Educators' Corner

Students investigate the relationship between the size of the wave and depth to which the effects of its energy can be observed.

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 global climate change to increase the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and storm surges, and the impacts that could result. Students will explain the impact of hurricanes on coastal communities and identify possible trends in economic and human impacts by examining hurricane records. Students will predict impacts on coastal areas if hurricane frequency increases and sea level rises. Students will determine areas that are most vulnerable to hurricane surges by using topographic maps. Students will make and use scale drawings and maps or three-dimensional models to represent real objects, find locations, and describe relationships.

To help students understand that science is a part of their everyday lives, students will complete an activity where they create a collage of people doing science using magazines and drawing pictures. This lesson gives students a realistic idea of what science is and helps them understand that scientists are real people answering interesting questions. Watch interviews with scientists. 

Students will gain an understanding of how water density and salinity affect ocean currents in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico by modeling a layered ocean.

Students will create a class mural depicting coral reefs and act out life on a coral reef through a short skit. This artistic approach to studying the coral reef habitat will engage many types of learners.

Students will gain an understanding of the basic components of a coral reef ecosystem, with emphasis on specific abiotic and biotic factors crucial to reef health and trophic level relationships among key organisms. Also included in the lesson is an opportunity for students to learn about traditional, Polynesian culture and the native uses of coral reef resources. This is accomplished through a PowerPoint presentation with corresponding student note-taking guide and several short critical thinking group work opportunities throughout the lesson.

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 will be able to compare and contrast photosynthesis and chemosynthesis as sources of primary production for biological communities; give at least three examples of organisms that live near hydrothermal vent systems; and describe two sources of primary production observed in biological communities associated with volcanoes of the Marianas Arc.