Dive Into Marine Biology (Level B)
Grade Level: Middle school | Ages: 11-14
Dive Into Marine Biology (Level B) combines engaging video lessons, hands-on activities, and guided assignments to help students explore the wonders of the ocean—from powerful currents and ocean zones to the incredible diversity of life beneath the surface.
Every concept is taught from a Christian worldview, helping students discover God’s creativity and design in the vast and mysterious world beneath the waves.
Half-year course: $97
✔️ Video Lessons
✔️ Lab Assignments
✔️ Quizzes & Exams
✔️ Reading Assignments
Everything your student needs for a complete digital science course
· 16 weeks (≈one semester) of engaging video lessons
· Explorer’s yandbook with weekly activities, fill-in-the-blank outlines, and study guides*
· Weekly comprehension quizzes
· 2 graded-for-you exams
· At-a-glance parent guide
· Start anytime and get 6 months of access
· Payment plans now available!
Generous multi-student discounts available (for families with level B students taking the same course in the same year)
Scope & Sequence
Explore the wonders of the ocean in this engaging 16-week course designed especially for homeschoolers! This course takes your middle school student on an unforgettable journey—from coral reefs to deep-sea vents, marine mammals to microscopic life—all through a biblical worldview. No teaching required on your part—your student will gain real science knowledge and valuable study skills, all in a self-guided format that brings the sea to life.
Week 1: Life Beneath the Waves
• Introduction to marine biology
• Importance of the oceans
• Ocean ecosystems and zones
Week 2: The Forces That Shape the Sea
• Surface and deep ocean currents
• Tides and waves
• Salinity of the ocean
Week 3: Ordering Ocean Life
• Taxonomy and classification
• Introduction to the Kingdoms
• Food webs: producers, consumers, and decomposers
Week 4: The Foundation of the Ocean Food Chain
• Introduction to photosynthesis
• Key marine producers: plants, protists, and bacteria
Week 5: Simple but Amazing: Sponges & Worms
• Phylum Porifera: the sea sponges
• Phylum Annelida: the segmented worms
• Life cycle, reproduction, and anatomy of sea sponges and worms
Week 6: Underwater Stingers: Discovering Cnidarians
• Classification of cnidarians
• Specialized anatomy and body forms
• Life cycle and reproduction
Week 7: Glowing Drifters & Star-Shaped Wanderers
• Phylum Ctenophora: the comb jellies
• Phylum Echinodermata: starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, and more
• Body structures, reproduction, bioluminescence, cilia, water vascular system, and other unique characteristics
Week 8: From Crawlers to Jet-Setters: The Mollusks
• Phylum Mollusca: Soft bodies, protective mantle, and a muscular foot
• Class Bivalvia: Two shelled filter feeders
• Class Gastropoda: Snails and slugs with a radula for feeding
• Class Cephalopoda: Intelligent predators with jet propulsion and color-changing abilities
Week 9: Exam 1
Week 10: Armored Arthropods of the Ocean
• Transition invertebrates with complex systems
• Crustaceans: crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and more
• Exoskeletons, jointed legs, segmented bodies, and antennae
Week 11: Scales in the Surf: Ocean Reptiles
• Introduction to vertebrates
• Sea turtles, sea snakes, and marine iguanas
• Adaptations for life in the ocean
Week 12: Sleek Hunters of the Open Sea
• Cartilaginous fish: sharks, rays, skates
• Jawless fish: hagfish & lamprays
• Anatomy and unique structures
• Hunting and survival adaptations
Week 13: Swimming With Structure: The Bony Fish
• Features of bony fish
• Comparison with cartilaginous fish
• How fish breathe and swim
Week 14: Giants of the Blue: Marine Mammals
• Fully aquatic mammals
• Cetaceans: whales, dolphins, and porpoises
• Sirenians: manatees and dugongs
Week 15: Between Land & Sea: Mammals That Split Their Time
• Semi-aquatic marine mammals
• Pinnipeds: seals, sea lions, walruses
• Mustelids: sea otters
• Ursids: polar bears
• Adaptations for both land and water
WEEK 16: Exam 2
Full-year course: $179
· Pay in full or in 3 monthly installments.
· Generous multi-student discounts available for families with Level B & C students taking the same course in the same year.
· Educational Savings Accounts (ESA) available in many states. Learn more.
Trusted by more than 18,000 homeschool families worldwide
See why so many parents choose Journey Homeschool Academy for hands-on, faith-based science.
Our middle schooler was ready for a more formal and challenging science — Journey Homeschool Academy delivered on all counts!
My daughter was eager to do science every day and ended nearly every lesson and activity with, “that was really cool!” I couldn’t be happier that we have invited Luke and Trisha into our school days.
During busy weeks here on our homestead, I can ask the children to 'go do science.'
With Journey Homeschool, the children can be self-directed and working independently. And I can fully trust Luke and Trisha to present the information in the method and belief system in which I would present it to them myself. On less busy weeks, I can sit and watch the videos with them.
