Real Science
Oceanography
Voyage into a Marvelous World of Creation
By Maggie S. Hogan
Ever since I was a young girl growing up in South Florida, my favorite
memories have involved the ocean. From the year I was 10 and received water skis and a skiing lesson for Christmas, to the summer I spent
on a sailboat in the Bahamas, to solitary walks on the beach staring at the
waves (marveling at its Creator—whom I did not yet know), the smell of
saltwater has been forever imprinted in my mind. Now I live in the northeast, and my heart longs for the translucent green and blue waters, the
mind-boggling array of flamboyant fish, the feel of fine sand between my
toes, and the sense of the presence of my Lord in the balmy night breezes.
I have been forever touched by the ocean and love it most of all of God’s
remarkable physical creation!
Perhaps now you’ll understand when I tell you that I taught oceanography as science to my boys not just once or twice, but for a total of three
times before they graduated! And though they never picked up my seafaring wanderlust nor accumulated my preponderance of oceanographic
memories, they always enjoyed our studies. Let me share a few ideas for
teaching about that mysterious and outrageously beautiful body of water
known as the ocean.
Oceanography is a goldmine for science lovers, covering geography,
biology, meteorology, geology, ecology, engineering, and social science.
Any of these areas can be explored in great detail—and to great delight!
With a little research, some of God’s most amazing handiwork can take on
a whole new life. Let’s start with a quick Bible refresher: when did God
create the oceans? How about the fish and the mammals in the seas? You
might enjoy reading some Scripture aloud before beginning your study of
oceanography. (Try Genesis 1: 20-23 and Psalm 148: 7-14.)
The Biggest of Them All
Where to start with such a big subject to cover? One year we started
with the biggest of all mammals: the blue whale. At the time, our youngest son, Tyler, was intrigued by whales and dolphins. We learned that blue
whales are the loudest animals on Earth. Their low-frequency calls reach
levels up to 188 decibels and can be heard for hundreds of miles. This
makes the blue whale louder than a jet engine, which reaches only 140
decibels. Amazingly, a human shout is only about 70 decibels.
At an average length of 80-90 feet, the blue whale is the largest animal
that ever lived on Earth. According to www.HowStuffWorks.com, “A
blue whale’s head is so wide that an entire professional football team—
about 50 people—could stand on its tongue. Its heart is as big as a small
car, and its arteries are wide enough that you could climb through them.”
76 ■ Real Science
Here are two great science demonstrations to
use in your study of blue whales:
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
