www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/kids_club.html

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/marinedebris101/
www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov | www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

 A message from the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration

The Earth has one big, connected ocean. The ocean covers over 70% 

of the Earth’s surface, surely making this a water planet. And, did 

you know that the same ocean, river or bay that you swim, fish, surf 

and dive in can also be a fabulous classroom? The ocean provides 

students of all ages with unlimited opportunities to learn about the 

world around us. 

Sadly, one of the lessons the ocean and waterways are teaching us 

today is how hazardous marine debris (trash) is to the health of our 

ocean. While there are many different types of trash and debris, the 

one thing it has in common is people. When we don’t put our trash 

in the proper place, it often ends up in the ocean. How does this 

happen? Many times trash blows around on the ground and ends 

up in storm drains, rivers and streams which carry the trash directly 

to the ocean.

Marine debris is more than just ugly - it’s a serious problem that 

affects the wildlife, habitat and water quality of all of the world’s interconnected ocean and waterways. It is also an issue that will require 

continued attention for years to come. To learn more about marine 

debris and what you can do, please visit www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 

invites you to become a member of the National Marine Sanctuary 

Program’s Ocean Guardian Kid’s Club—to learn about your ocean, 

to understand your connection to the environment, and to take positive steps to conserve this ocean world.

This activity book is recommended for children in 

grades Kindergarten through 3rd.

This activity book was developed and produced by:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

1401 Constitution Avenue

Washington, DC 20230

www.noaa.gov

Pages of this book are exerpts from “Understanding Marine Debris, Games and 

Activities for Kids of all Ages”. This activity book can be found in its entirety at 

http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/marinedebris101//WYCD_student.html

Table of Contents

The Ocean ..................................1

Crossword Puzzle ....................2

Litterless Lunches ....................3

National Marine 

Sanctuaries Map ......................4

How Long Will it Take? ...........6

Coloring Activity ......................7

Drawing Activity ......................8

Certificate ...................................9
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THEOCEAN

The Earth has one big connected ocean, yet there are many ocean basins, such as 

the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern.

The ocean covers about 70% of the planet’s surface making ours a water world.

Most of the Earth’s water (97%) is in the ocean.

All water on Earth is connected! Water evaporates from the earth’s surface, falls 

as precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.) onto the land and ocean, and returns to the 

ocean as river runoff and groundwater (underground) flow. This exchange of water is known as the hydrologic cycle. 

Although the ocean is large, it is finite and resources are limited.

The ocean affects every human life! It supplies freshwater (most rain comes from 

the ocean) and nearly all Earth’s oxygen. 

The ocean influences our planet’s weather and climate and affects human health.

The first life is thought to have started in the ocean. The earliest evidence of life is 

found in the ocean.

Ocean life ranges in size from the smallest virus to the largest animal that has lived 

on Earth, the blue whale.

Estuaries are coastal areas where freshwater and saltwater intermingle. Estuaries provide important and productive nursery areas for many marine and aquatic species.

From the ocean we get foods, medicines, as well as mineral and energy resources. 

The ocean provides jobs, serves as a highway for transportation of goods and 

people, and plays an important role in national security.

Much of the world’s population lives in coastal areas. And, coastal regions are susceptible to natural hazards such as tsunamis, hurricanes, cyclones, sea level change, 

and storm surge.

Let’s learn about the ocean and why it’s so important!
2

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This activity page is an exerpt from “Understanding Marine Debris, Games and Activities for Kids of all Ages”. 

Answers on back cover.
3

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This activity page is an exerpt from “Understanding Marine Debris, Games and Activities for Kids of all Ages”. 

The answer is on the back cover.
Fag

Ma

a fri

con

can

Fag

sma

one

only 

species of corals, macroinverte

have been recorded in the wate

Marine Sanctuary.

Hawaiian Islands Humpback 

Whale National Marine 

Sanctuary lies within the shallow, warm waters surrounding the 

main Hawaiian Islands and is one 

of the most important humpback 

whale habitats in the world. Scientists estimate that two-thirds of 

the entire North Pacific humpback 

whale population migrate to Hawaiian waters each winter 

to engage in breeding, calving and nursing activities. The 

continued protection of humpback whales and their habitat is 

crucial to the long-term recovery of this endangered species. 

Papahānaumokuākea 

Marine National Monument 

contains one of the last large 

scale, predator-dominated coral 

reef ecosystems in the world. Its 

waters are habitat for over 7,000 

marine species, a quarter of which 

are found only in Hawai`i. These 

include many endangered and 

threatened species such as the Hawaiian monk seal and green 

sea turtle. The Monument is the largest fully-protected marine conservation area in the world. It encompasses 137,797 

square miles of the Pacific Ocean—an area larger than all the 

countryʼs national parks combined.

