The United Nations launched the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030. We invited the ingenious children of Canada to think up and draw invention ideas to protect the oceans!
The oceans cover more than 70% of our planet, and they are essential to all life on Earth. But overpopulation and industrialization have taken their toll.
We wanted to build a better future for our oceans with science, invention, and innovation at the heart of it all. The more we understand our oceans, the better we can learn to look after them and get them back to health.
A selection of invention ideas were chosen to be made real and showcased during Science Odyssey in 2022.
A few other inventors had the wonderful opportunity to submit their ideas to the Canadian Science Fair Journal and were published!
The Little Inventors Mission: Protect our Oceans - Mini challenge project consisted of 6 ocean-themed challenges designed to be done as a quick and fun activity at home or school or be delivered to students as a series of full lessons.
The children chose one mini-challenge or did all 6 of them! (See below)
The challenge was supported by FREE resource packs:
The Little Inventors Protect our Oceans - Mini challenge project consisted of six ocean themed challenges designed to be done as a quick and fun activity at home or school or be delivered to students as a series of full lessons.
The resources were designed to support scaffolded learning for students age 5 to 15 years old to stretch their imagination and creativity! Each resource includes a PowerPoint presentation, student activity sheets and resource guide.
Start by downloading The Mission: protect our oceans- mini challenge proiect pack and use extension packs to dive deeper into further ocean themes.
Challenge 1
Full screenReduce Ocean Temperature Challenge
Invent a way to reduce the temperature in the ocean
You could think about...
- how can you protect the surface of the ocean from becoming too warm?
- how could you help the water temperature cool down?
- how can you protect the arctic ice from melting too fast?
Download the Arctic Ocean resource pack What's inside: The Arctic Ocean Workshop guide, The Arctic Ocean presentation and the Time to reflect activity sheet
Challenge 2
Full screenStop Plastics Challenge
Invent a way to use less plastic everyday, or to avoid single use plastic such as disposable cups
You could think about…
- inventing a way to use less everyday, throw away plastic such as plastic cups
- plastic makes its way to the oceans via drains, streams and rivers, how could you stop this?
- could your invention do something creative with plastic that already exists to stop it from getting into our waterways?
Download the The Plastic Problem resource pack What's inside: The Plastic Problem workshop guide, The Plastic Problem presentation and Your Day in Plastic activity sheet
Challenge 3
Full screenEndangered Species challenge
Invent something to fish without endangering other marine species
You could think about...
- inventing a way to prevent overfishing
- how can we stop fishing bycatch (catching the wrong thing)
- how can we monitor and learn more about marine creatures to better help them
Download the Mission: Protect our Oceans Resource pack What's inside: Mission: Protect our Oceans Workshop guide, Mission: Protect our Oceans presentation and Ocean Profiler activity sheet
Challenge 4
Full screenReduce Noise challenge
Come up with an invention idea to keep our oceans noise free
You could think about...
- a way to reduce noise from ships and boats
- how can we stop noise traveling so far underwater?
- how can we make sea creatures' habitats quieter?
Download the Ocean Pollution resource pack What's inside: Ocean Pollution Workshop guide, Ocean Pollution presentation and The Quiet Ocean activity sheet
Challenge 5
Full screenClimate change challenge
Invent a way to reduce the amount of carbon emissions in the air to help the ocean regulate climate
You could think about...
- how can our transportation be cleaner
- using less electricity in everyday life
- how can grow more food nearer to where we live to cut down on transportation
Download the Ocean=carbon eater resource pack What's inside: Ocean = carbon eater Workshop Guide, Ocean = carbon eater presentation and Take a deep breath activity sheet
Challenge 6
Full screenClean Oil Spills challenge
Invent something to clean up ocean spills in the oceans.
You could think about...
- inventing a way to collect oil from the oceans
- how can we prevent oil spills from ships?
- invent a way to help animals affected by oil spills
Download the Ocean Pollution resource pack 2 What's inside: Ocean Pollution Workshop guide, Ocean Pollution presentation and the Traveling Without a Trace activity sheet
