Students define and describe methane hydrate ice worms and hydrate shrimp. Students infer how methane hydrate ice worms and hydrate shrimp obtain their food. Students infer how methane hydrate ice worms and hydrate shrimp may interact with other species in the biological communities of which they are part. Students build a methane hydrate molecule.

Students discuss the meaning of biological diversity. Students will compare and contrast the concepts of “variety” and “relative abundance” as they relate to biological diversity. Students calculate the appropriate numeric indicator that describes biological diversity of communities given the abundance and distribution data of species in two communities.

Students describe the significance of complexity in benthic habitats to organisms that live in these habitats. Students describe at least three attributes of benthic habitats that can increase the physical complexity of these habitats. Students provide examples of organisms that increase the structural complexity of their communities. Students infer and explain relationships between species diversity and habitat complexity in benthic communities.

Students explain how fundamental relationships between melting and boiling points, solubility, temperature and pressure can help to develop plausible explanations for observed chemical phenomena in the vicinity of subduction volcanoes.

Students describe and explain the two hypotheses for the frequent occurrence of deep-sea corals in the vicinity of hydrocarbon seeps. Students evaluate relevant experimental data and explain how this data may support or refute these hypotheses. Students define and contrast coincidence and causality, explain the relevance of these terms to hypotheses such as those related to deep-sea corals and hydrocarbon seeps.

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.

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.

Students create models of undersea geologic features on a bathymetric chart. Students interpret and explain the difference between bathymetric charts and topographic maps.

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.

Students identify key functions that are present in healthy ocean ecosystems. Students will discuss how these functions are met by biotic and abiotic components in a model aquatic ecosystem.