Curated OER
Water Pressure in the Ocean
Students compare the pressure of water at different depths and gain an understanding of how increased water might affect animals living in deeper waters. They participate in an experiment to show that depth, not volume, affects water...
Curated OER
Floating Fishes: How do Fishes Control Buoyancy?
Playing with balloons, water, oil, and bottles help put this lesson over the top! Participants use air-filled balloons in water tanks to experience gas compression. They also use oil-filled bottles to experiment with buoyancy. Included...
Curated OER
Water Pressure
Students spend time examining the concept of water pressure. In groups, they research the amount of air pressure that is felt at different levels above sea level. Using a calculator, they calculate the water pressure given different...
Curated OER
Water Pressure - Observing Water Flow
Learners discover that pressure increases the deeper the ocean becomes. They determine how water pressure differs at various depths by observing water flow.
Curated OER
Under Pressure: How Deep Can They Dive?
Students explore geography by conducting an in-class experiment. In this deep sea exploration instructional activity, students identify the different zones of the ocean and utilize water bottles, masking tape and scissors to conduct a...
Curated OER
What's A Water Column Profile?
Students investigate water column data. In this earth science and seawater lesson, students determine how temperature, salinity, and density have an impact on sea water by viewing and analyzing data obtained from a number of websites....
Curated OER
Depth Line
Students use adding machine tape to plot increasing ocean depths and deep sea historical events.
Curated OER
Feeling Pressured
Learners explore pressure in our atmosphere. They examine the relationship between pressure and depth. Students construct an experimental apparatus and take measurements. Learners evaluate the impact of pressure on the lungs.
NOAA
What's a CTD?
Why are the properties of the water important when exploring the ocean? Young scientists discover the tools and technology used in deep sea exploration in the fourth installment in a five-part series. Groups work together to...
Polar Trec
Down to the Deep Virtual Lab
At a depth of 3,000 m in the ocean, the pressure is 300 times that at sea level! In the activity, individuals predict what will happen to Styrofoam cups submerged 3,000 meters into the ocean. They then convert these units to soccer...
Curated OER
Air and Water in the Environment
Students demonstrate an awareness of air as a substance that surrounds us and takes up space, and whose movement we feel as wind. They predict and describe how local weather conditions affect living things, including themselves.
Curated OER
It's a Gas! Or is it?
Examine the effects of temperature and pressure on solubility and the states of matter of ocean water. Learners make inferences about the unique chemistry of ocean water at different depths. They engage in an activity related to...
NOAA
The Oceanographic Yo-yo
How does chemistry help deep-sea explorers? Part four of a five-part series of lessons from aboard the Okeanos Explorer introduces middle school scientists to technologies used in ocean exploration. Groups work together to analyze data...
University of Southern California
Design and Test an Air Lift Siphon
Build an air lift siphon using your mad physics skills! Learners first investigate the importance of circulating water in aquaponics systems. They then use density to their advantage as they engineer an air lift siphon
NOAA
What's the Big Deal?
Who knew that a possible answer to Earth's energy resource problems was lurking deep beneath the ocean's surface? Part four of a six-part series introduces Earth Science pupils to methane hydrate, a waste product of methanogens. After...
Curated OER
Ocean Murals
Students identify characteristics of water. They describe the process by which light decreases and pressure increases as water depth increases. They demonstrate the principle of water pressure in a small group experiment.
Curated OER
Lesson tow
Students study the ocean and its characteristics. In this oceans instructional activity students complete a lab activity and are able to predict temperature of certain depths.
Curated OER
Dive In
High schoolers study how buoyancy, pressure, and light can effect the work of underwater scientists. In this marine science instructional activity students complete a lab that allows them to better understand how pressure varies...
Curated OER
PBS - Scientific American Frontier:Affairs of the Heart:Teaching Guide:Exploring Vessel Physics
Students explore the relationship between pressure and vessel diameter. They are given an open-ended design challenge in which they engineer their own remote repair device. Students see a model that represents how elevated blood...
Curated OER
Weather Watchers
Students study basic meteorology concepts. They build a simple barometer to measure air pressure. They explore the concepts of relative humidity, air convection currents and temperature inversions and to discover their connection to...
Curated OER
Math Under Pressure
Students are told that an air tank contains a fixed volume of air under pressure. As air is used, the pressure decreases at a rate that depends on the depth. Students discuss how SCUBA divers calculate the amount of time they can spend...
Curated OER
Section 1: Non-obvious Causes
Students explore the historical problem of pumping water out of mines.
NOAA
Ocean Zones
How can organisms light up in water? Bioluminescence is light produced in a chemical reaction that can occur in an organism's body. First, learners determine what happens to light/color as you move into the deep ocean. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Measurement of the Depth of the Ocean
Learners comprehend the physical properties of pressure and Boyle's Law by designing a depth gauge. They construct a capillary depth gauge and calculate the calibrated depth marks of the capillary tube. They determine the margin of error...