Related: Physical Science

LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES

Click on a lesson plan or activity name to learn more about it

  • Wreck Detectives

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students utilize a grid system to document the location of artifacts recovered from a model shipwreck site. Students use data about the location and types of artifacts recovered from a model shipwreck site to draw inferences about the sunken ship and the people who were aboard. Students identify and explain types of evidence and expertise that can help verify the nature and historical content of artifacts recovered from shipwrecks.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 3-5, 6-8

  • Wave Size and Depth

    Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association /

    Students investigate the relationship between the size of the wave and depth to which the effects of its energy can be observed. For more information: http://secoora.org and http://secoora.org/classroom/virtual_wave/wave_size_depth .

    Grades: 6-8

  • Teaching Physical Science Through Oceanography

    / COSEE-Ocean Systems

    This supplement was developed for university level students, but can be adapted for middle and high school students. This supplement to Oceanography magazine focuses on educational approaches to help engage students in learning and offers a collection of hands-on/minds-on activities for teaching physical concepts that are fundamental in oceanography. These key concepts include density, pressure, buoyancy, heat and temperature, and gravity waves.

    For more information: http://cosee.umaine.edu .

    Grades: 9-12

  • Oceans of Energy

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students describe forms of energy found in the ocean and explain how they are used by humans. Students explain three ways that energy can be obtained from the ocean. For more information: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8

  • Now You See Me, Now You Don’t

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students will be able to explain light in terms of electromagnetic waves and explain the relationship between color and wavelength; compare and contrast color related to wavelength with color perceived by biological vision systems; explain how color and light may be important to deep-sea organisms, even under conditions of near-total darkness; and predict the perceived color of objects when illuminated by light of certain wavelengths.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8

  • Loop Current of the Gulf of Mexico

    / COSEE-Central Gulf of Mexico

    This activity can be used for the study of currents with special attention on the Loop current of the Gulf of Mexico.

    For more information: http://cosee-central-gom.org.

    Grades: 6-8

  • Learning Ocean Science Through Ocean Exploration

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    A curriculum for teachers of Grades 6-12 that takes lesson plans that were developed for NOAA Voyages of Discovery and the Ocean Explorer Web Site and presents them in a comprehensive scope and sequence through subject area categories that cut across individual expeditions.

    For more information: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8, 9-12

  • I, Robot, Can Do That

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students describe and contrast three types of underwater robots. Students discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using robots in the exploration of the ocean. Students identify a robotic vehicle that best suits a specific exploration task.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8

  • Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise

    / California Academy of Sciences

    Students will learn via experimentation that ice formations on land will cause a rise in sea level when they melt, whereas ice formations on water will not cause a rise in sea level when they melt. Students will learn that ice is less dense than water and that ice displaces water equal to the mass of the ice. For more information: http://www.calacademy.org/teachers/

    Grades: 3-5, 6-8

  • Exploring Explorations

    / NOAA Ocean Service

    Students will describe human benefits that have resulted from explorations of the Earth’s deep oceans.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8, 9-12

  • Deep Lights

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students compare and contrast the various methods (chemiluminescence, bioluminescence, fluorescence, phosphorescence, triboluminescence) of light-production in deep-sea organisms. Students infer the light-producing process that is responsible for light emission based on observations of an ecosystem.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8

  • Corrosion to Corals

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students will be able to describe galvanic exchange and explain how this process produces electric currents. Given two dissimilar metals and information on their position in an Electromotive Series, students will be able to predict which of the metals will deteriorate if they are placed in a salt solution. Students will also be able to describe the effect of electric currents on the availability of metal ions, and how this might contribute to the growth of corals on shipwrecks.

    For more information:

    Grades: 6-8

  • Call to Arms

    / NOAA Ocean Explorer

    Students describe human arm motion, design/construct mechanical arm model that biomimics human arms. Students describe simple machine aspects of their mechanical arm models. Students define mechanical advantage and discuss the importance of its use in robotic arm design. Students will describe four common robotic arm designs that biomimic human arm motion.

    For more information:
    http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov.

    Grades: 6-8