In part one of this two-part lesson students work in pairs to explore the effects of salinity on ocean stratification using a simple plastic shoebox-sized container in which they create a mini-ocean environment. Students will apply what they learn in the lab setting along with information gained in several online articles to a basic understanding of the Global Conveyor
The attached PowerPoint is an introduction to thermal stratification and turnover in lakes, and interpretation of temperature profile data. The stand-alone presentation can be used to complement a lesson in Earth Science.
Glaciers are slow-moving masses of ice that exist where more snow falls than melts. They occupy about 10% of the Earth’s land, mostly in Greenland and Antarctica. Here, glaciers can be as much as 2 miles thick and weigh more than millions of tons. As they move, glaciers can widen and deepen valleys, flatten forests and grind boulders
To learn about the effects of air pollution on Sea Ice. This can be a library/computer lab-based activity.
Procedure
Teacher:
1. Mix up a 3.5% solution of NaCl. Make enough "sea-ice" cubes for each pair of students
2. Make another class set of ice cubes with tap water. Leave the ice in the freezer until after the
A link to the Young Explores Grant and Program. Today, Young Explorers grants help cover field project costs for hard-working, passionate, creative individuals with great ideas. We focus on the disciplines we're known for, and also on emerging fields that matter most to understanding—and improving—the world we share.
As the homepage of the website describes, "The beauty of the Arctic, its precious and fragile nature, its critical role in maintaining a stable climate for the planet, and the rapid rate of change that is occurring there must all be conveyed to the general public. Here, through digital story telling, we put a human face on science, life, societies
Students will use marshmallows to simulate toxins in the environment. Concentrations of these toxins will be modeled and calculated as they bioaccumulate up the food chain. Methylmercury and POPs are substances that bioaccumulate in the Arctic food chain. OASIS scientists studied these in Barrow, Alaska. (See Ocean Atmosphere Sea Ice and Snow (OASIS) Project at www.polartrec.com)