Far from shore, where the ocean horizon touches the sky is the vast region called open ocean. Equally home to microscopic plankton and titanic whales, this single, global ocean covers almost three quarters of Earth's surface. Never still, winds and ocean currents move food, nutrients, animals, algae, ships, garbage... anything. Movement of ocean water also creates pockets of amazing productivity that can be depleted from over-fishing.

You can now search for Habitat specific web links through the Resource Materials search. Click on "Resource Materials" in the right-hand menu.

To find general web links about ocean sciences, to the Leader section of the MARE web site.

The 5th grade MARE curriculum includes themes of global interconnectedness of the oceans and the productivity that supports large animals of the seas.

Contribute your ideas and ask questions of other people teaching about the Open Ocean. New features of this website and professional development opportunities will also be shared on this e-mail list.

• Whether you visit a real or a virtual open ocean, balance the need to identify what your students see with the need to observe it. Help them get more out of seeing an organism than just its name!