Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
Why Should I Care?: Show How Increased Carbon Dioxide Makes the Ocean More Acidic ActivityWhy Should I Care?: Show How Increased Carbon Dioxide Makes the Ocean More Acidic Activity
Publisher
NOAA
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
6th - 8th
Subjects
Science
2 more...
Resource Type
Activities & Projects
Audiences
For Teacher Use
1 more...
Duration
1 hr
Instructional Strategies
Experiment
1 more...
Usage Permissions
Fine Print: Educational Use
Activity

Why Should I Care?: Show How Increased Carbon Dioxide Makes the Ocean More Acidic

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Why Should I Care?: Show How Increased Carbon Dioxide Makes the Ocean More Acidic activity also includes:
  • Discover Your Changing World with NOAA - Full Activity Book
  • Activity Alignment to NGSS, Climate Literacy and Energy Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts
  • Join to access all included materials

How does a change in pH affect the ocean ecosystem? Scholars explore the idea by making an acid-base indicator in part seven of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. First, they explore impacts of carbon dioxide in marine environments. Then, they create an acid-base indicator and determine what changes in the solution when carbon dioxide is added and ultimately conclude that carbon dioxide directly affects the level of acidity in the oceans.

25 Views 11 Downloads
CCSS: Adaptable

Concepts

acids and bases, acids, bases, ph, carbon dioxide, indicators, climate change, human impact on the environment, atmospheric conditions, the atmosphere, the earth's atmosphere

Additional Tags

science

Instructional Ideas

  • Test other substances for acidity/alkalinity with the indicator
  • Have learners research negative effects of ocean acidification on a specific marine organism

Classroom Considerations

  • Requires materials that may not be found in a typical classroom

Pros

  • Engaging, hands-on activity holds students' interest
  • Indicator is great to use in a variety of science applications

Cons

  • None

Common Core

RST.6-8.3 RST.6-8.4

See similar resources:

Lesson Plan

Carbon Through the Seasons

US Environmental Protection Agency
Meteorologists view an animated video by the Environmental Protection Agency to learn how the carbon cycle works, and then move into groups to analyze and graph actual data of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from Hawaii's...
6th - 10th Science
Lesson Plan

Climate Change Around the World

Chicago Botanic Garden
It is unknown if cloud cover increases in response to carbon dioxide levels changing, helping climate change slow down, or if cloud cover decreases, allowing Earth to warm faster. Part four in the series of five lessons has classes...
7th - 9th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Using the Carbon Cycle Interactive Game in the Classroom

Curated OER
An online reading and interactive game bring the path of a carbon molecule to life for your earth science explorers! As an assessment, learners can map out or write about their experience in the carbon cycle. Thoroughly written...
4th - 9th Science
Lesson Plan

Changing Planet: Permafrost Gas Leak

Curated OER
Pair earth scientists up to use an amazing online arctic portal mapping tool and Google Earth to analyze permafrost changes. They compare changes to data on atmospheric concentrations of methane to see if there is a correlation. Then...
7th - 12th Science
Instructional Video

Carbon Cycle and Global Warming

Curated OER
Carbon is all around us, as shown in this cartoon animation. The carbon cycle is portrayed simply and accurately with fun cartoon plants and animals. Use this video in an elementary or junior high class to facilitate your learners'...
8 mins 4th - 8th Science
Instructional Video

Climate Change: Earth's Giant Game of Tetris

TED-Ed
In this colorful animation, our current problem with climate change is likened to a block-stacking game of Tetris. Greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere at an increasing rate. Can we place them properly before it's too late?...
3 mins 6th - 10th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Plugged In To CO2

Center Science Education
Watt is going on here? Middle schoolers are learning about energy use and carbon dioxide emissions! In the first part of this lesson plan, learners measure how much energy different appliances consume and calculate the amount per...
6th - 10th Science
Lesson Plan

Changing Planet: Ocean Acidification - the Chemistry is Less than Basic!

Curated OER
A video and laboratory investigation are highlights to this lesson on acidification of ocean water due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. Using bromothymol blue (BTB) as an indicator, pupils analyze the amount of carbon dioxide...
7th - 10th Science
Instructional Video

How to Measure a Changing Climate

California Academy of Science
Young scientists explore climate change by taking a look at many different disciplines. They hear from scientists who study soil, clouds, ice cores, ocean temperatures, and more. Then, they search public databases to draw their own...
4 mins 6th - 10th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Lab Resource

Acids and Bases—Microscale Chemistry

Royal Society of Chemistry
Here's proof that small-scale labs lead to big-time learning. Introduce acid-base interactions to middle school scientists through a microscale chemistry lab. Pupils combine a variety of solutions and use indicators to obtain approximate...
6th - 8th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use