Planning—Fishing in the Future Summary: Complex changes in ocean conditions are affecting the distribution and availability of some commercial fish species. Fishers and fishery managers use science to adapt to and prepare for the future. In this topic guide, students explore online data tools designed to help fisheries adapt to climate change. Concepts to teach: […]
Planning—Adopt a Wetland Summary: Students adopt a wetland and collect data to help determine the amount of carbon sequestered by the wetland, and engage in water quality monitoring to promote the efficiency of carbon sequestration. Concepts to teach: Crosscutting Concepts Stability and Change Disciplinary Core Ideas ESS3.C – Human Impacts on Earth Systems ETS1.B – […]
Impacts—Hypoxia Summary: How are oxygen levels in the ocean changing as a result of climate change? In the waters off the Pacific Northwest of the U.S., seasonal upwelling brings nutrient-dense, oxygen-poor water to the surface, and the strength and duration of upwelling occasionally forms hypoxic (low oxygen) zones in on the sea floor along the […]
Impacts—Ocean Acidification Summary: The ocean is becoming more acidic because of carbon dioxide emissions. The change threatens the health marine organisms that depend on available calcium carbonate to make their shells. In this topic guide, students use models and real data to explore the relationship between atmospheric CO2 and ocean pH, and the impacts that […]
Science Concepts—Upwelling Summary: From the NANOOS Well, Well, Well lesson: “In this activity, students investigate the relationship between winds, surface currents, sea surface temperature and upwelling and downwelling off the coast of Oregon and Washington. Students analyze data to make predictions on today’s upwelling or downwelling conditions.” Concepts to teach: Crosscutting Concepts Stability and Change […]
Science Concepts—Blue Carbon Summary: This topic guide begins with a review of photosynthesis and progresses to the role marine wetlands play in carbon storage. Through photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Animals, in contrast, breathe in oxygen, and breathe out carbon dioxide. Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have been adding more carbon into […]
Science Concepts—Carbon on the move Summary: Carbon is an important element that comprises part of all living organisms and is found in many nonliving parts of our planet and atmosphere. In this topic guide, students explore the carbon cycle to discover how carbon moves between atmosphere, biosphere and lithosphere. With a clear understanding of the […]
Planning—Inland Planning Summary: Connections between inland and ocean ecosystems are embodied by the life cycle and geographic distribution of salmon. These anadromous species depend on inland freshwater streams and rivers for spawning, but they also depend on the ocean for their adult existence. Natural resource managers in the Pacific Northwest have spent a lot of […]
Planning—Coastal Decision-Making Summary: How and why should different perspectives be considered when deciding how to use and protect coastal resources? In the NOAA lesson “I’ll Stay Here If It Kills Me,” students use role-playing to explore the human dimensions of coastal decision-making. In most of the role-playing exercises, each student assumes the role of a […]
Impacts—Inland Glaciers Summary: As we have seen in other topic guides, the ocean stores solar radiation and its currents distribute heat to shape climate zones throughout the globe. Ocean processes affect not just coastal climates, but also temperature and precipitation far inland. In this topic guide, students learn about how changes in temperature and precipitation […]