The Magic of Seagrass Elementary Lesson Plan
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Provided by: UCI Science Project|Published on: June 27, 2022
Lesson Plans
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This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This lesson plan and set of materials will help facilitate a lesson on the importance of healthy seagrass ecosystems.
- Students will learn about biodiversity in healthy and unhealthy seagrass ecosystems, discover how seagrass helps sequester carbon, think about why people should care about seagrass ecosystems, and practice scientific thinking.

Subjects: Science
Authors: UCI Science Project, The Ocean Agency
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This resource has everything teachers need to deliver a meaningful and well-researched lesson about the importance of seagrass ecosystems.
- The presentation slides and infographic are engaging and beautifully designed.
- Teacher notes are included with each slide.
Additional Prerequisites
- Teachers may want to review vocabulary words such as ecosystem, biodiversity, climate change, and carbon dioxide.
- The third video, which appears on slide 19 of the slideshow, does not have any narration and will be difficult for younger students to read. Teachers should consider pausing the video frequently.
Differentiation
- Cross-curricular connections can be made in social studies classes that are discussing how communities and governments can act to reverse climate change and help unhealthy ecosystems.
- For younger students, consider breaking this lesson into several small components.
- For older elementary students, be sure to utilize the discussion ideas listed in the Teacher Discourse PDF.
- The extension slides would make an excellent project for upper elementary students.
- Other related resources include this video about the importance of biodiversity in ecosystems, this mural that depicts a dying coral reef, and this digital book about a boy and the ocean.
The resource provides information on how human activities affect the seagrass ecosystem and the functions seagrass play in carbon sequestration. The course and activities included in the material would teach students basic seagrass conservation techniques. This makes this material perfect for use in the classroom.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider

UCI Science Project
UCI Science Project is grounded in research-based educational practices and understands the paradigm shifts needed for the Next Generation Science Standards. Our goal is to support educators as transformative leaders who build capacity in their schools through empowering learning experiences. We are firmly committed to addressing racial, social, and environmental injustices through collaborative efforts that position educators as agents of change for community action.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →

