Notes to teacher: Last year I moved to fifth grade for the first time in 10 years, and things have changed since I last taught fifth! Namely, the text based writing. I had a terrible time finding prompts and passages for my students, so I ended up writing a lot of my own. I wanted to find topics that are engaging and interesting and not the same old ones we always see. I found that our writing time was also great for discussions, debates, and digging into real issues. Although we are required to teach students how to write the essays, I wanted it to be more than just test prep.

-This pack does not give a how to. (I’m still figuring out what works for me and wouldn’t feel comfortable telling you what to do.) This is simply a set of passages with one prompt. Use it as a practice test or with your own writing instruction. I included the writing pages and planning sheet similar to the FSA (the Florida writing test) in case you want to make it a writing simulation. For most prompts, we did our writing in our notebook to save paper, but as we neared test time, I wanted students to be familiar with the constraints of the test. Many of my students had to adjust to only being able to write in the three lined pages.

Note about author names: I wrote all of these articles myself, but I used pseudonyms because I teach students to cite the author’s names, and I thought it would be awkward if they all had the same author.

Sources: These are the different sources I used for these articles.

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/why-ocean-matters/http://marinebio.org/oceans/ocean-resources/https://theoceanpreneur.com/sail-green/seven-reasons-ocean-important/https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/oceanography/ocean-earth-system/ocean-water-cyclehttps://greentumble.com/how-does-the-ocean-affect-climate/https://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclehi.htmlhttps://marine-conservation.org/what-we-do/advocate/why-we-protect-our-oceans/https://futurism.media/the-ocean-is-important-how-importanthttps://www.marine.usf.edu/pjocean/packets/f98/f98u1le1.pdfhttps://www.seeker.com/two-thirds-marine-species-remain-unknown-1766300637.htmlhttp://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanacidification/documents/PML_TechnicalSheet_high_CO2_world.pdfhttps://www.classzone.com/science_book/mls_grade7_FL/170_177.pdfhttps://the-weather-station.com/how-does-the-water-cycle-affect-weather-and-climate/https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/nature/habitats/ocean/#coral-reef-fish.jpghttps://sciencing.com/plants-live-ocean-habitat-5482166.htmlhttp://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/environment/brief/oceanshttps://scubadiverlife.com/the-ocean-as-a-medical-resource/https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Ocean-fact-sheet-package.pdfhttps://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/intertidal-zone.html

Thank you!Thank you for purchasing this resource. I hope you and your students enjoyed the topic! I have more in the works including several social studies topics. If you have any suggestions for topics or prompts, feel free to e-mail me at sarah@morethanaworksheet.com.

Hope you’re having a great year!Sarah

©2019 More Than a Worksheet

by Joey Potter

We all know that fish, whales, and stingrays call the ocean home. Many invertebrates such as shrimp and jellyfish do, too. However, there are literally countless others. There are so many living creatures in the ocean that it is hard to even estimate. Scientists believe that there are between 700,000 and one million species that live in the ocean. Many of these have not been classified. The animals in the ocean live in a variety of habitats. The open ocean is home to only about 10% of marine species. The rest live in more specialized areas suitable for survival.

For instance, thousands of sea creatures live in or around coral reefs. Coral reefs are home to many fish, lobsters, clams, sea horses, and sea turtles. Of course, the coral itself is a living organism as well. Coral reefs serve a purpose for humans, too. They protect the coastal communities when there is a tropical storm. The coral reefs act as a barrier that keep the coast from bearing the brunt of the storm.

Another important ocean habitat is the kelp forest. The kelp in these forests can grow up to 175 feet tall! Kelp forests are home to many creatures including fish, sea otters, urchins, and even some whales. Not only is the kelp forest an important habitat for marine animals, but the kelp itself is valuable, too. Kelp is a type of seaweed used to make many resources we use everyday such as toothpaste. Not only that, scientists estimate that a majority of the world’s oxygen is created by kelp!

The intertidal zone is yet another important ocean habitat. This is the area where the ocean meets the shore. It may be rocky or sandy. Organisms that live here must be able to survive in the changing conditions of the tides. Mollusks such as clams and oysters thrive in the intertidal zone because of their hard shells. The intertidal zone is where many animals such as seals and shorebirds find their food.

Coral reefs, kelp forests, and intertidal zones are important ocean habitats. There are many habitats found in other areas of the ocean, too. Scientists estimate that more that 50% of all life on earth is found in the depths of the ocean. That is a lot of living things that call the ocean home!

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Source 1: Home Sweet Ocean

Read the “The Importance of Oceans” passage set.

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The Importance of Oceans

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by Dawson LeeryThe ocean covers more than two-thirds of the earth. Humans rely on the ocean in

many ways. First of all, humans literally depend on the ocean for survival. After all, we need oxygen to breathe. Scientists estimate that 70-80% of the world’s oxygen comes from ocean plants. Like plants on dry land, sea plants create their own food through a process of photosynthesis. This process results in oxygen—a lot of oxygen.

Millions of people around the world depend on the ocean for jobs. Nearly 60 million people work in ocean industries such as fisheries. The cruise ship industry employs over 200,000 people worldwide. Many small businesses such as jet ski rentals, deep sea fishing, and snorkel tours rely on the ocean for income, too. The World Bank estimates that $1.5 trillion of the world’s economy comes from oceans.

Additionally, the ocean is a huge food source. Fisheries process 171 million tons of seafood each year. This does not include fish and seafood that people may catch for their own families. Protein is a vital nutrient for health and survival. Up to 20% of the world’s animal protein comes from fish. The percentage is even greater in poorer countries. Let’s not forget that people eat seaweed, too. Can somebody pass the sushi?

The ocean also holds many valuable resources in its depths. Your food would be pretty bland without salt. Salt comes from the ocean. Other minerals are mined from the ocean, also. They include copper, nickel, and iron. Since we are on the topic of mining, we cannot forget oil. The ocean holds 30% of the world’s oil. People depend on oil to make gas for cars and heat for houses.

Furthermore, the ocean contains many substances helpful in the medical industry. Scientists have recently discovered a strain of bacteria deep in the ocean. This bacteria is a natural antibiotic. One substance found in certain types of sea snail venom has proven to be a powerful pain reliever. Yet other substances found in the ocean may help fight cancer.

Finally, the ocean is a place of relaxation and recreation for many. Beach vacations are top destinations in the travel industry. Many people travel to Hawaii, Florida, and California to spend time by the beach. Snorkeling and surfing are popular hobbies. Let’s not forget about cruising. Millions of people set sail on cruise ships each year. The ocean is a symbol of relaxation and fun.

The ocean is full of valuable resources for life on earth. It is estimated that more than 80% of the world’s oceans are still unexplored. Who knows what other priceless resources may one day be discovered in the ocean?

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Source 2: Valuable Ocean Resources

Read the “The Importance of Oceans” passage set.

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The Importance of Oceans

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©2019 More Than a Worksheet

by Pacey Witter

Humans, animals, and plants need water to survive. Gravity pulls water on the surface of the earth down to the lowest points. Yet, many cities are found at elevations well above sea level. How do places at higher elevations get the water they need? The water cycle distributes the water through precipitation.

You have probably learned about the water cycle in your science class. Water is heated and turns into a gas. The water evaporates from the surface of the earth and rises to the atmosphere. There, it turns into tiny droplets, and soon it falls back down as precipitation. It is in this final step, precipitation, where water is delivered to other parts of the earth.

As you can see, the water cycle is essential for distributing water on the earth. Did you ever stop to think about the role the ocean plays in the water cycle? 97% of the earth’s water is held in oceans. That is a lot of potential evaporation! In fact, 86% of all evaporation takes place from oceans. Where there is evaporation, there is precipitation. We rely on oceans for precipitation all over the world.

The ocean influences the water cycle which in turn influences the earth’s climate. The majority of the earth is covered by oceans. As a result, the ocean provides a vast surface area to collect heat from the sun. The ocean helps the atmosphere store this heat. Otherwise, the heat would be lost in space. It would be too cold for survival on this planet if the ocean didn’t trap the sun’s heat.

The ocean not only traps the sun’s heat, but it also helps spread the warmth around the earth. Ocean currents, or streams of moving water, carry warm water from the equator to the colder regions of the north and south poles. Conversely, currents also carry cooler water from the poles to the equator. This prevents areas from getting either too hot or too cold to survive. The ocean currents help maintain livable climates around the world.

The ocean’s currents are like conveyor belts that move the water around the earth. This movement affects the weather. The warm water can create storm systems that carry water onto land. Tropical storms, which can turn into hurricanes, form over the ocean. The movement of the water can also create fog when cool air meets the warmer water in the ocean.

Some people may think of the ocean as a giant body of water that is fun to visit for vacations. However, the ocean is more than just a vacation spot. The ocean plays a big role in the water cycle, climate, and weather. Without it, our beloved planet would not be suitable for sustaining life.

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Source 3: Water Cycle, Climate, and Weather…Oh My!

Read the “The Importance of Oceans” passage set.

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The Importance of Oceans

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©2019 More Than a Worksheet

Write an informative essay in which you explain to your classmates why oceans are important to life on the earth. Use information from the passages in your essay.

Manage your time carefully so that you can

• read the passages;

• plan your response;

• write your response; and

• revise and edit your response.

Be sure to include

• an introduction;

• information from the passages as support; and

• a conclusion that is related to the information presented.

Your response should be in the form of a multiparagraph essay. Write your response in the space provided.

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Writing Prompt

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STUDENT NAME_____________________________

PLANNING SHEET

Use this sheet to plan what you will write. The writing on this sheet will NOT be scored.

This sheet will NOT be scored.

PS: I would LOVE to see pics of how you use my resources in

your classroom!If you are on Instagram, feel free to tag me @morethanaworksheet. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter!

Thank you so much for downloading this resource! I hope that you and your students

love it. I am so honored that you took the time out of your busy day to visit my store.

Happy Teaching!

~Sarah

so much MORE Than a Worksheet!

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