Teaching overview
Learning points
- A network of underwater cameras is being used to monitor fish populations in different oceans around the world.
- With billions of tonnes being extracted from the ground each year, sand needs to be used more sustainably to avoid serious environmental damage.
- Architects have drawn up plans for a city on Mars that could become home to 250,000 people.
Curriculum keywords
- Oceans
- Natural Resources
- Space
Video viewing guide
This graphic organizer supports your students to capture their thoughts and questions as they watch the news update.
Spark a discussion
Ocean Camera Network
- Why are levels of fish declining in our oceans?
- How will the underwater cameras help scientists monitor fish populations?
- Can you think of any land-based animals that similar cameras could be used to monitor?
Sand Supplies
- Why is the demand for sand increasing?
- How can extracting sand from the ground damage the environment?
- What alternative building materials do you think we could use instead of sand-reliant concrete?
City on Mars
- Why have the city's planners decided that the city should be constructed inside a cliff?
- What problems might architects face if they try to build the city?
- Do you think people will be living on Mars during your lifetime?
Discover more about the topics covered in this week's News update
Classroom resources
Use these resources to get the most out of the news update and engage your class in topical science!
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Video viewing guide
This graphic organizer supports your students to capture their thoughts and questions as they watch the news update.
Make your own science news update
This simple guide helps your students to create their very own science news updates.
Language and literacy activities
This guide gives you ideas for how the news update can be used to support language and literacy activities.
Twig Science: A Complete Pre-K–8 Program for the NGSS
Immersive Investigations with High-Quality Multimedia
- Investigating, designing, building, and understanding phenomena
- Hands-on, digital, video, and print investigations
- Synchronous/asynchronous distance learning