The activity for high school students aims to display the importance of water quality and how nanotechnology can be used to help purify the water.Day 5 includes analysis questions that cover content from Nanotechnology and Water Days 1-4.
In this curriculum module, students in high school life science, marine science, and/or chemistry courses act as interdisciplinary scientists and delegates to investigate how the changing carbon cycle will affect the oceans along with their integral populations.
The oceans cover 70 percent of the planet and play a critical role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide through the interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes. As a result of anthropogenic activity, a doubling of the atmospheric CO2 concentration (to 760 ppm) is expected to occur by the end of this century. A quarter of the total CO2 emitted has already been absorbed by the surface oceans, changing the marine carbonate system, resulting in a decrease in pH, a change in carbonate-ion concentrations, and a change in the speciation of macro and micronutrients. The shift in the carbonate system is already drastically affecting biological processes in the oceans and is predicted to have major consequences on carbon export to the deep ocean with reverberating effects on atmospheric CO2. Put in simple terms, ocean acidification is a complex phenomenon with complex consequences. Understanding complexity and the impact of ocean acidification requires systems thinking – both in research and in education. Scientific advancement will help us better understand the problem and devise more effective solutions, but executing these solutions will require widespread public participation to mitigate this global problem.
Through these lessons, students closely model what is occurring in laboratories worldwide and at Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) through Monica Orellana’s research to analyze the effect CO2 has on ocean chemistry, ecosystems and human societies. Students experiment, analyze public data, and prepare for a mock summit to address concerns. Student groups represent key “interest groups” and design two experiments to observe the effects of CO2 on seawater pH, diatom growth, algal blooms, nutrient availability, and/or shell dissolution.
Students learn and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non-renewable energy sources. They also learn about our nation's electric power grid and what it means for a residential home to be "off the grid."
As the climate is changing, one of the many consequences is sea level rise, which is not a standalone factor, but is closely related to erosion and extreme weather/storm conditions. The majority of coastal houses, recreational parks, and other coastal buildings were built as sturdy but stagnant structures that do not adjust well to the changing elements. Coastal homes have been collapsing into the ocean and restaurants have been destroyed by storm waves. The economic damage has been accumulating. In this storyline, students will explore the reasons behind sea level rise looking at thermal expansion, glacial ice melt, and sea ice melt. Students will examine real scenarios of coastal damage in Washington state and evaluate current city and tribal resilience plans. Finally, students will evaluate the constraints of existing challenges and propose strategies for solving these challenges.
Patterns Physics is the initial course in the 3-year high school Patterns Science sequence. Patterns Physics focuses on three-dimensional (3D) learning through culturally responsive, phenomena-based storylines that intertwine the disciplinary core ideas of physics and earth science with the scientific and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts as described in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
The Patterns High School Science Sequence (https://hsscience4all.org/) is a three year course pathway and curriculum aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Each course utilizes:
- Common instructional strategies
- Real world phenomena
- Design challenges to engage students and support their learning.
For more information, contact us at info@pdxstem.org.
The curriculum is a combination of teacher-generated and curated open-content materials. The Teacher-generated materials are shared freely under a Attribution-NonCommercial-Sharealike Creative Commons License.
Students become familiar with the online Renewable Energy Living Lab interface and access its real-world solar energy data to evaluate the potential for solar generation in various U.S. locations. They become familiar with where the most common sources of renewable energy are distributed across the U.S. Through this activity, students and teachers gain familiarity with the living lab's GIS graphic interface and query functions, and are exposed to the available data in renewable energy databases, learning how to query to find specific information for specific purposes. The activity is intended as a "training" activity prior to conducting activities such as The Bright Idea activity, which includes a definitive and extensive end product (a feasibility plan) for students to create.
Students use real-world data to evaluate the feasibility of solar energy and other renewable energy sources in different U.S. locations. Working in small groups, students act as engineers evaluating the suitability of installing solar panels at four company locations. They access data from the online Renewable Energy Living Lab from which they make calculations and analyze how successful solar energy generation would be, as well as the potential for other power sources at those locations. Then they summarize their results, analysis and recommendations in the form of feasibility plans prepared for a CEO.
Students listen to radio broadcasts about climate change causes, impacts, and solutions and learn how this creates a framework for effective scientific communication.
Warming oceans and melting landlocked ice caused by global climate change may result in rising sea levels. This rise in sea level combined with increased intensity and frequency of storms will produce storm surges that flood subways, highways, homes, and more. In this activity, visitors design and test adaptations to prepare for flooding caused by sea level rise.
This unit includes 5 lessons that culminates in a persuasive argument in the form of letter to congressional member or grant proposal to Duke Energy.
