Educators' Corner

Students will be able to explain the process of chemosynthesis; explain the relevance of chemosynthesis to biological communities in the vicinity of cold seeps; construct a graphic interpretation of age-specific growth, given data on incremental growth rates of different-sized individuals of the same species; and estimate the age of an individual of a specific size, given information on age-specific growth in individuals of the same species.

The veined rapa whelk is an invader in Chesapeake waters. These predatory snails eat ecologically and economically important shellfish that are native to the bay. In this lesson, students will learn about invasive species and predict where the invasive rapa whelk will live within the bay. A discussion of invasive species impacts on native ecosystems will follow. 

In this activity, students will be able to describe how ratios of stable nitrogen isotopes can be used to study trophic relationships between marine organisms, make inferences about trophic relationships between organisms and habitats, and compare and contrast organisms in sea ice, pelagic, and benthic communities in terms of feeding strategies and consequent stable nitrogen isotope ratios.

Students create models of undersea geologic features on a bathymetric chart. Students interpret and explain the difference between bathymetric charts and topographic maps.

The rise and fall of the ocean tides is a predictable phenomenon influenced by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. Here, students will learn about how tides are measured and predicted so that they can then create a presentation for fifth and sixth graders about the topic. Students will also become familiar with publically available data that anyone can use to study the tides.

This lesson introduces high school students (grades 9-12) to the topic of sensory perception in the marine environment. The WebQuest introduces the role of acoustic cues in ocean ecology and challenges students to determine if acoustic warning devices are useful tools to prevent right whale fishing gear entanglements and ship strikes in the Gulf of Maine.

For most of us, the term “marine organism” brings to mind images of fishes, coral reefs, marine mammals, or other animals that are easy to see with the naked eye. Yet, 98% of the biomass in Earth’s ocean and most of its biological activity is provided by marine microbes— organisms that are exceedingly small, less than a few thousandths of a millimeter. Scientists conducted a global survey of marine microbes species in 2014 called Ocean Sampling Day. This lesson plan includes a marine microbe activity and a simulation of the activities conducted in the 2014 survey.

This activity explores the potential for climate variability and change to trigger more frequent occurrences of El Nino, and the impacts that could result. Students will access information at remote sites using telecommunications. Students will identify impacts by reviewing past El Nino events. Students will analyze the data collected and predict what the consequences could be if, as some scientists predict, climate variability and change could create a permanent El Nino.

Students explain how fundamental relationships between melting and boiling points, solubility, temperature and pressure can help to develop plausible explanations for observed chemical phenomena in the vicinity of subduction volcanoes.

Students learn what types of data scientists collect to monitor coral reefs, and how these data are used.