Understanding the ocean is essential to comprehending and protecting this planet on which we live. The Ocean Literacy Guide presents a vision of an ocean-literate society and outlines the knowledge required to be considered ocean literate. A Handbook for Increasing Ocean Literacy is a resource that will help educators teach, learn, and communicate about the ocean.

Ocean Literacy

The Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts of Ocean Science

Ocean literacy is an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you—and your influence on the ocean. There are seven Essential Principles of Ocean Literacy comprising 45 Fundamental Concepts. View and/or download the complete Ocean Literacy Guide or explore each of the Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts.

Ocean Literacy Framework

The Ocean Literacy Framework comprises the Ocean Literacy Guide, the Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K–12, and the Alignment of Ocean Literacy to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This 3-part framework presents a vision of an ocean-literate society and outlines the knowledge required to be considered ocean literate.

The Ocean Literacy Guide

The Ocean Literacy Guide describes the 7 most important ideas, or Essential Principles, about the ocean that all people of our water planet should have the opportunity to learn and understand. The Essential Principles and supporting Fundamental Concepts were developed through a community-wide consensus-building process. This effort built on previous work to define ocean literacy, assess what the public knows about the ocean, and redress the lack of ocean-related content in state and national science education standards, instructional materials, and assessments.

Hard copies may be requested from NOAA's Outreach Office by emailing education@noaa.gov. In your email, please indicate the number needed, when needed, and an address where they should be shipped. Please note: at this time, expedited shipping is not available. Please plan ahead.

Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K-12

The Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K–12 provides educators with guidance as to what students need to comprehend in Grades K–2, Grades 3–5, Grades 6–8, and Grades 9–12 in order to achieve full understanding of the Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts.

The ALIGNMENT OF OCEAN LITERACY TO NGSS

The Alignment of Ocean Literacy to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) describe the correlations between NGSS and the concepts included in the Ocean Literacy Guide, and the Ocean Literacy Scope & Sequence.

A Handbook for Increasing Ocean Literacy

A Handbook for Increasing Ocean Literacy: Tools for Educators and Ocean Literacy Advocates was developed by the National Marine Educators Association, with the support of NOAA, to help educators and other ocean advocates teach, learn, and communicate about the ocean. Included are the 28 conceptual flow diagrams of the Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K–12, an article explaining the theoretical basis for the scope and sequence, the Ocean Literacy Alignment to Next Generation Science Standards, as well as brief explanations about how to use these tools, their origins, and purposes.

This publication is an endorsed activity supporting the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Get Involved in Ocean Literacy

There are lots of ways to get involved with Ocean Literacy, including:

• Become and Ocean/Great Lakes Literacy Chapter Champion

• See how NMEA is participating in the Ocean Decade

• Attend the NMEA Annual Conference, July 28 - August 1, 2024 in Boston, MA

• Learn all about the Ocean Literacy Framework

  • View the 3-part Ocean Literacy Webinar Series: Learning about the Framework Documents

• Learn how to offer an Ocean Literacy workshop in your region

• Participate in an upcoming Ocean Literacy workshop or Chapter Conference in your region

• Join the Ocean Literacy committee (find us in the Issues and Trends Pod)

• Explore the International Ocean Literacy Survey - inspired by the Ocean Literacy Campaign, this measurement tool allows the comparison of levels of ocean knowledge among 15–17 year olds across time and location.

• Looking for the Spanish language version of the OL Guide? Find it on our Translations page!

Ocean Literacy Timeline

The Ocean Literacy campaign began as a grassroots effort to determine what everyone should know about the ocean. Ocean Literacy is now an important global concept. Explore NMEA’s critical role in the development of Ocean Literacy all over the world. Download the Ocean Literacy Timeline here (then zoom in to explore the image) >

Contact the Ocean Literacy Committee