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Spoiler Alert: I had so much fun researching and curating these resources that are chock full of fascinating ocean facts for kids. Did you know that the ocean takes up about 71 percent of Earth’s space, yet a whopping 95 percent of that ocean is completely unexplored? Marine science is in its infancy, so there’s still an awful lot to get curious about! I’ve found terrific biographies of famous marine biologists and oceanographers (like Sylvia Earle and world renowned marine biologist Rachel Carson); information about marine animals; the state of warming ocean waters and what that means; as well as activities like collecting shells and seeing animals on the beach.

an image of a young boy holding a large shell up to his ear suggesting learning ocean facts for kids

Picture Book Biographies Of Famous Marine Biologists And Oceanographers

Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau (Jacques Cousteau Book for Kids, Children's Ocean Book, Underwater Picture Book for Kids)

Before Jacques Cousteau became an internationally known oceanographer and champion of the seas, he was a curious little boy. In this lovely biography, poetic text and gorgeous paintings combine to create a portrait of Jacques Cousteau that is as magical as it is inspiring.

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Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor

Marie Tharp was always fascinated by the ocean. Taught to think big by her father who was a mapmaker, Marie wanted to do something no one had ever done before: map the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Was it even possible? Not sure if she would succeed, Marie decided to give it a try.

Throughout history, others had tried and failed to measure the depths of the oceans. Sailors lowered weighted ropes to take measurements. Even today, scientists are trying to measure the depth by using echo sounder machines to track how long it would take a sound wave sent from a ship to the sea floor to come back. But for Marie, it was like piecing together an immense jigsaw puzzle.

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Otis and Will Discover the Deep: The Record-Setting Dive of the Bathysphere

On June 6, 1930, engineer Otis Barton and explorer Will Beebe dove into the ocean inside a hollow metal ball of their own invention called the Bathysphere.

They knew dozens of things might go wrong. A tiny leak could shoot pressurized water straight through the men like bullets! A single spark could cause their oxygen tanks to explode! No one had ever dived lower than a few hundred feet...and come back. But Otis and Will were determined to become the first people to see what the deep ocean looks like.

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Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle first lost her heart to the ocean as a young girl when she discovered the wonders of the Gulf of Mexico in her backyard. As an adult, she dives even deeper. Whether she's designing submersibles, swimming with the whales, or taking deep-water walks, Sylvia Earle has dedicated her life to learning more about what she calls "the blue heart of the planet." With stunningly detailed pictures of the wonders of the sea, Life in the Ocean tells the story of Sylvia's growing passion and how her ocean exploration and advocacy have made her known around the world.

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The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs: The Story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation (Environmental Science for ... and You for Kids, Conservation for Kids)

All it takes is one: one coral gamete to start a colony in the ocean, one person to make a difference in the world, one idea to help us heal the earth. The ongoing conservation efforts to save and rebuild the world's coral reefs—with hammer and glue, and grafts of newly grown coral—are the living legacy of environmental scientist Ken Nedimyer, founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation.

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Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist (Women in Science Books, Marine Biology for Kids, Shark Gifts)

Eugenie Clark fell in love with sharks from the first moment she saw them at the aquarium. She couldn't imagine anything more exciting than studying these graceful creatures. But Eugenie quickly discovered that many people believed sharks to be ugly and scary―and they didn't think women should be scientists.

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and image of many beautiful and colorful shells on sand

Ocean Facts For Kids About Marine Ecology

Our World Out of Balance: Understanding Climate Change and What We Can Do

Filled with engaging big ideas that will inspire children to think about their role in keeping our world healthy, Our World Out of Balance details how humans have thrown the planet off-balance and ways we can work together to be part of the solution and create a healthier world.

Perfect for homeschooling and virtual and blended learning, each chapter pairs brightly colored illustrations with easily graspable scientific facts and statistics.

The back matter lists various citizen science initiatives that kids can take part in to help make a difference. Informational text includes a table of contents, diagrams, index, glossary, and select bibliography.