Channel Islands National 

Marine Sanctuary encompasses the waters surrounding 

San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa 

Cruz, Anacapa and Santa Barbara 

Islands off the coast of California. The combination of warm 

and cold water currents results 

in a great variety of plants and 

animals, including large forests of giant kelp, flourishing 

populations of fish and invertebrates, and abundant and diverse populations of whales, dolphins, sea lions, harbor seals 

and marine birds. 

Cordell Bank National 

Marine Sanctuary is an 

underwater mountain that rises to 

within 120 feet of the surface with 

water depths reaching over 4,000 

feet only a few miles away. This 

productive area off of Point Reyes, 

Calif., is a summer feeding ground 

for whales, Pacific salmon and 

bottom fishes. The prevailing California current flows southward along the coast, and the upwelling of nutrient rich, deep 

ocean water stimulates the growth of organisms at all levels of 

the marine food webs. The sanctuary is a destination feeding 

ground for many migratory marine mammals and seabirds.

Gulf of the Farallones 

National Marine Sanctuary

includes nurseries and spawning areas for fish and shellfish; 

at least 36 species of marine 

mammals have been observed; 

and 160 species of birds use the 

sanctuary for shelter, food, or as 

a migration corridor. One-fifth 

of Californiaʼs harbor seals breed within the sanctuary. The 

Farallon Islands are home to the largest concentration of 

breeding seabirds in the contiguous United States, and the 

sanctuary protects a number of estuaries, bays and beaches 

for the public to enjoy. 

Monterey Bay National 

Marine Sanctuary is the 

nationʼs largest marine sanctuary, 

spanning over 5,300 square miles 

of coastal waters off Central California. Within its boundaries are 

a number of habitats, from rugged 

rocky shores and lush kelp forests 

to an underwater canyon, which is 

over 10,000 feet deep. The sanctuary contains a great diversity 

of habitats and marine life. More than 450 species of algae 

grow here. And, 33 species of marine mammals, 94 species 

of seabirds, 345 species of fish, four species of sea turtles and 

thousands of invertebrates have been recorded in its waters. 

Oly

Ma

3,3

wat

Pen

hom

and 

of k

thri

ties. This sanctuary is also ric

over 150 documented historic

contemporary cultures of the M

Quileute Nations.

National Marin
Flower Garden Banks 

National Marine Sanctuary 

lies 100 miles off the coasts of 

Texas and Louisiana where three 

underwater ʻgardensʼ emerge from 

the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. 

The Flower Garden and Stetson 

Banks are salt domes with coral 

reefs sitting on top of them on the 

edge of the continental shelf. These premier diving destinations harbor the northernmost coral reefs in the continental 

United States and serve as regional reservoirs of shallowwater Caribbean reef fishes and invertebrates. 

gatele Bay National 

arine Sanctuary embraces 

inging coral reef ecosystem 

ntained within an eroded vol

ic crater in American Samoa. 

gatele Bay is our nationʼs 

allest marine sanctuary at 

e-quarter square mile and our 

y true tropical reef. Over 600 

ebrates, fish and microalgae 

ers of Fagatele Bay National 

Florida Keys National 

Marine Sanctuary supports 

one of the most diverse groupings 

of underwater plants and animals 

in North America. Although best 

known for its coral reefs, the 

shallow waters contain marine 

habitats that include fringing 

mangroves, seagrass meadows, 

hardbottom regions, as well as patch and bank reefs. The 

sanctuary provides North Americaʼs only living coral barrier 

reef, and the third longest barrier reef in the world. 

Gray’s Reef National 

Marine Sanctuary, one of the 

largest nearshore sandstone reefs 

in the southeastern United States, 

is located just off the coast of 

Georgia, in waters 70 feet deep. 

Grayʼs Reef ʻlive bottom reefʼ 

consists of sandstone outcroppings and ledges up to three 

meters in height, with sandy, flat-bottomed troughs between. 

Because of the diversity of marine life, Grayʼs Reef is one of 

the most popular sport fishing and diving destinations along 

the Georgia coast.

Monitor National Marine 

Sanctuary was designated the 

nationʼs first national marine sanctuary in 1975. The site protects 

the wreck of the USS Monitor, a 

Civil War vessel that lies off the 

coast of North Carolina to safe 

guard our maritime past. 

ympic Coast National 

arine Sanctuary spans 

10 square miles of marine 

ters off the rugged Olympic 

ninsula. The sanctuary is 

me to many marine mammals 

d seabirds, diverse populations 

kelp and intertidal algae, and 

iving invertebrate communi

ch in cultural resources, with 

cal shipwrecks and the vibrant 

Makah, Quinault, Hoh and 

Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen 

Bank National Marine 

Sanctuary sits at the mouth of 

Massachusetts Bay between Cape 

Ann and Cape Cod. The 824-

square-mile sanctuary encompasses 

mud-filled basins, rock ledges, boulder fields and the gravel and coarse 

sand bank that was formed by 

retreat of glaciers from the last ice age. The endangered northern 

right whale migrates through Stellwagen Bank National Marine 

Sanctuary. It is an important species to protect as there are currently only about 300 right whales left in the North Atlantic.

