The Best of COSEE Hands-On Activities offers ocean scientists simple, engaging, and easily accessible hands-on activities that will make your presentations to K-12 students, the public, or other non-science audiences more effective. This collection was gathered from across the COSEE Network, with each Center submitting their best hands-on activities.
Edward Maibach, M.P.H., Ph.D. and Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication (4C) lists five guiding principles in educating the public about the state of our oceans.
Hydrothermal vents are one of the most spectacular features on the seafloor. They form in places where there is volcanic activity, such as along the Mid-Ocean Ridge. Water seeps through cracks in the seafloor and is heated by molten rock deep below the ocean crust to as high as 400°C. The hot fluid rises to the surface and gushes out of the vent openings. This hydrothermal fluid carries with it dissolved metals and other chemicals from deep beneath the ocean floor. Ecosystems have been found thriving at these vents, relying on chemosynthesis rather than photosynthesis.
Frequently asked questions and answers about crude oil. Responses prepared by Dr. Sharon Walker, Director of Education and Outreach at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and COSEE Central Gulf of Mexico PI.
This bibliography was compiled by the NSF-funded COSEE Diversity Working Group and provides an overview of resources (organizations, policy documents, research studies, intervention studies, etc.) that relate to broadening participation in the sciences.
Contributed by COSEE-OS staff, this article addresses research and development of concept mapping techniques and related multimedia software by COSEE-OS. These tools, developed over the past three years, help scientists see and graphically display relationships among the concepts in their field, and help them communicate those concepts clearly and logically to educators and other scientists.
In the past year, COSEE-OS has run a series of model workshops that bring together teams of researchers and educators in order to synergistically improve communication of complex science topics using concept mapping and web-based tools. On January 29, 2010, at the University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center, a new pilot workshop was launched that challenged scientists and graduate students (as well as a few postdoctoral researchers) to open new lines of communication at the academic level.
NOAA/UAF. The mission of ACCAP is to assess the socio-economic and biophysical impacts of climate variability in Alaska, make this information available to local and regional decision-makers and improve the ability of Alaskans to adapt to a changing climate.
Bettina Kaiser, Editor. Ice is featured as one of six polar themes. The book provides an excellent summary of current sea ice research and understandings and includes teacher-tested hands-on science activities.
The COSEE-OS Concept Map Builder is a web-based tool that allows users to create customized concept maps linked to videos, images, news, and resources. The resulting maps can be exported as XML data or stored in our database for reuse or sharing with colleagues, students, and peers.
Oceanographers and fisheries scientists have organized multi-agency efforts to the address the question of how global climate change may affect the abundance and production of animals in the region of the South Atlantic Bight. Visit the COSEE SouthEast website to access a variety of links related to SAB research, monitoring, management, and more.
The University of New Hampshire's Coastal Ocean Observing Center is a system for monitoring the linked oceanic and estuarine ecosystem in our region. This monitoring system has the capability to detect changes in the ecosystem across multiple physical and trophic levels. The Center offers many education resources for download and an improved data access tool for obtaining buoy, boat, and satellite data.
Registry of Science Outreach Volunteers (ROV) - a partnership of schools, scientific institutions, businesses, and community resources, whose purpose is to support, promote, and expand science and technology education and science literacy in the participating Massachusetts communities of Falmouth, Mashpee and Bourne. The purpose of the ROV is to help local teachers and students connect with researchers or others in the community who have scientific knowledge that they would like to share in an educational setting.
The Oceans and Coast Community within the Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping seeks to provide access to clearinghouses, applications, information about the activities, programs, and committees that support the ocean and coastal community, and data needed for research, planning, and management of coastal and ocean resources (bathymetry, shoreline, sea floor mapping, habitat, landcover, seismic data, fisheries, and marine boundaries).
Since 2004 COSEE NOW has conducted an annual online scientist survey to gather data on the education involvement, practices and needs of scientists at current and future ocean observing systems. Their goal is to improve the exchange of data and teaching practices between scientists and educators. This report offers answers to: What do scientists think about coastal sciences education & outreach? Are they engaged? And, in what ways are they contributing?
The COSEE Coastal Trends Scientist-Educator Partnership immerses middle school and high school teachers in ocean science research experiences. Scientists and teachers conduct research and develop classroom resources based on the partnering work. Our program includes:
A residential week-long orientation that introduces teacher fellows to team members and provides some background on conducting science research
A six-week research experience in a science research facility
Extensive follow-up and support during the academic year
A comprehensive dissemination of fellowship products via the web and through hands-on workshops and conferences
This guide provides basic information for scientists who wish to engage in education and public outreach (EPO). Engaging in EPO can be an excellent way to address funding agencies’ requirements that proponents articulate the broader societal value of their research.
In this guide, EPO refers broadly to efforts to increase awareness and understanding of science. Audiences targeted by EPO can include students, teachers, children, adults, and just about any conceivable subset of these (e.g., economically disadvantaged youth, adult education instructors, museum visitors, parents, newspaper readers, high school students). Whether you are preparing a proposal or looking for tips to implement EPO effectively, this guide can help you recognize and contribute to high-quality EPO.
