Onsite Educational Workshops and Activities
Check out our exciting educational workshops designed for EYFS-KS2 students! Our workshops are built around the core values of fostering a sense of connection and empathy for our oceans, allowing students to delve into topics such as habitat exploration, adaptation, and conservation. Also, don't miss our Ranger challenge activity pack!
Please note that our workshops are available for a minimum number of 10 participants.
EYFS, KS1, & Sensory Educational Workshops
Early Years - My Special Aquarium
BOOK THIS WORKSHOP FOR EARLY YEARS LEARNING (AGE 3-5 YEARS)
This workshop gives children a chance to recap on the names of some of the creatures they have seen during their trip to SEA LIFE and create a picture of their own aquarium.
Children will:
- Identify and describe a variety of ocean creatures
- Understand animals' needs in their habitat and in aquariums
- Have fun at the SEA LIFE aquarium and be surprised by the variety of marine life
KS1: HABITAT EXPLORERS
BOOK THIS WORKSHOP IF… YOUR STUDENTS ARE STUDYING HABITATS AND ADAPTATIONS
Invite students to become Habitat Explorers as they dive deep underwater into the ocean habitats of some of our SEA LIFE creatures! Together they will jump into a world of amazing discovery to learn about the different zones of the ocean and the creatures that live there. Thinking about habitats and adaptation, students will consider the challenges of different micro-habitats in the ocean, matching creatures and their adaptations to the different zones that they discover, and eventually creating their very own sea creatures!
Students will:
- Identify and describe different ocean habitats (e.g., rockpool, coral reef, deep sea) and the creatures that live in them.
- Understand how marine animals adapt to their habitats, exploring the challenges they face and how their characteristics help them survive.
- Develop creativity and scientific thinking by designing their own sea creature with adaptations suited to an underwater habitat.
SENSORY WORKSHOP
BOOK THIS WORKSHOP FOR SENSORY SEEKERS
This workshop gives children the chance to explore the marine world through a tactile model rockpool.
Children will:
- Interact with a model rockpool filled with water, rocks, and several textured items
- Learn about different creatures and fossils
- Discover the potential textures of the marine world
- Have fun at the SEA LIFE aquarium and be surprised by the variety of marine life
KS2 Educational Workshops
KS2: HABITAT EXPLORERS
BOOK THIS WORKSHOP IF… YOUR STUDENTS ARE STUDYING HABITATS AND ADAPTATIONS
In this immersive workshop, students will become Habitat Explorers, diving into the different ocean zones and the creatures that live within them. They’ll investigate what makes a habitat and why animals adapt to survive. Through hands-on activities, they will represent the ocean layers to understand their structure and explore diverse marine environments, from mangrove forests to polar regions and coral reefs, discovering how species thrive in their surroundings.
Students will:
- Identify and describe the five layers of the ocean, understanding that each zone is a unique habitat for different sea creatures.
- Explain how marine animals and plants adapt to their environment, highlighting specific adaptations that help them survive.
- Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of certain characteristics in different ocean habitats.
- Explore the challenges creatures face in different ocean zones and consider how they adapt to overcome them
Workshop Lesson Plans
Layers of the Ocean (Pre-Visit)
The ocean is composed of various layers or zones, and it is incredibly deep. Students have the opportunity to develop sensory maps based on the amount of light each ocean zone receives. They can also conduct an experiment to create a layered "Ocean in a Jar" using liquid density.
Inheritance & Variation (Post-Visit)
This lesson is going to be super helpful in identifying inherited characteristics in living things. You'll learn that variation occurs within offspring as well as across a species, and you'll be able to easily tell the difference between inherited and environmental characteristics.
KS2: SEA DEFENDERS: PLASTIC POLLUTION
BOOK THIS WORKSHOP IF… YOU ARE LOOKING TO MAKE A PLEDGE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE OCEAN
Invite students to become Sea Defenders! They will investigate it is important to protect our oceans, raising awareness of their own relationships with the ocean and how their daily actions can positively or negatively affect the marine environment. Students should be inspired to make changes in their lifestyle and actively contribute towards solutions.
Students will:
- Appreciate litter, pollution, and its impact on the world.
- Identify different materials and which recycling bin they belong in.
- Understand the terms: biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and plastic pollution.
- Understand the impact of human behaviours: that marine wildlife can get tangled in fishing lines, nets and plastic pollution.
- Take action to reduce negative impacts on the marine environment and make a pledge for the protection of the ocean.
Workshop Lesson Plans
What the Ocean Means (Pre-Visit)
Embark on a journey to explore the significance of our oceans. Students will create a persuasive poster campaign to preserve this invaluable natural resource.
Ocean Pollution (Post-Visit)
Let's reduce, reuse, and recycle waste to protect the oceans. By using less plastic, finding ways to reuse products and recycling, we can prevent pollution and harm to marine life
KS2: OUR SEA CREATURES
BOOK THIS WORKSHOP IF…. YOUR STUDENTS HAVE NEVER VISITED A SEA LIFE CENTRE
Invite students to learn about some of our core SEA LIFE creatures! Together they will dive into a world of amazing discovery to learn about three core creatures: sharks, jellyfish and seahorses – understanding their different needs and completing exclusive SEA LIFE quizzes for each. Students will think about the importance of animal welfare and use the core aquarium standards to create tanks for the different creatures, based on their understanding of creatures’ needs and happiness markers.
Students will:
- Explore creature features by identifying with core SEA LIFE creatures and discussing their differences
- Empathise with sea creatures and understand the need for animal welfare and protection.
- Understand the role of the Aquarist/Curator at SEA LIFE.
- Create a unique tank, considering key features including: shape, water flow, substrate, aquascape and appropriate tank mates.
- Inspire a love for marine wildlife and an interest in animal welfare.
Workshop Lesson Plans
Incredible Sea Creatures (Pre-Visit)
In this lesson, students get to dive into the wonderful world of sea creatures and the ocean. They'll get to put their thinking caps on and come up with a list of cool questions to ask during their visit to SEA LIFE. Also, they can create Fact Cards for three amazing sea creatures.
Creative Writing (Post-Visit)
How about we get creative and have some fun with SEA LIFE? Students will have the chance to write about their SEA LIFE experience using cool and powerful words to describe their favourite sea creature. They'll also create a poem or short story based on the sea creature they choose, helping to improve their writing skills and have a blast while learning about the amazing world of marine life.
Onsite Self-led activity
Save Our Seas: The Rangers Challenge Activity Pack
A school trip to SEA LIFE Manchester not only fosters empathy but also encourages students to become ocean conservation champions. Our brand new 'Save our Seas: The Rangers Challenge' activity pack will aid your students as they explore 10 different zones within the aquarium. They will also meet some of our amazing marine friends like Ernie, the Green Sea Turtle, and using the packs they will unlock 'Turtely' awesome knowledge about marine animals and their habitats.
Key Learning Outcomes (Age 5-11yrs)
Pupils will consider:
- The different sea creatures they’ll encounter and their habitats.
- How sea creatures are being negatively impacted by human behaviour.
- What can be done to help protect the sea creatures and their habitats
There are extension activities within the booklet for further challenges. We offer two versions of the pack, one tailored to ages 5-7yrs and the other 7-11yrs.
How it works...
- Before the trip, pupils will be set their challenge by a video message from Ranger Bethan.
- At SEA LIFE Manchester, They’ll encounter our crab-ulous creatures and their habitats.
- They’ll record their learning using our activity pack filled with engaging tasks.
- Back at school, they’ll apply their learning by creating an informative campaign educating their community.
