Science Activities & Curriculum

Looking for ways to bring CMOP science into your educational program? Here is a collection of activities and curricula that can help you get your students into environmental science and utilizing CMOP's data resources. Titles are arranged by the subjects they include.

Apretón en el hábitat: Una actividad divertida que demuestra cómo la pérdida de hábitat impactos poblaciones de salmónidos.

Coastal Hypoxia: An experiment that demonstrates how nutrient-driven algal growth influences dissolved oxygen levels. Espanol

DIY Niskin Bottle: Build a real oceanographic instrument you can use to take water samples from specific depths.

Drifters & Currents 1: Students study the structure, function and purpose of drifters -- oceanographic sensors that trace out the paths of currents. Based on this knowledge they design and build drifter prototypes, and use near-real-time data to draw conclusions about ocean currents.*

Drifters & Currents 2: Students study drifters -- oceanographic sensors that trace out the paths of currents. A simple field experiment is described, and an extension involving oil spills is also provided.*

Exploring Observing Systems: Explore the various parameters measured by ocean observing systems and become familiar with the websites which provide observing system data. Worksheet.

Explorando Sistemas de Observación del Océano: Explorar los diferentes parámetros medidos con sistemas de observación oceánica y familiarizarse con los sitios web que ofrecen la observación de los datos del sistema. Hoja de trabajo.

Habitat Squeeze: A fun activity that demonstrates how habitat loss impacts salmonid populations.

Hipoxia Costeras: Un experimento que demuestra cómo los nutrientes impulsado por el crecimiento de algas influye en niveles de oxígeno disuelto.

Marine Debris: Students sample plastic debris in the field and use the data to extrapolate environmental impacts of plastic on a river.*

Marine Models: Compiles a series of links and activity to introduce the basic concepts of modeling, and develops specific applications.*

Moon River: Demonstrates how classic physical equations, such as measuring the volume of water flowing through a pipe, can be applied to real-world situations. Teaches students how to predict the volume of water that will flow through the inlet of the Columbia River between high and low tides.*

Ocean Observatories: This activity exposes students to the characteristics, functions and benefits of having gliders as tools for ocean observation. Students investigate the movement of gliders by performing a simple simulation. *

Oil Eating Microbes: Students learn about oil-eating bacteria and the role they play in environmental remediation projects. This activity includes a long-term, controlled experiment to determine the role of environmental conditions on the rate at which oil is broken down. *

Oil Movement & Properties: With this activity, students will learn about and explore the processes associated with oil slicks in the marine environment. Utilizing an experimental approach, students will learn the dynamics of slick propagation and the role of dispersants in mediation efforts.*

Oil Spills: Students collaborate and share data with the class, creating a final product that interprets the connections between oil-spills and the human and natural communities in the Gulf of Mexico. Emphasis is placed on the costs of clean-up efforts, identifying the groups who will bear the burden of the economic impacts, and the relationship between government and private enterprise at all levels in relation to oversight and regulation.*

Oxygen Minimum Zones & Upwelling: Here, students learn how OMZ’s are influenced by patterns of upwelling and downwelling in two Eastern Pacific coastal zones – California / Oregon. Makes use of computers to access and analyze publicly available environmental data. *

Real-Time Data Collection: A presentation featuring many links to real-time data providers. Provides context and ideas to explore while utilizing these resources. *

Rivers to the Sea: Using scientific inquiry, students will use Voice Thread to communicate their observations about various physical components of a watershed.*

Shipworms: Students learn about shipworms as indicators of environmental health.

Vertical Density Gradients: What role do salinity and temperature play in coastal hypoxia? Espanol

Visualizing Ocean Observatory Data: A fun web-based tutorial that walks you through the creation of charts and graphs using CMOP's observational data.

* Denotes activities developed by the joint CMOP-MBARI EARTH workshop