Teacher’s resources

Free ocean lessons for your classroom

20 free modules with 54 ready-to-teach lessons and two games, for ages 8 to 18. Our team first wrote them for school visits here in the Philippines, and in 2026 we rebuilt and expanded the whole collection with up-to-date science. Any teacher is welcome to use them.

Open single files, or download a whole lesson as one zip. No sign-up needed. The activities use everyday things like string, sand and paper cups, and several lessons include useful words in Filipino and Bisaya.

• Ages 8 to 18
• About an hour per lesson
• No internet needed
• Prints on A4
• A source for every fact
• Updated September 2026
• Free to use and share

All lessons

• Coral reefs Coral reefs 4 lessons, ages 8 to 15 What reefs are, how polyps build them, their neighbours, and a board game about their future. GameExperiment
• Coral reefs Coral reef ecology 3 lessons, ages 14 to 18 Coral symbiosis and growth maths, competition and grazers, and why some reefs bounce back. GameUses real data
• Ocean life Sea turtles 3 lessons, ages 8 to 11 Meet the five turtles of the Philippines, follow a hatchling's journey, and learn how to help. Game
• Ocean life Fish of the reef 3 lessons, ages 8 to 11 Fish shapes and mouths, survival tricks, and counting fish like MCP divers, with our real survey numbers. Uses real dataGame
• Ocean life Sharks 3 lessons, ages 9 to 15 Myth-busting, super senses, why reefs need sharks, and the people protecting them. GameExperiment
• Ocean life Shark science and fisheries 3 lessons, ages 14 to 18 Why sharks can't keep up with fishing, what the global data shows, and a policy brief. Uses real data
• Ocean life Plankton: tiny drifters 2 lessons, ages 8 to 11 The tiny drifters that feed the ocean and make half our oxygen, and a plankton sinking race. Experiment
• Ocean life Our blue planet 3 lessons, ages 8 to 11 How much of Earth is ocean, a journey to the deepest trench, and why the ocean matters. Experiment
• Ocean life Seashore explorers 2 lessons, ages 8 to 11 Get ready in class, then explore a real shore with bingo, quadrats and a field guide. Outdoor
• Plastic Plastic pollution 4 lessons, ages 9 to 15 Where plastic goes, what it does to sea life, how much we use, and taking action. OutdoorExperiment
• Plastic Plastic, people and policy 3 lessons, ages 14 to 18 Who is responsible, which policies work, and a mock negotiation of the global plastics treaty.
• Fish and fishing Fish, fishers and no-take zones 3 lessons, ages 12 to 18 A fishing game about shared resources, the Apo Island story, and designing a sanctuary. GameUses real data
• Science skills Reef scientists 3 lessons, ages 13 to 18 How scientists sample, measure coral cover and count fish, using practice reefs and real methods. Uses real data
• Science skills Reef data lab 4 lessons, ages 14 to 18 Clean, analyse and question five years of MCP reef survey data in a spreadsheet. Uses real data
• Science skills How do we know? 3 lessons, ages 13 to 18 Check viral ocean claims, weigh the evidence, and write a fact you can defend.
• Climate and coasts The changing ocean 3 lessons, ages 13 to 18 Warming, acidification and coral bleaching, with experiments, heat stress maths and a debate. ExperimentUses real data
• Climate and coasts Coasts, typhoons and nature's defences 3 lessons, ages 14 to 18 Storm surges, how reefs and mangroves protect the coast, and choosing grey or green defences. Experiment
• Careers Careers in ocean science 2 lessons, ages 14 to 18 Twelve ocean jobs, two Filipino role models, and a plan for getting there.
• Games Reef Explorers board game Game, ages 8 to 14 A board game about what harms and helps coral reefs, for 2 to 6 players. Game
• Games Marine Life Stratego Game, any age A live outdoor team game about food chains, overfishing and ghost nets, for 15 to 60 players. OutdoorGame

In every lesson

• Lesson planTimings, step-by-step instructions, answers, easier and harder versions, safety notes and curriculum links.
• SlidesReady to project, with MCP photos and a source on every fact slide.
• Teacher readingThe science behind each slide, with links to every source.
• WorksheetsPrintable sheets, cards or games, ready to photocopy.

Photos by Marine Conservation Philippines and our volunteers, and by Naja Bertolt Jensen (plastic underwater). All lessons are free to use and share for education.