**This is the chapter slice "How Changes in Salt Water Could Change Our Lives Gr. 5-8" from the full lesson plan "Conservation: Ocean Water Resources"**

The oceans contain 97% of the Earth's water, cover 71% of its surface, and hold 50-80% of all life on the planet. Our resource explores the importance of conserving this vast area. Design a board game that illustrates the effects of climate change on Earth's oceans. See how the water cycle explains why most of Earth's salt water is found in the oceans. Find out how climate change will affect ocean currents, resulting in a dramatic change to the farming and fishing industries. Explain how an increase in human population can cause some salt lakes to shrink. Conduct a case study on a container ship that lost several containers in a storm in the north Pacific Ocean. Make your own salt water to represent Earth's oceans and experience what it would be like to visit them. Get tips on what we can do to help protect ocean water. Written to Bloom's Taxonomy and STEAM initiatives, additional hands-on activities, graphic organizers, crossword, word search, comprehension quiz and answer key are also included.