Thunder Bay National 

Marine Sanctuary and 

Underwater Preserve has an 

estimated 115 shipwrecks being 

well-preserved by the cold, fresh 

waters of Lake Huron within its 

448-square-mile boundary. From 

wooden schooners to sidewheel 

steamers to modern freighters, 

the shipwrecks of Thunder Bay represent a cross-section of 

Great Lakes maritime history. Lake Huronʼs unpredictable 

weather—its murky fog banks and sudden gales—coupled 

with rocky shoals helped Thunder Bay earn the unfortunate 

name of “shipwreck alley.”

ne Sanctuaries
6

www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov | www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

This activity page is an exerpt from “Understanding Marine Debris, Games and Activities for Kids of all Ages”. 

The answers are on the back cover.
7

 www.marinedebris.noaa.gov | www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov

Color Me!
8

www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov | www.marinedebris.noaa.gov

How to Draw a Monk Seal
Ocean Guardian Pledge:

Because I want to help the ocean and all the creatures that live in it and around its shores, 

I pledge today to do these things and accept membership into the NOAA National Marine 

Sanctuary Program’s Ocean Guardian Kid’s Club:

• Conserve water.

• Reduce waste and dispose of trash properly.

• Reuse or repurpose products to extend their usable life.

• Recycle disposable items and use products made of recycled materials.

• Be considerate of ocean wildlife and seabirds.

• Clean up the beach, park, or river and leave it better than I found it.

• Devote time every year to community service to benefit and beautify the environment.

• Increase my own awareness of the effects that I have on the ocean and our environment.

• Learn all I can about the environment, including special ocean areas like national marine 

 sanctuaries.

• Promote ocean awareness and pass on my knowledge to friends and family.

• Encourage my family and friends to protect the ocean and our environment.

 Signature

 Print Your Name

 Date
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

The NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries seeks to increase the public awareness of America’s marine resources and maritime heritage by conducting 

scientific research, monitoring, exploration and educational programs. Today, the sanctuary program manages thirteen marine sanctuaries and one marine 

national monument that together encompass more than 150,000 square miles of America’s ocean and Great Lakes natural and cultural resources. Marine protected areas are living classrooms where people can see, touch and learn about our nation’s underwater treasures, as well as protect them for future generations. 

The ocean sustains life on Earth, so find out more about these special ocean areas and what you can do to help at www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education.

NOAA Marine Debris Program

The NOAA Marine Debris Program, part of the Office of Response and Restoration, supports a national and international effort focused on preventing, identifying, and reducing the occurrence of marine debris. These efforts protect and conserve our nation’s natural resources, ocean, and coastal waterways from 

the impacts of marine debris. The Marine Debris Program coordinates, strengthens, and increases the visibility of marine debris issues and efforts within 

NOAA, its partners, and the public. Learn more about what you can do to save our ocean and coastal waters from marine debris at www.marinedebris.

noaa.gov. Also visit the Marine Debris Program’s “Marine Debris 101” educational Web site where you can download informative marine debris brochures, 

posters, fact sheets, guidebooks, curriculum, and activity book tailored to specific audiences - http://marinedebris.noaa.gov/marinedebris101/.

THIS ACTIVITY BOOK WAS DEVELOPED AND PRODUCED BY: 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

1401 Constitution Avenue

Washington, DC 20230 

www.noaa.gov 

CREDIT: 

Permission is hereby granted for the reproduction, without alteration, of the 

activities contained in this book on the condition that proper attribution is 

given to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

ANSWERS:

Word Find (Page 2).

Which One is Different (Page 3).

The lunchbox that is different is found in the 

center of the bottom row of lunchboxes (hint: 

look at the “chips” bag closely).

Marine Debris Match Up (Page 6).

Glass bottle = undetermined

Fishing line = 600 years

Plastic beverage bottle = 450 years

Aluminum can = 200 years

Styrofoam cup = 50 years

Cigarette filter = 1-5 years

Milk carton = 3 months

Banana peel = 2-6 weeks

REVIEWERS:

Michiko Martin

Claire Fackler

NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Megan Forbes

NOAA Marine Debris Program

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS:

Matt McIntosh

NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Mike Meyers

J. Michael Meyers Design

Wendy Kelly

WLK Design

Printed on post-consumer recycled paper