The ocean affects all of our lives. Therefore, awareness of and information about the interconnections between humans and oceans are prerequisites to making sound decisions for the future. Project ORCA (Ocean Related Curriculum Activities) has developed interdisciplinary curriculum materials designed to meet the needs of students and teachers living in Washington State. Each activity packet provides the teacher with a set of lessons dealing with a particular topic related to the oceans. Included are student worksheets, lesson plans, a vocabulary list, and a bibliography. This packet for grade levels 7, 8, and 9 is designed to familiarize the student with some of the tools that the oceanographer uses when he/she goes to sea. It begins with the early tools that sailors developed to help them navigate the seas. It describes the first major scientific expedition and compares the equipment oceanographers use with that used on the Challenger Expedition. (TW)