The Gulf of Mexico dead zone, an area of low oxygen that kills marine life, costs the United States $82 million every year. Young scientists research anoxic ocean environments then come up with a hypothesis for the cause of the Gulf of...

Most drugs used today come from nature, so the discovery of new ecosystems in the deep sea is exciting from a medical perspective. Scholars develop their own bioassay to test germination rates in seeds. 

As of 2015, there are 53,481 oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico. Scholars determine how species diversity is impacted based on the ecosystem's distance from a drilling platform.  It focuses on finding the mean of data sets...

You never know what you will find next in the deep sea ecosystem. So far, scientists have found items that work as anti-tumor agents, anti-inflammatory agents, agents that stop uncontrolled cell division, and much more. The lesson begins...

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill directly impacted an area of the Gulf of Mexico the size of Oklahoma. A marine biology lesson looks at the impact of an oil spill on the deeper parts of the ocean. Scholars download actual data collected...

Many have debated which came first, the chicken or the egg, but this lesson debates which came first, the hydrocarbons or the carbonate reef. After a discussion on deep-sea corals, scholars receive a set of questions to research and...

With the BP oil spill still fresh on your scholars' minds, take the opportunity to analyze various perspectives on it through political cartoons. This critical-analysis handout features 2 cartoons on the incident. Background information...

Students explain hardground communities in the Gulf of Mexico. In this deep-sea ecosystem lesson, students investigate the connection between deep-sea ecosystems and petroleum deposits. They discuss the relationship between hydrocarbon...

Young scholars research the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and complete experiments to study the effects of oil spills. In this oil spill lesson, students read the NY Times feature on the gulf oil spill. Young scholars visit various links to...

When judging diversity of an ecosystem, both species evenness and species richness must contribute. After a discussion of diversity and a guided example using the Shannon-Weaver function, scholars use the same function on two other...

Marine invertebrates offer us many new options for developing pharmaceutical drugs, such as w-conotoxin MVIIA, which is extracted from the cone snail and is a potent painkiller. The lesson encourages scholars to research various types of...

Young geographers will need to use a variety of map skills to complete the tasks required on this learning exercise. Examples of activities include using references to label a map of Mexico, identify Canadian territories and...

Have you ever tried to find hidden items in a picture when you don't know what you are looking for or how many things are hidden? A lesson applies that same concept to sampling the deep sea habitats. Participants must first create a...

Imagine an ecosystem without any light or oxygen, where living things convert carbon dioxide into food. This ecosystem is thriving and might just be the largest ecosystem on our planet, yet we know very little about it. The lesson...

Students explore the depths of the Gulf of Mexico. In this deep-sea habitat lesson plan, students construct edible models of deep-sea habitats as they bake cakes that include representations of the habitats and the organisms that live...

Learners study benthic communities in the Gulf of Mexico and explain their roles.  In this investigative lesson students participate in a group activity and study how to calculate and index of biological communities. 

Students examine the implications of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. In this oil spill lesson, students research details regarding the BP oil leak and then participate in a simulation that requires them to role play those whose...

Fourth graders observe the 1529 map of the Gulf of Mexico and describe the accuracy of the map, including the unknown landscape that Cabeza de Vaca would traverse. They read the discuss the excerpt of his journey including his treatment...

The Gulf Stream has historically provided humans with a faster trade route because of its swift-moving waters. It continues to be a source of information and fascination for oceanographers today. As your class views this collection of...

Students describe alternative theories for how the first humans cane to America.  In this human origin lesson students study the origins of the first Americans. 

How many simple machines does it take to make a robotic arm? An inquiry-based lesson explores that topic and challenges pupils to build a robotic arm that can stretch, turn, and more. A few questions help guide them in the...

Students explore hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions in the Gulf of Mexico.  In this ocean habitat lesson, students hypothesis, design and implement an experiment to explain the existence of the "Dead Zone" in the Gulf of Mexico.

Young oceanographers research deep sea corals that thrive on chemosynthesis. The lesson focuses on the biology of the animal, preferred habitat, associations, and interactions.

How can a robot measure the length of something when we don't know how far the camera is from the object? The lesson explains the concept of perspective and many others. Scholars apply this knowledge to judge the length of fish and the...