Curated OER
Underwater Picture of the Hudson River Estuary
Students identify important aspects of water quality such as slainity and turbidity. They test two of the water quality parameters and determine the quality of the water. In addition, they construct two sets of graphs based on data...
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
Why is the Ocean Salty?
In this ocean salt learning exercise, students read about the processes that have lead to the salt content in the ocean. Then students complete 5 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Water in the Environment
In this water in the environment activity, students match 10 terms related to water to their definitions. They identify 10 sentences as true or false related to groundwater, layering and landfills. They fill in the blanks for 2 sentences...
Curated OER
Layering of Water
Middle schoolers examine what happens when different types of water meet. In groups, they participate in an activity in which they combine different percentages of salt, fresh and brackish water and record their observations. They let...
Curated OER
Ocean Microstructure Lesson Plan
Learners explore the microstructure of the ocean by analyzing graphs created by Dr. Mike Gregg of the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory during the EPIC 2001 research cruise on the Ronald H. Brown NOAA vessel.
Curated OER
Testing for Conductivity
Students test the conductivity of selected liquids and solids. They test the circuit by touching the two free ends of the wires together and add salt little by little recording the data after each addition. Finally, students predict...
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Stuff to Do: Density of Salty Water
An experiment to test what happens when ocean water hits a freshwater estuary. Each step is demonstrated with photographs and the difference between salinity and density is explained.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Ocean Water: Density
For this lesson students will learn about the stratification of the ocean by using a simulation to show the different densities. The simulation explores how temperature, salinity, and wind affect the development of water stratification.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Density of Water at Room Temperature
Discusses how to calculate the density of water and how density varies depending on the temperature and the salinity. Presents a chart showing the difference in the density of non-saline water for temperatures between 0 and 100 degrees...
University of California
University of California: Seawater Density & Salinity [Pdf]
Describes the properties of seawater and the variations depending on its location, e.g., near a shoreline, in an estuary, or as sea ice. Discusses the instruments scientists use to measure the density of water and explains other...
Other
Nanoos: What's a Water Column Profile? [Pdf]
This lesson plan helps students discover the relationship between temperature, salinity, and density in coastal marine waters. Students access and retrieve water column profile data from the NANOOS and/or the WA Department of Ecology's...
US Navy
Office of Naval Research: Ocean Water
This highly informative site delves into salinity, pressure, density, temperature acoustics, and optics associated with ocean water. A quick quiz follows the information presented.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Physical Oceanography
A student learning module with a focus on the relationship of temperature and salinity with density, ocean-influenced weather patterns, and how light and sound move through ocean water.
Other
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences: Salinity and Deep Ocean Currents
For this activity, students will investigate how temperature and currents affect the salinity of ocean water, making predictions after studying ocean maps. It is recommended that teachers do the experiment themselves before presenting it...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Layering Liquids
A lab activity to show students how different densities of liquid layer on top of each other by using four different colored liquids that contain different levels of salinity. This activity can also be used in an ocean unit where...
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole Oceanography Institute: Deep Ocean Circulation
What causes the circulation of ocean waters that are too deep to be affected by wind? Find out how salinity and temperature drive the deep sea currents. This resource has several videos and an online quiz.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Melting Ice Cubes
This activity helps learners understand how the melting of ice cubes floating in water is influenced by the salinity of the water. It will introduce the concept of density and density driven currents and provide practice in using the...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Jason: How Dense Is Salt Water?
Disappearing Wetlands: Explore the relationship between mass, density, and salinity by measuring the mass and volume of four saltwater solutions of increasing strength.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Predicting the Spring Phytoplankton Bloom in the Gulf of Maine
This lesson helps students understand the variables that influence the abundance of phytoplankton. Students will make predictions about the timing of the spring phytoplankton bloom in the Gulf of Maine. Furthermore, data from buoy...
Rice University
Rice University: Museums Teaching Planet Earth: What Is the Hydrosphere?
Focus is on the hydrosphere and contains the definition as well as characteristics of the ocean and the effect of the ocean on climate.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Can Water Float on Water?
Of course it can, you say: ice is water and ice floats. And you're right. But we're talking about water in the liquid phase Can liquid water float on water? The goal of this project is to investigate what happens to layers of water with...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Chemical Oceanography
Students study the chemical characteristics of the World Ocean, water chemistry, element cycles, and chemical resources in this multi-media learning module.