Related: Earth Science

LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES

Click on a lesson plan or activity name to learn more about it

  • Secrets of the Sediments

    / Deep Earth Academy/ Consortium for Ocean Leadership

    In this activity, students graph and analyze data from sediments collected off the coast of Santa Barbara, California to determine whether this information can be used to study historical climate change. For more information, www.deepearthacademy.org

    Grades: 6-8, 9-12

  • Wanted: Dead and Well-Preserved. . .Mohawk Guy and his Band of Neogene Planktic Foraminifer Friends

    / Deep Earth Academy/Constortium for Ocean Leadership

    Students use foram “bio cards” to read and interpret authentic scientific data and build a graphic representation to unlock ancient history stored within sediment cores from the western equatorial Pacific. For more information: www.deepearthacademy.org

    Grades: 6-8, 9-12

  • It’s Not Just the Core that Tells the Hole Story: An introduction to Downhole Logging Technology

    / Deep Earth Academy/Consotrium for Ocean leadership

    Students read about “down-hole logging” technology, in which instruments are lowered from the drilling ship into the hole after cores have been removed to measure physical properties that reveal more about sea floor sediments and rocks. They then examine sample logs to note patterns and interpret the data. For more information: www.deepearthacademy.org

    Grades: 6-8, 9-12

  • It’s Sedimentary, My Dear Watson

    / Deep Earth Academy/Consortium for Ocean Leadership

    In this introductory activity, students analyze core sample data to identify sediment composition on the ocean floor. They use Google Earth to make their own qualitative observations that help them determine the types of sediments that make up the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. For more information, www.deepearthacademy.org

    Grades: 6-8

  • Wave Size and Depth

    Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association /

    Students investigate the relationship between the size of the wave and depth to which the effects of its energy can be observed. For more information: http://secoora.org and http://secoora.org/classroom/virtual_wave/wave_size_depth .

    Grades: 6-8

  • The Good the Bad and the Arctic

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students identify and explain three lines of evidence that suggest arctic climate is changing. Students identify and discuss three social, economic, environmental consequences expected due to climate change in Arctic. Students identify three climate-related issues of concern to Arctic indigenous peoples. Students identify three ways in which Arctic climate change is likely to affect the rest of the Earth’s ecosystems.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 9-12

  • Oceans of Energy

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students describe forms of energy found in the ocean and explain how they are used by humans. Students explain three ways that energy can be obtained from the ocean. For more information: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8

  • A Tale of Deep Corals

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students describe and explain the two hypotheses for the frequent occurrence of deep-sea corals in the vicinity of hydrocarbon seeps. Students evaluate relevant experimental data and explain how this data may support or refute these hypotheses. Students define and contrast coincidence and causality, explain the relevance of these terms to hypotheses such as those related to deep-sea corals and hydrocarbon seeps.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 9-12

  • Rock Eaters of the Gulf of Alaska

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students will be able to compare and contrast the processes of photosynthesis and chemosynthesis; identify and describe sources of energy used by various organisms for chemosynthesis; predict what chemosynthetic reactions might be possible in selected extreme environments.

    For more information: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 9-12

  • The Methane Circus

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students will describe the overall events that occurred during the Cambrian Explosion; explain how methane hydrates may contribute to global warming; and describe the reasoning behind hypotheses that link methane hydrates with the Cambrian explosion.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8

  • Mapping the Ocean Floor

    Stefanie Frump / COSEE-Central Gulf of Mexico

    After an introduction in which students try to identify hidden objects by the sounds they make when shaken in a box, students use string to map a model ocean floor by taking depth readings to simulate sonar.

    Grades: 3-5

  • Exploring Explorations

    / NOAA Ocean Service

    Students will describe human benefits that have resulted from explorations of the Earth’s deep oceans.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8, 9-12

  • Loop Current of the Gulf of Mexico

    / COSEE-Central Gulf of Mexico

    This activity can be used for the study of currents with special attention on the Loop current of the Gulf of Mexico.

    For more information: http://cosee-central-gom.org.

    Grades: 6-8

  • Learning Ocean Science Through Ocean Exploration

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    A curriculum for teachers of Grades 6-12 that takes lesson plans that were developed for NOAA Voyages of Discovery and the Ocean Explorer Web Site and presents them in a comprehensive scope and sequence through subject area categories that cut across individual expeditions.

    For more information: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8, 9-12

  • Keeping Watch on Coral Reefs

    / NOAA Ocean Service

    Students learn why coral reefs are important, and what can be done to protect them from major threats.

    For more information about NOAA Ocean Service, visit http://oceanservice.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 9-12