American Museum of Natural History
What is Marine Biology?
A marine environment covers the majority of the earth but is arguably the least understood. Teach young scientists about the characteristics of oceans and ocean species using an interactive online lesson. The in-person or remote learning...
Curated OER
Temperature Changes: Atmosphere & Ocean
Students observe temperature differences of water and air in sunlight and darkness. They determine that the sun warms the Earth's surface, which controls global currents and climate, keeping the earth habitable. They discover water and...
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Weather & Climate
Sixth graders differentiate weather and climate. In this earth science lesson, 6th graders complete a KWL chart about the two. They complete a worksheet by identifying whether a certain statement describes weather or climate.
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Climate Change & Coral Activities
Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance. In this climate change lesson, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for...
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Weather & Climate; Knowledge Quiz
In this weather and climate quiz worksheet, students complete a set of 10 multiple choice questions covering a variety of concepts related to climate and weather.
Curated OER
What is Climate?
Students explore the differences between climate and weather. In this introductory instructional activity of a climate unit, students discuss the vocabulary and concepts associated with weather and climate. They build their information...
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The Atmosphere
Here is a suitable set of slides to use when teaching about the layers of the atmosphere, climate, global winds, and types of clouds. These slides will support a few different lectures. You will probably want to replace the diagrams with...
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Modelling Ocean Currents
Students construct a replica of the Atlantic ocean given certain parameters. In this earth science lesson, students draw their own map of ocean currents. They answer questions related to the activity.
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Climate Change
Students discuss problems associated with a world climate change. They examine how animals would be affected if the world heated up.
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Teaching Lewis and Clark: Tribal Cultures and Homelands
Students examine the attributes of the tribes that inhabited the Columbia River Basin. In this Lewis and Clark lesson plan, students participate in a classroom simulation that requires them to participate in a seasonal round, in which...
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El Niño ~ The Return of El Niño
El Niño sure creates a stir when it comes around! Why not stir up your earth science class with this data analysis activity that examines the temperature and precipitation over the 2002-2003 water year. A tracking chart is provided...
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Scientific Investigation of Sea Ice Thickness
Students study the importance of global ocean currents, sea water chemistry, and cultural issues surrounding sea ice. In the field, students travel to the floe edge with their teacher and an elder to drill holes in the ice and measure...
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The Inside Current
Eighth graders explore ocean currents and wind patterns. They discover the concept of systems to show how change in one component of a body of water, causes change in other components in that system. Students describe positive and...
NOAA
Energy from the Oceans
Can Earth's oceans produce a steady supply of clean energy? Scholars explore the uses of tidal and thermal energy in the 11th installment of a 13-part series about ocean-based alternative energy sources. Learners examine the...
NOAA
The Biogeochemical Cycle
The biogeochemical cycle ... no physics? The fourth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program introduces the biogeochemical cycle by having pupils simulate movement between Earth's...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Fading Corals
Show the six-minute video, "Changing Planet: Fading Corals," and then demonstrate how calcium carbonate forms a precipitate in the presence of carbon dioxide. Separate your scientists into small groups to gather information about coral...
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Is Climate Change Really Happening?
Learners explore the impact of global warming. In this oceanography lesson, students investigate global climate change and write reaction papers about their research findings.
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Ocean Influences on Climate
Young scholars brainstorm the geographical factors that contribute to climate. They graph average monthly temperatures at two island groups. They analyze data for similarities and differences.
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Climate and Change: Fitting the Facts Together and Acting on Them
Students examine climate change. In this current events lesson, students read the provided articles "Key Facts + Key Conclusions=0?" "Oil Companies Fund Climate Change Deniers," and "Acting on Climate Change Facts." Students respond to...
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Antarctica’s Melting and the Affect it has on the Ocean
High schoolers calculate how much mass is lost and gained by Antarctica yearly. For this earth science lesson, students graph and analyze data from the given handout. They explain how this affects the world climate.
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Current Interactions
Students design an experiment to see how wind, temperature, and salinity work together to influence ocean currents and present it in a report format. They explain to their classmates how experiment findings relate to ocean currents.
National Park Service
It Was a Very Good Year
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park includes whitebark pines that are over 1,200 years old, meaning they have been there since before medieval times. The second lesson of five details how to read tree rings for climate change and...
Curated OER
Biomes: Extreme Climate
Learners create a web connecting global warming, the Arctic, and wold climate. They write a paragraph explaining the role of the Arctic in world climate.
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Extreme Climate
Middle schoolers discuss global warming, greenhouse effect, permafrost and other key words. In this climate lesson students create a web that connects global warming, the Arctic and world climate then write a paragraph explaining...