Curated OER
Forests of the Deep
Students identify three ways in which seamounts are important to biological communities. They also discover how deep-sea corals are important to the seamounts. They finally explain why scientients are worried about the future of ecosystems.
Curated OER
Feeling Crabby?
Students analyze data to investigate the influence of water depth on size among deep-water crabs. They interpret results from this data, and apply the results regarding appropriate fishery regulations.
NOAA
A Moving Crust
Young scientists piece together the geological puzzle that is the earth in the third and final lesson of this earth science series. With the help of numerous multimedia resources and a series of engaging hands-on activities, students...
Curated OER
Cut-off Genes
Investigate the relationships between different deep-sea organisms by DNA sequencing. A worksheet provides instructions for DNA sequencing and space to work. They simulate gel electrophoresis by cutting out paper "DNA strands." Modeling...
Curated OER
Big Fleas Have Little Fleas
A benthic habitat hosts a vast collection of organisms and its structure influences the biodiversity. Middle-school marine biology explorers will discuss how corals impact structure, and therefore diversity, on the ocean floor. They draw...
Curated OER
History's Thermometers
Ancient coral beds give scientists clues to past ocean temperatures in much the same way that tree rings indicate historical weather conditions. High school scientists examine coral oxygen isotope ratios and plot the data as a function...
Curated OER
The Oceans, Waves, Tides & Currents
Your introductory lesson to oceanography can be outlined with this apropos presentation. It touches on the physical features of the ocean floor, waves, tides, and currents. One small issue is that some of the graphics are not of the...
Curated OER
The Unseen Ocean Floor
Students build ocean floor structures, then map and model an unfamiliar ocean floor. They are introduced to bathymetry and sea floor features, and discover one of the most widely usd methods for studying the ocean.
Curated OER
National Marine Sanctuaries Shipwrecks
Junior oceanographers access the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Shipwreck Database and plot the locations of several shipwrecks. Shipwrecks are always an enthralling subject and this activity allows your learners to act as...
Polar Trec
Mini-Ocean Bathymetric Mapping Research Cruise
Middle or high schoolers transform into oceanographers in a week-long simulation. To begin, each group follows directions to create a model of the ocean floor with specified features. Next, the groups prepare to set sail on a research...
NOAA
Mapping the Ocean Floor: Bathymetry
Bathymetry is not a measure of the depths of bathtubs! Through the three lessons, scholars explore two different types of maps and how they are made. The resource focuses on topographic and bathymetric maps and teaching the techniques...
NOAA
Currents
A deep ocean current circles the globe at a force that is greater than 16 times all the world's rivers combined. Groups analyze the effects of submarine topography on deep ocean current speed. They then determine how this speed affects...
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...
NOAA
Wet Maps
How do oceanographers make maps under water? Junior explorers discover the technologies and processes involved in creating bathymetric maps in part three of a five-part series designed for fifth- and sixth-grade pupils. The lesson...
Curated OER
A Piece of Cake
Students examine life under the sea to discover coral gardens and microhabitats. They demonstrate learning by creating an edible marine ecosystem with a sheet cake, icing, and different candies.
Curated OER
Cutt-Off Genes
Students explore how gene sequence analysis can be used to examine phylogenetic similarities of different organisms. Students work in groups to simulate a gel electrophoresis separation of fragments using poster board to create their gel.
Curated OER
How can deep-water corals be used to determine long-term patterns of climate change?
Students explore the concept of paleoclimatological proxies. In this paleoclimatological proxies lesson, students explain isotope ratios in deep water coral samples. Students write a paragraph about global climate change as it effects...
Curated OER
Boom and Bust
Young scholars investigate commercial fishery. In this fishery lesson, students describe stages in commercial fishery, interpret data and predict when a fisher stock is showing signs of overexploitation.
Curated OER
Ocean Floor Model
Students construct a simulated model of the ocean floor in a shoe box. They determine that the floor of the ocean is composed of hills, plains, ridges, trenches, and sea mounts. They draw out a plan for their ocean floor which includes...
Curated OER
Bathymetric Mapping
Students draw contour lines based on NOAA soundings on a nautical chart. They color the contours and glue label tags for topographic features. They determine that the floor of the ocean is composed of hills, plains, ridges, trenches,...
Curated OER
History's Thermometers
Students explain the concept of paleoclimatological proxies. In this oxygen isotope lesson, students interpret data and make inferences about climate changes in the geologic past.
Curated OER
The Seafloor
In this seafloor worksheet, students describe the different structures found on the seafloor. This worksheet has 6 short answer and 6 matching questions.
Curated OER
Islands, Reefs, and a Hotspot
Students describe eight stages in the formation of islands in the Hawaiian archipelago. They examine the movement of tectonic plates in the Hawaiian archipelago region, and describe how plate movement produced the Hawaiian archipelago.
Curated OER
Bathymetry
Students study the topography of the ocean floor and the geological processes of how it is formed. They summarize what bathymetry, describe how islands are formed and illustrate a bathymetric model of the sea floor.