Did you know there’s something that gives us more oxygen than the Amazon rainforest and helps control the climate? Here’s a clue: it’s also where a lot of our food comes from, and scientists think it might be a future source of clean energy. Can you guess what it is? It’s the oceans!
Oceans cover about 97% of the Earth’s water and are made up of five big parts: the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern Oceans. But oceans are not just huge and beautiful; they are essential for life on Earth. Let’s explore why oceans are so important:
Oceans produce more than half of the world’s oxygen and absorb a lot of carbon dioxide, which helps keep the air clean and breathable.
The ocean helps control the climate by moving heat from the equator to the poles, which affects weather patterns and keeps the climate balanced.
Many people around the world work in jobs that depend on the ocean, like fishing and tourism. About 3 million people rely on the ocean for their jobs.
Oceans are a source of many medicines. Scientists have discovered chemicals in sea creatures like corals and sponges that can help fight diseases.
Oceans provide a lot of food, not just seafood. Did you know that an ingredient from the ocean helps make peanut butter easier to spread?
Oceans are important for moving goods around the world and for fun activities like fishing, whale watching, and boating.
Oceans are crucial for many reasons, so it’s important to keep them healthy. Unfortunately, our oceans are in trouble because of things like plastic pollution and ocean mining. But we can help! Recycling, especially plastic, is a great way to start. Every year, over 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean, which is like dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into the ocean every minute!
Plastic harms marine life and doesn’t break down easily. Tiny pieces of plastic, called microplastics, can cause even more damage. Did you know there’s a huge area of trash in the North Pacific Ocean called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? It’s twice the size of Texas!
By recycling and using less plastic, we can make a big difference. If you live near the ocean, you can also help by picking up trash on the beach. Together, we can protect our oceans!
Great job! Oceans are a vital part of life on Earth, and it’s up to us to protect them for future generations. What can you do to help save our oceans?
Thanks for learning with us! Visit us at learn.org for more fun and educational resources.
Ocean Observation Walk: Take a walk with an adult to a nearby body of water, like a pond, river, or beach. Bring a notebook and pencil. Observe the water and write down or draw what you see. Look for plants, animals, and any signs of pollution. Discuss with your adult how this small body of water might be similar to or different from the ocean. What can you do to help keep it clean?
Oxygen Experiment: Did you know that plants in the ocean help produce oxygen? Try this experiment to see how plants produce oxygen. Fill a clear glass with water and place a small leaf inside. Put the glass in a sunny spot and watch what happens over a few hours. Do you see bubbles forming on the leaf? Those bubbles are oxygen! Imagine how much oxygen the ocean plants produce!
Plastic Patrol: With the help of an adult, go on a “Plastic Patrol” in your home. Look for items made of plastic and think about how you can reduce their use. Can you find alternatives, like using a reusable water bottle instead of a plastic one? Make a list of changes you can make to help reduce plastic waste and share it with your family.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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What is something that produces more oxygen than the forests in the Amazon and regulates the climate? Need a hint? Here’s two: this special something is also a source of much of the food we eat, and scientists believe it will be a source of clean energy sometime in the future. Ready to answer? The answer is oceans!
Today, we are going to take a deep dive into why oceans are so important.
So, why are oceans important? Around 97% of the Earth’s water is found in five interconnected oceans: Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern (or Antarctic). But oceans aren’t just huge and pretty to look at; they are so much more. Without the presence of oceans, we could not survive on Earth. Oceans are vital for our planet and for humans. Here are some ways our oceans are important and helpful:
1. **Air**: Oceans produce over half of the world’s oxygen and absorb 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere. This helps the air stay healthy and breathable.
2. **Climate**: The ocean plays an important role in regulating the climate because it transports heat from the equator to the poles. This helps to regulate weather patterns, which in turn helps the climate.
3. **Employment**: Ocean-dependent businesses employ around 3 million people all over the world, meaning they rely on the ocean to maintain their jobs.
4. **Medicine**: Many medical products and medicines come from the sea and help people fight off diseases. For example, scientists have found chemicals in some corals and sponges that can help fight infectious bacteria.
5. **Food**: Oceans provide a lot of food for humans and other animals, not just seafood. Interestingly, the ingredient that makes peanut butter easier to spread comes from the ocean!
6. **Transportation**: Oceans are important for transportation, especially for traded goods around the world, as well as for recreation activities like fishing, whale watching, boating, and deep-sea diving.
We really do depend on the oceans for many necessary things, which means it is super important to keep our oceans healthy. When the oceans are not healthy, there are long-lasting impacts on our ecosystem.
Right now, scientists agree that our oceans are in crisis. Man-made factors like plastic consumption and ocean mining can cause a lot of harm to the ocean and its ecosystem. But there are things we can do to help stop behaviors that hurt our oceans. One of the best ways we can help is to recycle, especially plastic. Over 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year, which is equivalent to one garbage truck full of plastic being dumped into the ocean every minute for an entire year.
Plastic in the ocean creates many problems; it is harmful to marine life and birds, does not break down for a long time, and tiny particles of plastic, called microplastics, can be absorbed into the environment and cause harm.
Here’s an interesting fact: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean, located halfway between Hawaii and California, and is twice the size of the state of Texas.
Making sure that the plastic you use ends up being recycled can help, as can limiting your plastic use. If you live near an ocean, you can also volunteer to collect trash and other litter along the beach. If we all work together, we can definitely make a change and protect our oceans.
Now that we have a better idea about why oceans are so important, let’s review:
– True or False: Oceans help to regulate weather patterns. (True)
– What is something that we can recycle to help protect the ocean? (Plastic)
– Fill in the blank: Oceans produce over 50% of the Earth’s _____. (Oxygen)
Great job, friends! Oceans are a vital part of life on planet Earth, and because they are in crisis, we need to do all we can to help protect them for future generations. What are some ways that you can help to preserve and protect our oceans?
Hope you had fun learning with us! Visit us at learn.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.
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