Resources: Lesson Plans, Media, and Collaborative Research
The extraction and transport of oil from near and off shore wells has been and will continue to be an environmental risk. Frequent small oil spills, urban run-off and naturally occurring oil seeps introduce oil into the ocean every day, however the Deepwater Horizon event during 2010 released unprecedented amounts of oil and chemical dispersants into the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists are still trying to assess the magnitude and impact of the event. Below are several links to information and activities about oil, the extraction of oil, oil spills and the impact on the environment.
The world we live in is increasingly characterized by data. In oceanography, the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and other efforts are spurring advances in sensor technologies and cyberinfrastructure that are changing the way oceanographers conduct research and share their results with the world. As we look to train the next generation of scientists, it is imperative that students have the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to collect, analyze and understand data.
The Aquarius mission is brimming with educational content that hits all four areas of STEM: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The design and engineering of the satellite, the science of ocean observing, the technical specifications for the mission and the importance of understanding global processes through data can all be illustrated using Aquarius as an example.
In this poster, NASA’s education and outreach team illustrates their multi-pronged approach to creating educational products and opportunities for educators to utilize information and data about Aquarius.
