Ocean Pollution & Harm · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

How People Hurt the Ocean

Science · Ocean Life · ages 9-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Most ocean pollution comes from ships dumping trash out at sea.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. Which of these is a way humans harm the ocean?

    • Plastic waste
    • Ocean currents
    • Tides

  3. What gas builds up in the ocean and makes the water more acidic?

    • Oxygen fish breathe
    • Carbon dioxide
    • Nitrogen

  4. Trash from city streets during a rainstorm usually reaches the ocean by way of...

    • Storm drains and rivers
    • Wind blowing it straight from the beach
    • Boats sailing out to sea

  5. A sea turtle eats a floating plastic bag because it looks like...

    • a floating log
    • a fish
    • a jellyfish

  6. Which of these shows how overfishing harms the ocean?

    • The fish population grows bigger every year
    • So many were caught the fish ran out
    • The fish swim to a different ocean

  7. Suppose 100 kg of ocean trash is sorted by source. About 80 kg of it came from land. How many kg came from other sources, like ships?

    From land80

    Answer: ______________

  8. Mia says the only way to stop ocean pollution is to stop ships from dumping trash. Why is Mia's plan incomplete?

    • Because fish don't need clean water
    • Because ships don't pollute at all
    • Because most of it starts on land
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

How People Hurt the Ocean W1-mt_J6uccv2Bo4-s1

  1. False · Most pollution actually starts on land and washes into the ocean through rivers and storm drains.
  2. Plastic waste · Plastic waste is caused by people. Currents and tides are natural ocean movements.
  3. Carbon dioxide · Extra carbon dioxide from human activity dissolves into seawater and makes it more acidic.
  4. Storm drains and rivers · Rain washes street trash into storm drains, which flow into rivers that carry it to the ocean.
  5. a jellyfish · Floating plastic bags drift and ripple like jellyfish, so turtles mistake them for food.
  6. So many were caught the fish ran out · When too many fish of one kind are caught, they can't reproduce fast enough to keep the population going.
  7. 20 · 100 minus 80 leaves 20 kg from other sources, like ships.
  8. Because most of it starts on land · Ships add some pollution, but most trash and chemicals reach the ocean from land through rivers and drains.
Worksheet · LightMySky