In this two̢ hour program, Jean̢ Michel Cousteau leads an expedition to …
In this two̢ hour program, Jean̢ Michel Cousteau leads an expedition to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). They are the most remote islands on the planet and serve as reminders of what many other reefs used to be, crowded with wildlife and nearly unspoiled. Their isolation, however, has not been able to protect them completely. Voyage to Kure chronicles Jean̢ Michel̢ĺŰĺŞs exploration of this nearly pristine environment and his investigation to uncover the stories of its native people and its exploitation by outsiders.
In this video segment, adapted from a student video produced at Northwest …
In this video segment, adapted from a student video produced at Northwest Indian College in Bellingham Washington, Native American elders discuss the impact of climate change on salmon populations and the importance of restoring balance in the natural world.
This lesson was developed to give participants an understanding of Earth's water …
This lesson was developed to give participants an understanding of Earth's water cycle. In this one-hour long activity, students participate in a webquest to learn about the water cycle, and then build a mini-model of the water cycle to observe how water moves through Earth's four systems. The activity uses the 5E instructional model and is part of the "Survivor Earth" series of one-hour lessons.
This is a hands-on lab activity about the water cycle, specifically evaporation …
This is a hands-on lab activity about the water cycle, specifically evaporation and condensation. Using materials such as clay, ice and a lamp, learners will observe the relationship between temperature and condensation and temperature and evaporation. They will then draw a diagram or a concept map of the water cycle. Background information, common preconceptions, a glossary and more is included. This activity is part of the Aquarius Hands-on Laboratory Activities.
In this problem-based learning module, students work in teams to examine a …
In this problem-based learning module, students work in teams to examine a broad array of information related to water quality in Lower Wheeling Creek and the Wheeling Creek watersheds in Wheeling, West Virginia. This module is part of Exploring the Environment.
This is a short NASA video on the water cycle. The video …
This is a short NASA video on the water cycle. The video shows the importance of the water cycle to nearly every natural process on Earth and illustrates how tightly coupled the water cycle is to climate.
Not all students live on an ocean coast, but no matter where …
Not all students live on an ocean coast, but no matter where they live, all students are connected to the ocean via their local watershed. The Watershed Quest Unit is an integrated-curriculum unit that culminates with the creation of a watershed quest, a treasure hunt centered on a watershed in your community. The quest involves sharing and learning information about watersheds in general and about the watershed in the region where the students live.
Students are asked to explain the interactions between the ocean and the …
Students are asked to explain the interactions between the ocean and the shore. ***Access to Teacher's Domain content now requires free login to PBS Learning Media.
This course is an introduction to basic ideas of geophysical wave motion …
This course is an introduction to basic ideas of geophysical wave motion in rotating, stratified, and rotating-stratified fluids. Subject begins with general wave concepts of phase and group velocity. It also covers the dynamics and kinematics of gravity waves with a focus on dispersion, energy flux, initial value problems, etc.
This course is an introduction to basic ideas of geophysical wave motion …
This course is an introduction to basic ideas of geophysical wave motion in rotating, stratified, and rotating-stratified fluids. Subject begins with general wave concepts of phase and group velocity. It also covers the dynamics and kinematics of gravity waves with a focus on dispersion, energy flux, initial value problems, etc. Also addressed are subject foundation used to study internal and inertial waves, Kelvin, Poincare, and Rossby waves in homogeneous and stratified fluids. Laplace tidal equations are applied to equatorial waves. Other topics include: resonant interactions, potential vorticity, wave-mean flow interactions, and instability.
This course discusses theoretical concepts and analysis of wave problems in science …
This course discusses theoretical concepts and analysis of wave problems in science and engineering. Examples are chosen from elasticity, acoustics, geophysics, hydrodynamics, blood flow, nondestructive evaluation, and other applications.
Part A: Students identify basic characteristics and terminology for waves. Part B: …
Part A: Students identify basic characteristics and terminology for waves. Part B: Students define factors that influence tides and practice using tide charts and tide tables.
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Children test how cornstarch and glitter in water move when disturbed. They …
Children test how cornstarch and glitter in water move when disturbed. They compare their observations with videos of Jupiter's and Earth's storm movements.
Children use a toaster to generate wind and compare the appliance's heat …
Children use a toaster to generate wind and compare the appliance's heat source to Jupiter's own hot interior. They discover that convection drives wind on Jupiter and on Earth.
In this video, students see how data from the ice core record …
In this video, students see how data from the ice core record is used to help scientists predict the future of our climate. Video features ice cores extracted from the WAIS Divide, a research station on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
The three short activities in this collection explore adaptations that help whales …
The three short activities in this collection explore adaptations that help whales survive in the ocean. The activities include demonstrations and experiments.
In this video, Jonathan travels to Holbox, Mexico in search of the …
In this video, Jonathan travels to Holbox, Mexico in search of the massive whale sharkŰÓthe worldŰŞs largest fish. Reaching 50 feet long, these animals grow larger than a school bus, but they are completely harmless since they eat only plankton and small fish. Jonathan gets up close and personal to a mouth the size of a small car in his investigation to discover why so many whale sharks visit Holbox every summer. Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.
In the Web-based game Whale Watcher, students take on the role of …
In the Web-based game Whale Watcher, students take on the role of an Ocean Adventures expedition member in charge of filming various gray whale behaviors as the team follows the whales on their annual migration. Use the tips and handouts provided below to turn the Whale Watcher game into a structured learning activity for your students.
Water has unique properties, density is one of the most important as …
Water has unique properties, density is one of the most important as it is related to convection and density driven circulation in the ocean. Liquid water is densest at 4ºC, not the solid ice phase, which is lighter. This explains why ice floats in the ocean and cold, dense liquid water sinks. Saltwater adds another dimension by increasing the density of water. The combination of temperature and salinity produces a overturning, density driven circulation in the ocean or thermohaline circulation.
Convection circulation is the thermally driven with warm, less dense water rising and cold, dense water sinking, similar to boiling water on the stove. A short video demonstration of thermohaline circulation, called wind in a bowl illustrates the warm rising and cold sinking convection circulation. The video also shows that ice floats and the meltwater from the ice sinks. This demo could be conducted live in class.
The lesson should include a discussion of the properties of water, density and convection circulation with a demonstration of the properties. Then have the students work together on a problem in which warmer water than the bowl water is added to the surface of water. What would happen to the circulation? Then discuss how thermohaline circulation can be disrupted and how this relates to abrupt climate change and examples from the past such as the Younger Dryas. This can be demonstrated by adding warmer water than the bowl water (20ºC) with green food coloring to the water bowl.
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