Ocean Secrets

This worksheet is designed for students in Grades 5, 6, and 7 and builds strong informational reading skills through a science-based passage about the Arctic Ocean. Students learn why it is the smallest and coldest ocean on Earth, how sea ice supports Arctic animals, and how rising temperatures are changing fragile ecosystems. Follow-up questions guide students to identify key ideas, explain cause-and-effect relationships, and support responses with evidence from the text.

Learning Goals

• Informational Text Comprehension (Grades 5-7) – Identify main ideas and important details in a scientific nonfiction passage
• Arctic Ocean & Ecosystems – Understand how sea ice supports animals such as polar bears, beluga whales, and plankton
• Cause-and-Effect Reasoning – Explain how warming temperatures lead to melting ice and ecosystem change
• Evidence-Based Responses – Support answers using specific information from the passage

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Developed by educators with alignment to science, geography, and ELA standards
• Science Content Literacy – Strengthens reading skills using authentic climate and ecosystem topics
• Structured Questioning – Helps students practice summarizing and explaining scientific ideas clearly
• Flexible Use – Suitable for classroom lessons, assessment, independent work, or homeschool instruction

This Ocean Secrets worksheet helps students build confidence reading nonfiction texts about climate, oceans, and ecosystems. By analyzing cause-and-effect relationships and supporting ideas with evidence, learners strengthen comprehension, scientific vocabulary, and critical thinking. Ideal for classroom or homeschool settings, this printable resource provides meaningful practice that deepens understanding of the Arctic Ocean and its changing environment.