Download This Sample
This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect members!
To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download!
Sign Me Up
Table of Contents
Oceanography is a branch of Earth science that examines the physical and biological aspects of the ocean. Oceanographers examine an ocean’s ecosystem, currents, waves, plate tectonics, the geology of the sea floor, and many other scientific areas. The word “oceanography” comes from a compound of the Greek words “ocean” and “write.” Delving deeper into the scientific branch, there is also an area of study called paleoceanography that studies the history of the oceans in the world’s geologic past.
See the fact file below for more information on the oceanography or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Oceanography worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
HISTORY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
- Some of the earliest reports on the state of the Earth’s oceans were by Aristotle and Strabo who recorded their observations on the movements of the tides.
- During the Age of Discovery, ocean exploration was done primarily for cartographic purposes and limited in scope to only the surface and the animals brought up by fishing nets.
- This was a time when exploring the world was of paramount interest to countries in Europe so they could gain control of land and resources.
- The Gulf Stream, a warm Atlantic ocean current that travels up the east coast of the North America and across the Atlantic Ocean, was first identified by the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon (who was also the first official European to lead an expedition to Florida).
- By the late 18th century, explorers like James Cook and James Rennell were discovering the currents of the Pacific Ocean and were beginning to document their findings in scientific textbooks.
- It was James Rennell who first wrote a textbook solely on oceanography; it detailed the current flows of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, aided by his documentation of his voyages around the Cape of Good Hope in 1777.
- Later in the 1800s, Charles Darwin contributed to the expanding knowledge of oceans by writing a paper on reefs and the formation of atolls, aided by his travels in the HMS Beagle.
- Other significant contributors to the study of oceans included James Clark Ross, Edward Forbes, Matthew Fontaine Maury, and many others.
BRANCHES OF OCEANOGRAPHY
- There are four (4) main branches of oceanography:
- Biological Oceanography
- Investigates the ecology of marine organisms
- Involves the study of the plants and animals of the sea as well as their life cycles and food production
- Also known as “marine ecology”
- Chemical Oceanography
- Studies the chemistry of the ocean, including the composition of seawater
- Also looks at the biogeochemical cycles that affect seawater and its properties
- A specific topic in this branch is ocean acidification and how this is changing rapidly
- Geological Oceanography
- Concerned with the geology of the ocean floor
- Examines plate tectonics and paleoceanography
- Focuses on the structure, features, and evolution of the ocean basins
- Physical Oceanography
- Deals with the properties of seawater
- Examines the movement of seawater via waves, currents, and tides
- Studies the way the ocean waters and the atmosphere interact all over the world
THE STUDY OF OCEANS
- An oceanographer, depending on the branch they study, spends a lot of time collecting samples of seawater and marine life for close study.
- An oceanographer might also observe the interactions between oceanic processes with things like satellites and aircraft and draw conclusions about their relationship to further understand how the ocean interacts with these things.
- Some oceanographers study the seafloor, which involves deep drilling and seismic profiling of the crust that sits below the bottom of the ocean; using sophisticated technology helps to build a profile of the layers of the earth beneath the ocean.
- Understanding the ocean helps scientists in many ways such as:
- Predicting long-term weather patterns and climatic changes
- Discovering more useful and efficient ways to use the earth’s natural resources
- Understanding the effects of pollutants on ocean waters
- Finding solutions to better preserve the quality of seawater in the ocean for humans and animals
- Figuring out how human demands are affecting the quality and quantity of seawater and marine life
- Oceanography is a combination of utilizing existing ideas and research and exploring new ways to preserve and explore the ocean and help explain new findings.
Oceanography Worksheets
This is a double bundle addition which includes over 20 ready-to-use Oceanography worksheets which are perfect for students to learn about the oceanography which is a branch of Earth science that examines the physical and biological aspects of the ocean. Oceanographers examine an ocean’s ecosystem, currents, waves, plate tectonics, the geology of the sea floor, and many other scientific areas.
Worksheet Collection 1:
- Oceanography Facts
- Pioneers in the Ocean
- Oceanography Crossword
- Properties of the Ocean
- Oceanography Vocabulary
- A Day in the Life
- Oceanography Wordsearch
- Mapping the World’s Oceans
- Creatures of the Deep
- Cause and Effect
- Animal Sort
Worksheet Collection 2:
- Oceanography Facts
- Pioneers in the Ocean
- Oceanography Crossword
- Properties of the Ocean
- Oceanography Vocabulary
- A Day in the Life
- Oceanography Wordsearch
- Mapping the World’s Oceans
- Creatures of the Deep
- Cause and Effect
- Animal Sort
Link/cite this page
If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.
Link will appear as Oceanography Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 10, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.