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...

Students examine the formation of seamounts in the Gulf of Alaska. In this seamount lesson, student focus on how the Axial-Cobb-Eikelberg-Patton chain was formed. They learn the associated vocabulary, and watch a teacher demonstration of...

Students study seamounts and the processes that form them.  For this Gulf of Alaska lesson students interpret data and investigate a hypothesis.

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.

Students compare and contrast the processes of photosynthesis and chemosynthesis. They identify and describe sources of energy used by various organisms for chemosynthesis.

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...

Students 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.  Students fill out the...

Students examine marine archaeology. For 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...

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...

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...

Students 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...

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...

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...

Pupils 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 material they...

Students 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 chemical...

Students explain the concept of gene sequence analysis. In this gene lesson plan, students draw inferences about phylogenetic similarities of different organisms.

Students study how organisms that live in cold seep communities get energy from methane.  In this organism lesson plan students write a brief report and identify oxidation reduction reactions and explain if these are dependent of...

Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science lesson, students calculate the barrels of oil that their family consumes in a year.

Learners interpret historical maps,identify territories acquired by the United States in the 1840s. Also they identify states later formed from these territories. The primary sources for the lesson are the maps found in the lesson's...

Fourth graders diagram written and oral directions of a Native American, European Viking, Right Whale or Humpback Whale migration route, the student diagram all directions only in the sequence given, with arrows indicating direction of...

After some instruction, small groups prepare a written report on chemotrophic organisms. Though not clearly mentioned, this resource would work best if groups have the Internet available to research the vocabulary and different organisms...

Students explore corals and polyps.  In this coral reef lesson plan students divide into groups and prepare a written report. 

Students collect real world data from the Web regarding high and low tides at various locations in the United States. They find a function which models this data and make predictions on tide levels based on the information found.