New education programme to inform schools about our oceans

Despite covering most of our planet’s surface and playing a pivotal role in the climate system, the ocean hardly features on the UK schools’ curricula and is rarely taught in primary schools.

At its core, the Convex Seascape Survey is an international project designed to understand and examine the role of coastal seas in climate change mitigation. It explores and quantifies carbon locked in seafloor mud, assesses the role played by seafloor animals in carbon storage, and determines risk of carbon release from human activities.

The University of Exeter leads the science for the Convex Seascape Survey- a collaboration of over 100 scientists, communications and education experts, conservation and industry specialists and advisors.

One of the challenges in designing educational resources is the complexity of the science.

The Convex Seascape Survey have worked collaboratively to cut through this complexity, developing interactive infographics on Ocean habitats, Carbon cycle and Carbon fluxes. The consortium designed and produced accessible activities, such as ‘make a wormery’ and ‘ocean life treasure hunt,’ quizzes like ‘the really tough ocean quiz,’ role plays and art sessions.

The Convex Seascape Survey is also co-producing an educational outreach programme with partners Encounter Edu, Blue Marine Foundation, Unseen studios, and the artist Naomi Hart.

Their legacy will be UK curriculum-aligned lesson packages, free-to-access online live lessons, resources, activities, and an immersive digital experience.

The education programme has been co-produced in full collaboration with this consortium. World leading Academics provide insight into the latest research on ocean and climate, while our partners ensure the content produced is relevant for their audiences. Encounter Edu align the work with schoolteachers and student requirements. Unseen Studios design the immersive web experience under scientific direction.

Blue Marine Foundation make sure resources produced can reach global audience. These partners, including the funders, the Convex Group, are embedded and based in scientific activity, while artist Naomi Hart uses mud collected in the field during workshops combining art with science through her novel pieces.

Written by Chloe Severn, Convex Seascape Survey Project Manager 

Edited by Elizabeth Blackledge