Navigation
Discover the locations of the Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans.
Did you know that there is an ocean so warm you can swim in it with tropical fish, and another ocean so cold that it is covered in giant floating ice cubes? Let's explore the three oceans that hide at the top, bottom, and middle of our world!
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean in the world. It is famous for being the warmest ocean! Because the water is so warm, many beautiful coral reefs and colorful fish live there. To find it on a map, look for the giant continents of Asia to the north and Africa to the west. It also touches the coast of Australia to the east. If you were standing on a beach in India or Kenya, you would be looking out at the Indian Ocean. It covers about of the water on Earth's surface!
Follow these steps to find the Indian Ocean on your globe: 1. Find the large continent of Africa. 2. Move your finger to the right (East). 3. Find the large continent of Asia and move your finger down (South). 4. The big blue space between them is the Indian Ocean!
Quick Check
Which two large continents are located next to the Indian Ocean?
Answer
Asia and Africa.
The Southern Ocean is very unique because it goes all the way around the bottom of the world. It circles the frozen continent of Antarctica. This ocean is very cold and has many icebergs, which are huge chunks of ice floating in the water. It is the home of many penguins and whales! Because it is at the very bottom of the globe, we call this area the South Pole. The Southern Ocean was officially named the fifth ocean by scientists because its cold water moves differently than the warmer oceans nearby.
Imagine you are a scientist traveling to see penguins: 1. You travel to the very bottom of the map to Antarctica. 2. You see a ring of cold, stormy water surrounding the land. 3. This water is the Southern Ocean. 4. You must cross this ocean to reach the ice where the penguins live.
Quick Check
What frozen continent does the Southern Ocean surround?
Answer
Antarctica.
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of all the oceans. It is located at the very top of the Earth, at the North Pole. Most of the year, much of this ocean is covered by a thick layer of sea ice. This is where polar bears love to hunt and live! The Arctic Ocean is surrounded by the northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. Even though it is small, it is very important for keeping our whole planet cool.
Let's compare the two 'Cold Oceans': 1. Look at the North Pole (the top). You find the Arctic Ocean. It is mostly water surrounded by land. 2. Look at the South Pole (the bottom). You find the Southern Ocean. It is water surrounding a continent (Antarctica). 3. Both are cold, but they are on opposite sides of the world!
Which ocean is the warmest and is located near Africa and Asia?
Where can you find the Arctic Ocean?
The Southern Ocean surrounds the continent of Antarctica.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to remember which ocean has polar bears (Top/Arctic) and which ocean has penguins (Bottom/Southern).
Practice Activity
Draw a circle to represent the Earth. Draw a 'crown' at the top for the Arctic, a 'belt' in the middle for the Indian, and a 'ring' at the bottom for the Southern Ocean.