They know more than I do now, and I've been through college science! 😅 I love the depth of knowledge they are gaining from the information. That is exactly what we want for our children!
With eight kids to homeschool, I needed to delegate some of the teaching to someone else…
Journey Homeschool is the perfect setup: quality educational content presented clearly and enthusiastically by excellent teachers in an independent format.
My student can click through the lesson's different parts, and it's all there for him; the best part is the online quizzes and exams that are automatically checked and recorded for me!
You’ve got questions… we’ve got answers
What exactly is covered in this course?
From coral reefs to hydrothermal vents, marine mammals to microscopic marvels — your student will explore the amazing world of marine biology through a biblical worldview. You can find the full Scope & Sequence of the course right here.
What’s included with my purchase? Do I need to buy anything else?
When you enroll, you’ll get access to all the lesson and activity videos along with PDF downloads of the Explorer’s Handbook, curriculum guide, and answer keys — almost everything you need for one amazing semester of Marine Biology.
Your student will need some supplies to complete the hands-on activities. You can find the supply list here.
When does the course begin?
You’ll have immediate access to the course as soon as you register!
Since this course is self-paced, you, the parent, have control over when your student begins the course. You can start as soon as you register, or wait a few weeks or months. Beginning the course is as easy as pressing a button. Once you begin the course for your student, they will have one year to access the course.
How long will I have access to the course?
Once you hit “start,” your student will have a full six months to complete the course. You’re in control of your schedule — and there’s plenty of wiggle room built into this 16-week curriculum. (Life happens. We get it!)
Does my child have to view the course videos on specific days?
Nope! Lessons unlock as you go, and your student can watch them anytime — morning, noon, or even from the hammock during spring migration. Each video can be rewatched as often as they like.
How much time does it take each week?
We recommend that students aim to complete one lesson per week to finish this elective within a typical semester. Most students need about 30 minutes per day, three to four days per week to watch the video lessons, take notes, do the activities, and review. Some families breeze through in less time; others move at a slower pace. The beauty of our courses is that they can flex to fit into the context of your unique family.
Can I enroll more than one child in this course?
Each student needs their own registration to access the online portal, quizzes, exams, and progress tracking, so they do need to enroll separately. But don’t worry — we’ve got sibling discounts! 👇
Do you offer sibling discounts?
Yes! Families enrolling multiple students (from the same immediate family) in the same course get:
• 50% off the second student
• 75% off the third and fourth student
Discounts are automatically applied at checkout.
Can I use this course outside the U.S.?
Marine life transcends borders, and so does Journey Homeschool Academy! As long as you have internet access, your student can dive into this curriculum from anywhere in the world.
Can I pay using an ESA (Educational Savings Account)?Here
We are an approved vendor with several ESAs and are continuing to add to the list all the time! We’re happy to provide you with invoices or other information you need to submit to your ESA. You can see all the ESAs we’re currently approved vendors with and/or submit a request for us to apply to the ESA in your state.
What if it’s not a good fit?
We offer a 100% money-back, happiness guarantee within 30 days of the course start date OR 6 months from the purchase date (whichever is less). Simply email us and we’ll give you a full refund.
Understanding the Fabulous Fit Promise
We have a Fabulous Fit Promise. We want this course to be a fabulous fit for your family. Based on our parent and student feedback, we think you will be delighted with the course.
However, we offer a 100% money-back, happiness guarantee within 30 days of the start of the course OR 6 months from purchase date (whichever comes first).
Our Fabulous Fit Promise: 100% Money-Back, Risk-Free
See inside the student dashboard
Curious what the course looks like once you’re enrolled?
This short tour walks you through the student dashboard so you can see how lessons, downloads, assignments, and quizzes are organized.
What's Included?
World of Birds is an engaging, open-and-go course designed with your busy family in mind. Inside you’ll find:
14 ENGAGING VIDEO LESSONS
No boring lectures here! Just meaningful science instruction your student can’t wait to watch—on everything from microscopic phytoplankton to mysterious creatures of the deep.
WEEKLY HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES & VIDEO GUIDES
Yes, your student will get to explore incredible marine life—from sponge structures to microscopic plankton. And no, you don’t need a microscope (unless you want one). We’ve got detailed images ready to go… no setup required.
EXPLORER’S HANDBOOK
It’s notetaking meets nature journaling, and your student will use it to build study skills while sketching discoveries, answering discussion questions, and reflecting on what they’ve learned (so they’ll actually remember it).
WEEKLY QUIZZES & TWO EXAMS
These graded-for-you assessments make tracking your student’s progress easy as they build test-taking confidence for the future.
AT-A-GLANCE PARENT GUIDE
This simple course roadmap keeps you in the loop, minus the micromanaging. You’ll know exactly what your student’s learning—without having to do every lesson yourself.
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