Here are games brought to you thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service (NOS) and other collaborators.

Ocean Diversity Challenge

What You Will Do
Try to find all 73 ocean organisms
in the Year of the Ocean 1998 poster!

Photo credit: Courtesy Steve Shachter, NOAA

The Ocean is vital to life on earth. From the life-giving rain that nourishes crops, to life-saving medicines; from the fish that come from the ocean floor, to the goods that are transported on the sea’s surface— in some way the ocean plays a role in your life every day.

This is a poster by artist Steve Shachter, prepared for NOAA during the International Year of the Ocean (1998)[See also IYOR 2008 on Magic Porthole.] Look at the variety of living organisms!

About 275,000 marine species are known to science. But more than 95% of Earth’s oceans have not been explored, so there are almost certainly many species that are still undiscovered. Some scientists think there may be as many as ten million undiscovered species living in the ocean. Other scientists think the number may be much higher. Almost all of the major animal groups are found in the ocean, and many are not found anywhere else. So the sea holds most of Earth’s biological heritage, which scientists call biodiversity.

Why is biodiversity important? Because we know that marine organisms already provide food, fertilizer, drugs, jewellery, clothing and many other products. With so many species undiscovered, the potential for new products is huge.

Here’s a way to get acquainted with a few of the species whose home is the sea. But remember: there are millions more!

You can Find What You Will Need On NOAA Ocean Service
Go to: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/for_fun/OceanDiversityChallenge.pdf

Ocean Challenge Puzzle
Ocean Explorer

Test your ocean literacy with the Ocean Challenge Puzzle! With each correct answer, you’ll reveal another tile of the puzzle. Collaborate with other users to reveal the full picture. Target: Educators, students (grades 9-12), and adults. From: fttp://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/games.html

What You Will Need:
Sewing needle about one to two inches long
Small bar magnet or refrigerator magnet
A small piece of cork (corks from wine bottles work well, but not the plastic stoppers)
A small glass or cup of water to float the cork and needle
Pair of pliers

Here is a preview of what you will be creating. What’s Happening Magnetic fields are areas that contain a force created by moving electrical charges. Earth produces a magnetic field. This field is very weak, but it is sufficient to align magnetized objects - such as your needle - that are free to rotate. By floating the needle on the cork, you allow it to rotate freely so the needle becomes lined up with Earth’s magnetic field, and points toward the north or south pole of the planet.

Motion from the Ocean

Create your own Fish Mobile

What You Will Need

One or more copies of fish “Patterns for Fish Mobiles”
Crayons, colored markers, or colored pencils
Thin cardboard (such as from a cereal box) or poster board
Plastic lid or round piece of cardboard, at least 4 inches diameter
Yarn, string, ribbon, or fishing line, at least 10 feet
Scissors
A nail, or woodworking awl

Warnings: Be careful with the nail or awl and scissors; they are sharp

To make discoveries and solve mysteries you have to think like a fish.Video clip (Windows Media Player)

In forthcoming episodes, adventures, and games you will be taken into the intricate lives of the creatures of the coral reefs and given challenges to make discoveries such as about the symbiotic relationships between the shrimp and goby fish.

Play the Wild Dolphin Project game: kidspage_wordsearch.pdf