MARE is a dynamic, inquiry-based science program at the Lawrence Hall of Science that transforms entire elementary and middle schools into laboratories for the exploration of the ocean. This whole school Ocean Immersion approach explores different marine environments through the disciplines of earth, life and physical science, as well as, language arts, music, mathematics and visual arts.
Eutrophication is becoming an increasing problem in many coastal regions of the world ocean. It is the process in which high nutrient run-off from land can lead to low-oxygen water environments. But it’s not a very easy concept to understand, as there are several steps in the process. The Rutgers University Cool Classroom design team developed this interactive to help students learn about the stages of eutrophication.
Rutgers University Coastal Ocean Observation Lab (RU COOL) deployed a remotely-controlled underwater robotic glider off the coast of Antarctica to test its capabilities in the harsh environment of the Southern Ocean. Robotic gliders swim up-and-down through the top 300 feet of the ocean for over a month at a time, collecting data on temperature, salinity, chlorophyll and more as they “glide” through the water.
RU COOL now has a fleet of over a dozen gliders that have been flown off the coasts of Hawaii, California, Liverpool, Florida, and New Jersey, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. This website provides real-time data, example questions for students, and a list of relevant resources on the Antarctica glider that you can incorporate into your lessons on climate (and climate change), icebergs, biomes, and marine biology.
This time of year, meteorologists across the country are being asked “Will we have a White Christmas this year?”
In this exercise, students use maps created by the National Weather Service to dtermine how often they can expect a White Christmas in the years to come.
Christmas Island (more properly called Kiritimati) lies near the Equator in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was discovered in 1777 on Christmas Eve by Captain James Cook. The Island served as a weather station and rest stop for planes traveling to the South Pacific during World War II and was the site of several nuclear bomb tests in the 1960s. Not only is the Island named for the Christmas holiday, but an adjustment to the International Date Line in 1995 means the island is now the first inhabited place on Earth to bring in the New Year.
The National Weather Service maintains a weather buoy off the coast of Christmas Island. For a quick activity, students can compare real-time weather data (i.e. air and water temperatures, wind speeds and presure) from Christmas Island with a second buoy closer to them. As an extension, students can choose several buoys from across the globe, looking at the differences in real-time data between each while trying to describe why those differences exist.
Classroom educators are invited to connect with scientists Alex and Elizabeth as they spend a summer in Antarctica (2008-2009). Community members will work to develop lesson plans and activities that can used to bring real Antarctic science to students, educating them on the importance of doing research in places like Antarctica to better understand ocean ecosystems and how the climate is changing.
Follow scientists in this excellent interactive website looking for life in the seemingly hostile hot springs of the Russian Far East. There are four units to explore: getting to Kamchatka by helicopter, following the scientists into the laboratory to collect data, find out why these studies help us understand the first signs of life on Earth, and find out how microbes leave their mark for millenia.
Microbes account for more than 90% of ocean biomass and constitute a hidden majority of life that flourishes in the sea. This site contains a variety of educational and supporting materials for students and teachers of microbiology.
Interactive maps of surface conditions can be clicked on this tool to create in-water profiles of salinity, temperature, or density. Sources include interpolated atlas data or actual measurements from the database.
