SEARCH
Human Impact

These activities teach concepts related to climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification, eutrophication, endocrine disruptors.

A Hurricane’s Storm Surge Affects Our Estuaries
Students construct a coastal landmass from sand and add features such as tidal creeks and barrier islands. They then add varying amounts of water to see the effects of storm surge on coastal land masses.
Subject: Ocean Geology, Human Impact Grade: 5 - adult Duration: 20 - 60 min
Ocean Literacy Principle: #1, #3, #6, #7
Don’t Stop for Hitchhikers!
This activity involves role playing and props to engage students in understanding the concept of invasive species and how they travel. The activity is best done in a large indoor or outdoor space.
Subject: Ocean Biology, Human Impact Grade: 4 - 8 Duration: 45 min
Ocean Literacy Principle: #5
Got Seaweed?
Learners explore seaweed samples. They use different criteria to sort the seaweeds, and then are guided to sort the seaweed based on color. Visitors also may observe what happens when powdered seaweed is mixed with water, and predict why we might add such seaweed products to food found in our cupboards. They then find out which foods do contain seaweed by checking the ingredients lists of some common foods.
Subject: Ocean Biology, Ocean Chemistry, Human Impact Grade: K - 12 Duration: 30 - 45 min
Ocean Literacy Principle: #5, #6
Improving Oil Spill Response: Plotting the Currents in Prince William Sound
Students find and use data from the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) to plot the tracks of drifters used by scientists as real-time data to compare with computer predictions during a field experiment to test a circulation model for Prince William Sound, Alaska. They apply their knowledge to predicting the path of an oil spill and search & rescue.
Subject: Ocean Physics, Ocean Chemistry, Human Impact Grade: 6 - 8 Duration: 3 x 45 mins
Ocean Literacy Principle: #1, #7
Litter Matching Game
By matching descriptions to images, students identify marine debris items, leading to discussion about the effects of marine debris and how it can be reduced.
Subject: Ocean Biology, Ocean Chemistry, Human Impact Grade: 5 - adult Duration: 20 - 30 min
Ocean Literacy Principle: #1, #6, #7
My Place in Puget Sound
In this investigative questions curriculum, students explore the relationship between their everyday practices and chemicals in the local waters.
Subject: Ocean Chemistry, Human Impact Grade: 7 - 8 Duration: 2 x 50 min
Ocean Literacy Principle: #1, #6
Who Can Harvest a Walleye?
This activity focuses on interactions within Earth systems and the effects of human activities as students build a biomass pyramid. This game shows how factors affecting lower sections of the food chain can affect higher levels as well. The pyramid in this game is a biomass type because it is based on the weight of the organisms in kilograms.
Subject: Ocean Biology, Human Impact Grade: 3 - 6 Duration: 45 min
Ocean Literacy Principle: #6