Southeast Educator’s Guide to Marine Debris (Grades 6-8)
This document provides teachers with information and activities to engage middle school students in marine debris, how it relates to the Southeastern Coast, and coastal stewardship.
Environmental Science: Oysters Unit (Grades 6-8)
In this unit, students will learn about oysters as nature-based solutions for shoreline stabilization. They will explore oyster biology, ecology and the various ecosystem services they provide before diving into collaborative problem-solving exercises.
Marine Debris Micro Particles Curriculum (Grades 6-12)
UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant’s Marine Educator Dodie Sanders worked with educator Katelyn Hunt to develop an in-depth, interactive activity focused on measuring and tracking marine debris and micro particles. The curriculum includes:
* Along a Line of Micro Particles
* Marine Debris Density ID sheet
* Micro-Particle Graph Activity
* Marine Debris 101
Roger Day’s Marsh Madness Study Guides
Nashville-based musician Roger Day produced a series of children’s songs about the Georgia coast with the help of UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. Below are his songs along with information and activities for various age groups.
- Pre-K Curriculum
- Kindergarten Curriculum
- Grade 1 Curriculum
- Grade 2 Curriculum
- Grade 3 Curriculum
- Grade 4 Curriculum
Quizzes and Games
Which Georgia shorebird are you?
Many types of shorebirds can be seen eating, resting and nesting on Georgia beaches. Which shorebird are you most similar to?
Build a Salt Marsh Food Web
Food webs represent the connections between living organisms in an ecosystem. This food web activity is focused on the salt marsh ecosystem.
Additional Resources
Beachcomber’s Guide
Trawl ID Guide
Floating Dock Community (Invertebrate) Guide
Phytoplankton Guide
Zooplankton Guide
Coastal Trees
Birds of Coastal Georgia ID Guides
Geology of the Georgia Coast
Physical Setting
Beach Ecology
Salt Marsh Ecology
Maritime Forests
New Waves of Marine Career Opportunities