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Ocean Soup: A Recipe for You, Me, and a Cleaner Sea

From the shore, the ocean looks like clear, sparkling blue but look closely at a small scoop and you'll find the ocean looks more like soup! Our oceans are filled with plastics, from water bottles and take-out containers to the teeny tiny plastic particles you need a microscope to see. But who exactly cooked up this stinky soup? And, more importantly, what is the recipe for getting (and keeping) our oceans clean? This bouncing, rhyming story pulls no punches about how we ended up in this sticky mess but also offers hope and help for cleaning up this ocean soup.

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Rachel Carson and Ecology for Kids: Her Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities and Experiments (74) (For Kids series)

Rachel Carson was an American biologist, conservationist, science and nature writer, and catalyst of the modern environmental movement. She studied biology in college at a time when few women entered the sciences, and then worked as a biologist and information specialist for the US government and wrote about the natural world for many publications. Carson is best remembered for her book Silent Spring, which exposed the widespread misuse of chemical pesticides in the United States and sparked both praise and fury.

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The Plastic Problem

In 18 bite-sized chapters, Salt walks readers through the invention and globalized creation of plastic, its impacts and uses in our day-today lives, and its importance to the larger global economy. She then examines the how and why of what makes plastic so harmful to our planet and, just in case there was any doubt, Salt reinforces this danger by providing chapters on the planet-choking results of our plastic habit -- including the fact that there is almost certainly, plastic floating inside each and every person in the world.

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What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet

Did you know that every single plastic toothbrush ever made still exists? Or that there is a floating mass of trash larger than the USA drifting around the Pacific Ocean?

In this informative book on recycling for children, you will find everything you need to know about our environment.

This educational book will teach young budding ecologists about how our actions affect planet Earth and the big impact we can make by the little things we do.

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an image of a young boy holding a handful of gorgeous shells on the beach suggesting learning ocean facts for kids

Hands On Ocean Facts for Kids

Ocean Anatomy Activities for Kids: Fun, Hands-On Learning (Nature/Farm/Food Anatomy)

Explore like a scientist with this illustrated ocean guide for kids ages 8 to 12!

Dive into the big blue sea with Ocean Anatomy Activities for Kids! Travel around the world and down into the deep with illustrations and diagrams that show you how the different parts of the ocean work together. As you read about our amazing aquatic universe, you’ll learn how to think like a marine scientist.

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Beachcombing: Exploring the Seashore

With friendly notes and detailed illustrations of everything from ghost crabs to shark teeth, award-winning author and wildlife expert, Jim Arnosky, outfits kids with the knowledge they need to become avid beachcombers. Take it along on a family vacation or school trip, or make the beach come alive at home with this personal tour of the shore.

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The Burgess Seashore Book for Children in color

Familiar Burgess character Danny Meadow Mouse finds himself aboard an airplane, and then the seashore, where all the creatures are very different from those he is used to seeing.

Danny and his friends Jimmy Skunk and Reddy Fox explore every nook and cranny of the shoreline and learn first hand about the habits and habitats of spider crabs, sea cucumbers, sand eels, and that strangest of little fishes — the sea horse.

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Seashells, Crabs and Sea Stars: Take-Along Guide (Take Along Guides)

An introduction to the world of seashells, crabs, and sea stars including identification information, educational activities, and fun facts. Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife. Safety tips are provided and interesting activities are suggested.

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Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

Follow Julia Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages. 

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Spring Comes to the Ocean

This is a gorgeous book. Unfortunately, it's out of print, but search for it at garage sales and used bookshops!



Although written very scientifically and perhaps considered nonfiction, is not without engrossing characters and a powerful story. It chronicles the lives of more than twelve species of underwater creatures--everything from the tiniest acoela worm to the largest gray whale.

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Ocean Facts For Kids That You Can Turn Into A Homeschool Unit Study

Any one of these books about the ocean would be a great family or school conversation starter. If you are a homeschool family, chose one or more of these ocean books to kickstart a homeschool unit study!

I find that my boys always identify with animals, in this case marine life. If you read one or two of these books about the ocean and wish to embark on a unit study, this is a terrific National Geographic video filled with ocean facts about animals. *Note that this may not be appropriate if you have younger children or highly sensitive children. There are scenes of animals hunting for and eating other animals.

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an image of a young boy holding a gorgeous nautilus shell on the beach suggesting learning ocean facts for kids