The Ocean and Climate Change
Lesson Plans
Grades9, 10, 11, 12Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
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Provided by MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
What it is
- This resource about the changing ocean includes a lesson plan, two podcast episodes, a carbon dioxide absorption demonstration, discussion questions, interactive computer modeling, and an ocean literacy communication activity.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This resource gives teachers all the tools they need to teach a comprehensive mini-unit on climate change and the ocean.
- The podcasts feature an informative and interesting interview with Dr. Slyvia Earle the Explorer-in-Residence for the National Geographic Society.
Additional Prerequisites
- For the carbon dioxide demonstration, teachers will need a 500ml graduated cylinder, a funnel, a Petri dish cover, a clear basin that is shorter than the graduated cylinder, a stand and clamp, cold water, warm water, and 2-4 effervescent tablets (e.g. Alka-Seltzer).
Differentiation
- Teachers could expand the ocean literacy communication activity into a school-wide project. Following the directions in the lesson plan, each homeroom or advisory group could choose one of the Ocean Literacy Principles to present to the school community.
- Computer programming, design thinking, or engineering classes could use the section on Argo floats to discuss the engineering design process.
- Other resources on this topic include this video on ocean circulation patterns, this video about ocean acidification, and this lesson on oceans and climate change.
From the scientist review
The resource contains 2 podcasts on the role of ocean in absorbing global temperatures, additional materials, and an educator guide for educators to apply when teaching this materials in their class. The ocean also plays a key role in carbon sequestration, however, further CO2 absorption by the ocean will have negative impacts on algae, coral reefs, and other marine resources. This resource is ideal for teaching.
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Hosted on climate.mit.edu
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