Curated OER
Ocean Planet: Pollution Solution
Pupils explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science instructional activity, students investigate the impact of oil spills as they discuss historical spills. Pupils use problem solving skills to brainstorm clean-up...
Curated OER
Devising a Set of Experiments to Test Water for Dissolved Substances
Students work together to test water samples for pollutants. They design data tables to collect and record their observations. They complete discussion questions to end the lesson.
NOAA
History's Thermometers
How is sea coral like a thermometer? Part three of a six-part series from NOAA describes how oceanographers can use coral growth to estimate water temperature over time. Life science pupils manipulate data to determine the age of corals...
Curated OER
Scientific Investigation of Sea Ice Thickness
Students study the importance of global ocean currents, sea water chemistry, and cultural issues surrounding sea ice. In the field, students travel to the floe edge with their teacher and an elder to drill holes in the ice and measure...
Curated OER
Hot, Cold, Fresh and Salty
Pupils observe the effects of layering water and what is more or less saline than normal. In this geoscience lesson students create saline solutions, layer them and observe how the water becomes different temperatures in different layers.
Curated OER
Desalination: Creating a Solar Still
To better understand how solar power can aid in creating desalinated drinking water, the class creates a model still. They will build a model of a solar still, make observations, and discuss how the process works. While the idea behind...
Curated OER
Earth System Science
Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...
Curated OER
Start at the Very Beginning
Students explore ocean ecosystems. In this cross curriculum art and oceans lesson, students create a collage featuring three-finger algae using sand paper, tissue paper, and construction paper.
Curated OER
Ocean Absorption Lab
Students examine various techniques that can reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and use chemistry to simulate oceanic sequestration. They conduct an experiment involving the method of oceanic absorption for carbon sequestration,...
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Carbon Dioxide & Krill: Impacts
What effects do temperature and carbon dioxide levels have on the zooplankton of Antarctica? This concluding lesson plan in a short unit on climate change and the ocean helps environmental scientists answer these questions. After...
Curated OER
Water Quality
Students use a microcomputer connected to a conductivity probe to measure the total dissolved solids in local area water samples. Students then compare their measurements with others in their class as well as other standard measurements.
Curated OER
Message in the Bottles
Students identify the three realms of the Arctic Ocean, and describe the relationships among these realms. They explain the relationships between gross primary productivity, net primary productivity, and respiration.
Curated OER
Off Base
High schoolers explain the Chatelier's Principle. In this pH lesson, students identify factors that resist changes in pH of the ocean and why the ocean is becoming more acidic.
Curated OER
Creating a Pond Habitat
Students create a pond habitat inside and outside their classroom. In this pond lesson plan, students create a habitat with animals, water, and plants in order to create a proper pond habitat.
Curated OER
Elements of Chemistry: Solids, Liquids and Gases
Young scholars predict if icebergs melting has an effect on the sea level rising. In this global warming lesson students complete an experiment to see the effects of melting icebergs and write a conclusion on their data collected.
Curated OER
pH Readings and Salinity Readings of Water From Three Locations Within the Neponset River Watershed
Sixth graders test the ph levels of water from three different water environments within the Neponset River Watershed. They discuss the three different water environments, take pH measurements of the three samples, and predict which...
Curated OER
Mystery of the Megaplume
Read through the extensive background information and then lead your geology or physical oceanography class through an investigation of actual temperature anomaly data from the Juan de Fuca ridge. They translate the data onto a plot,...
Curated OER
Activity #8 Simulation of Oil Spills
Students conduct an experiment to simulate an oil spill and identify the characteristics of oil in water. They evaluate the effectiveness of various cleanup methods. They discuss the how to clean up an oil spill, and what causes oil...
Teach Engineering
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of several garbage patches around the world where garbage accumulates naturally. As part of a GIS unit that combines oceanography, environmental science, and life science, class members investigate...
Curated OER
Yo-Yos, Tow-Yos and pH, Oh My!
Learners explore how hydrothermal vents are formed and where they are located on the ocean floor. They study how scientists use CTDs to locate hydrothermal vents.
Curated OER
It Looks Like Champagne
Students determine some practical implications of the discovery of liquid carbon dioxide in deep-ocean ecosystems. They interpret phase diagrams and explain the meaning of "critical point" and "triple point."
Curated OER
The Tell-Tale Plume
High schoolers examine hydrothermal vents. In this ocean instructional activity, students identify changes in physical and chemical properties of sea water caused by hydrothermal vents.
Curated OER
Reduced Fare
Students discover the relationship between tectonic plate boundaries and the communities of life that thrive at such boundaries. In this biology lesson, students find that methane from oxidized carbon in sediments provides nutrients for...
Curated OER
Ocean Color
Students examine NASA's SeaWiFS Project Web site to explore how the SeaWiFS Project monitors environmental and climatic changes in the oceans and atmosphere. They answer questions and write a summary in support of continued funding for...