C Curriculum Explorer
Science·Ocean Life·conceptual

Ocean Animal Migrations

Know that many ocean animals undertake remarkable migrations — humpback whales travel thousands of miles between feeding and breeding grounds, sea turtles return to the same beach where they hatched to lay eggs — and understand these journeys are linked to seasonal food supplies and reproduction

Suggested ages 9–11

Open direct link

Learning journey

Your child is diving into ocean science — learning about marine ecosystems, animal migrations, how human activities affect the ocean, and the vital role oceans play in Earth's climate.

Evidence of understanding

  • Describe at least one example of marine animal migration in detail
  • Explain that migrations are driven by seasonal food availability and breeding needs
  • Estimate the scale of these journeys (thousands of miles)

Assessment prompt

If Ocean Animal Migrations heard that a humpback whale swims from Antarctica to the tropics every year, could they explain why — that it's following food in summer and heading to warmer waters to have its baby?

Standards alignment

No external standards are linked to this topic.