NOAA
Biological Oceanographic Investigations – Keep Away
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...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Oil Spill Perspectives
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...
Curated OER
Exploring Alaska's Seamounts - Volcanoes, Plates, and Chains
Students examine the formation of seamounts in the Gulf of Alaska. In this seamount instructional activity, student focus on how the Axial-Cobb-Eikelberg-Patton chain was formed. They learn the associated vocabulary, and watch a teacher...
Curated OER
Mystery of the Alaskan Seamounts
Students study seamounts and the processes that form them. In this Gulf of Alaska lesson students interpret data and investigate a hypothesis.
Curated OER
Mapping Seamounts in the Gulf of Alaska
Learners describe major topographic features on the Patton Seamount, and interpret two-dimensional topographic data. They create three-dimensional models of landforms from two-dimensional topographic data.
Curated OER
Rock Eaters of the Gulf of Alaska
Students compare and contrast the processes of photosynthesis and chemosynthesis. They identify and describe sources of energy used by various organisms for chemosynthesis.
Curated OER
It's a Gas! Or is it?
Oceanography enthusiasts are given a series of thought experiments to consider in order to relate the solubility of gases and solids to underwater volcanoes. It is not particularly engaging to perform these thought experiments. Choose...
Curated OER
What's Eating Your Ship?
High schoolers examine the processes that contribute to the deterioration of shipwrecked in shallow and deep water. In this research lesson students explore shipwrecks and how the deterioration process works. High schoolers...
Curated OER
Marine Archaeology
Students examine marine archaeology. In this archaeological data lesson, students see how archaeologists use data to make inferences about shipwrecks. Students read data and make their own inferences, write about marine life and...
Curated OER
Oil Spill Lesson Plans
With the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, now is a great time to educate students on issues related to oil.
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...
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Climate Change Impacts on Blue King Crabs
Carbon dioxide is not only causing global temperatures to increase, it causes the oceans to become more acidic. Lesson focuses on the blue king crab and the fragility of the habitat due to climate change. Scholars create a concept map...
Curated OER
The Gulf Oil Spill in the Classroom
Learners explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students investigate the media response to the Gulf oil spill as they examine live streaming video, interpret data, and share their personal...
Pulitzer Center
Extractive Industries
Here is a chance for environmental studies classes to take a critical look at crises occurring around the globe by reading articles and viewing video clips. The human activities under scrutiny are the extraction of oil, logging, and...
Concord Consortium
Look High and Low
From the highest high to the lowest low here's a resource that won't fall flat. Given data on the area and the highest and lowest elevations of each of the 50 states, learners decide which states are the least flat and the most flat. Of...
Curated OER
The Atlas Alphabet
In this atlas alphabet worksheet, students write the answer to the clue about things found in an atlas that start with each letter of the alphabet. Students write 26 answers.
Curated OER
This Life Stinks
Chemosynthetic communities of cold seep areas are considered in this instructional activity. Working in collaborative groups, marine biology or oceanography learners research and prepare a report about oxidation-reduction reactions...
Curated OER
Global Oil Busters!
Young scholars design and implement an investigation of the impact of oil spills on the environment. They then identify and compare different methods in cleaning up oil spills. Students write letters to the Governor about why the...
Curated OER
CSI on the Deep Reef
High schoolers read about, discuss, and research chemotrophic organisms. In this chemosynthesis lesson, students discuss the differences between photosynthesis and chemosynthesis. They learn that chemosynthesis includes a variety of...
Curated OER
Cut-Off Genes
Young scholars explain the concept of gene sequence analysis. For this gene lesson, students draw inferences about phylogenetic similarities of different organisms.
Curated OER
Coral Reef Geography
In this coral reef geography worksheet, students find locations of reefs on a globe or map. There are 10 instructions to follow. There is no map provided--an atlas, globe or map is needed.
Curated OER
An Oil Spill Primer for Students
In this Gulf oil spill worksheet, students examine a 4-page article regarding basic facts about the oil spill as well as photographs of clean-up efforts.
Curated OER
Mapping the United States
In this map of the United States worksheet, students label mountains, surrounding countries, oceans, and more. Students complete 12 tasks.
Curated OER
This Life Stinks
Students study how organisms that live in cold seep communities get energy from methane. In this organism lesson students write a brief report and identify oxidation reduction reactions and explain if these are dependent of...