In this unit, students will explore the causes of sea level rise and will examine short and long-term trends using sea level rise data. In addition, they will learn about the impacts to low-lying coastal communities and they will explore mitigation strategies. Finally, students will deepen their understanding of sea level rise by writing arguments focused on impacted communities and possible solutions.
Towards finding a solution to the unit's Grand Challenge Question about using nanoparticles to detect, treat and protect against skin cancer, students continue the research phase in order to answer the next research questions: What is the structure and function of skin? How does UV radiation affect the chemical reactions that go on within the skin? After seeing an ultraviolet-sensitive bead change color and learning how they work, students learn about skin anatomy and the effects of ultraviolet radiation on human skin, pollution's damaging effect on the ozone layer that can lead to increases in skin cancer, the UV index, types of skin cancer, ABCDEs of mole and lesion evaluation, and the sun protection factor (SPF) rating system for sunscreens. This prepares students to conduct the associated activity, in which they design quality-control experiments to test SPF substances.
This 11-minute podcast and accompanying lesson guide encourage students to evaluate the supply chain of green technologies in the context of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.
In this lesson from the World Affairs Council - Seattle, students will explore the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #7: Affordable and Clean Energy. They will learn about efforts to provide universal access to clean and affordable energy across various sectors, identify barriers faced by communities, and understand how sustainable energy policies can lead to positive outcomes. Students will evaluate the impact of specific energy sources on global greenhouse emissions and explore renewable alternatives like wind, solar, and thermal energy. Through interactive activities and analysis of new technologies, students will collaboratively develop proposals for improving access to clean energy. They will gain awareness of initiatives for equitable societies and climate change mitigation, and explain how reliable, affordable clean energy can transform lives globally.
In this lesson from World Affairs Council - Seattle, students will learn about UN Sustainable Development Goal #6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Currently, 2 billion people live in water-stressed communities, and 3.5 billion lack safe sanitation. Students will investigate the causes and effects of unequal access to clean water and sanitation, focusing on the impact on women and children. They will explore current solutions and identify further actions needed. Through research, presentations, discussions, and a community project, students will deepen their understanding, develop problem-solving and collaboration skills, and learn about organizations addressing these issues. The lesson will also highlight the interconnectedness of UN Sustainable Development Goals. Ultimately, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of SDG #6 and the ability to advocate for clean water and sanitation as a fundamental human right.
In this lesson from the World Affairs Council - Seattle, students explore United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #14: Life Below Water. Through individual and collaborative activities, they will learn the importance of conserving and sustainably using oceans, seas, and marine resources. In small groups, students will assess how proactive policies and collective action can address ocean challenges. They can choose to evaluate issues like plastic waste, warming oceans, acidification, or damaged ecosystems. Students will research various pollutants and consider how individuals and societies can support marine biodiversity. By connecting "life below water" with health, economic interests, and climate change, they will examine the work of local, national, and global organizations in waterway sustainability. This lesson will engage students in understanding the crucial role of ocean sustainability for our future
In this lesson from the World Affairs Council - Seattle, students will comprehensively understand SDG #15: Life on Land, including its key targets and significance. They will learn the importance of sustainable practices to protect and restore biodiversity, exploring how economic activities like agribusiness drive deforestation and its broader impacts. Students will examine the link between biodiversity loss and human health, understanding the interconnectedness of planetary and human health. They will discover how biotechnology and regenerative farming can combat climate change and restore ecosystems. Through critical thinking and reflection, students will identify resonant targets, propose land restoration steps, and develop a personal connection to the material. Working in small groups, they will enhance collaboration and communication skills, create a social media campaign to raise awareness, and engage in student-driven assessments. Finally, they will research local and global efforts in restoring forests and ecosystems, linking classroom learning to real-world actions, equipping them with knowledge and skills for environmental sustainability.
In this lesson from the World Affairs Council of Seattle - Global Classroom Program, students learn about UN Sustainable Development Goal #2: Zero Hunger. They examine the causes and consequences of food insecurity and explore solutions. Activities include KWL or Jamboard exercises, UN videos and infographics, discussions, research, and advocacy projects. These experiences help students deepen their understanding of food insecurity and its global impact, develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills, and connect with local organizations addressing the issue. Enrichment projects and advocacy efforts further enhance their learning and solution-generating abilities.
This interactive visualization provides information in text, graphic, and video format about renewable energy technologies. Resource in the Student's Guide to Global Climate Change, part of EPA Climate Change Division.
In this activity, students explore energy production and consumption by contrasting regional energy production in five different US regions.