Life in the Oceans Takes Readers Beyond the Deep

Oceans have been on my mind a lot recently because my fifth graders are learning about them in science, so when I found Life in the Oceans at the library, I figured I should read up on this complex ecosystem on the off-chance I had forgotten any related information since I was in fifth grade. Turns out I have! Life in the Oceans was an extremely informative read and one that provides a visually pleasing mix of illustration and picture to support the text.

Author Lucy Baker provides readers with a great overview of the basic facts associated with oceans. There is a page dedicated to how the oceans are divided, one on wave power, multiple on the species of the deep and on the life cycle in the ocean including a highlight on the food chain. Particularly of note is the section on ocean resources, how they are being threatened by human impact and how people can intercede to help stop the damage. This could be a useful resource for teachers looking to teach students about human/environmental impact as one of the themes of geography or in a unit on environmentalism in science. The book overall could also be used as a resource in an report or presentation on the ocean ecosystem in general and the life that exists in them. The text is easily accessible for younger readers (grades 1-2) and could also be used for upper elementary readers, so it provides a great teaching point on how to approach non-fiction texts.