NAMEPA

In this lesson, students learn about different types of symbiotic relationships between organisms and how those relationships benefit, have no effect on, or negatively affect certain organisms. Using the NAMEPA symbiosis cards, students will explore different symbiotic relationships between organisms and have to match their organism to its symbiont.

In this activity, students will complete a short research assignment on the behavior of light in the ocean, and use this information to make a visual representation of the different light zones in the ocean, and learn which wavelengths of light are able to penetrate to each depth.

In this lesson, students will be introduced to the parts of a ship and their correct names. Students will begin to understand the scientific principle of buoyancy and how the different parts of the ship are necessary to make the ship float. In the end, students will use the information obtained to create a ship out of aluminum foil that is capable of floating and carrying a “cargo.”

In this activity, students will create a food web by connecting organisms using yarn to represent energy transfer. Students then illustrate how species loss could impact the food web.

This lesson allows students to practice the scientific method. Students are presented with background information about marine debris – what it is, its origins, and current statistics. Students will engage in a brief discussion about its impacts. Afterward, students are given handouts to review the scientific process. Students are asked to come up with three research questions about the prevention or removal of marine debris. After instructor approval, the students choose one question and write

Students build a model showing how water flows through a system and evaluate different management practices to see how they might reduce the amount of marine debris that enters the marine environment. The models in this lesson could be used as a classroom demonstration or traditional lab investigation for students, depending on time efficiency of instructor and students. This lesson may also be shortened by showing students a pre-made model beforehand.

In this lesson, students are divided into groups and given a piece of property which they must decide whether to conserve or develop. Each property has a different set of characteristics that make it unique and important to the health of the ecosystem. All of the properties in this lesson are a part of the same watershed, as shown on the first map. Students need to determine what impacts their decision may have on the environment, the species in the surrounding area, and the local community. Th

In this interactive lesson, students will learn the specific chemical reaction that occurs when atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater. Students will create a physical model to describe the reaction and to demonstrate how increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the world’s oceans contribute to a decrease in average pH.

After a short PowerPoint presentation about disposable culture and marine debris that includes actual products (packaging, water bottles, etc.), students examine their own lives to see what they’re throwing away. Using the NAMEPA Trash Tracker form, students record their waste for two weeks (time may vary). The first week, students record the items they throw away without changing their normal behavior. The second week, students attempt to reduce the waste they throw away and compare their data

In this lesson, students will learn how to identify different types of clouds, and make a model of each type using cotton balls on a poster board. Students will learn how recognizing cloud types can help them make predictions about the short-term weather, and how this ability is useful to mariners who must be able to make decisions about safety based on environmental observations. Students will then use the charts/posters they have made to identify cloud types outside in the sky!

This lesson is a great visual for understanding how ocean acidification impacts seashells and the animals that create shells. This can be easily adapted for younger students by simplifying the science and strongly focusing on the visual components.

This lesson provides a hands-on way to introduce students to the challenges of underwater research. In groups, students will design and build underwater exploration vehicles from common household/craft materials, and then compete to see which group can successfully retrieve “undersea samples” from a model ocean (2 L bottle full of water) in the fastest time. In doing so, students will learn which shapes, sizes, and features work best to carry out this underwater task – and which don’t! This

After instructor presents the PowerPoint on marine debris and disposable culture, students examine and discuss data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Report from 2012 (also included in PowerPoint). After gaining a better understanding of types and volumes of waste discarded in the U.S. and how much of that is recovered, students get into groups and create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) designed to educate the public about single-use plastics and mitigating marine debris. The

This activity introduces students to the processes that break marine debris plastic down into small sizes: photodegradation and mechanical degradation. Students assess where particulates are suspended in the water column (premade plastic slurry). Next, the slurry is mixed into a tub of water that is designed to mimic seawater and students take samples to assess the amount, size, and type of the particulates. Students relate this activity to what they might actually find in the ocean. They will a

In this lesson, students will learn about the navigational concept of triangulation, wherein the approximate position of a vessel can be determined by using basic principles of geometry. Students will first work through a practice problem to grasp the concept and see the calculations, and will then use their math skills to determine the location of a model boat in relationship to three fixed “landmarks,” set up as a 3D model of the coastline.

Waste reduction and prevention is essential in mitigating marine debris. However, action needs to be taken to address the trash that has already accumulated in our oceans. This lesson plays on students’ creativity by asking them to design a machine that collects debris in the ocean without impacting wildlife.

Students are introduced to marine debris and participate in a role-playing exercise acting as beachgoers, seafarers (or crew members on a boat), homeowners, factory managers, or managers of a waste disposal company. Students discuss their role and how they can manage or prevent marine debris. Students then make a commitment to decreasing their plastic consumption by signing the NAMEPA Plastics Pledge.

This is a history lesson regarding the impact and the role canals have on the marine industry. Students will learn about canals, how they are constructed, how they work, and their economic impact on surrounding areas. Using this information, students will make a model of the Panama Canal as a class.

This activity is designed to show students that a change in ocean chemistry will likely make it more difficult for calcifying organisms to form their shells by limiting the amount of available calcium carbonate ions in seawater. During the first part of the activity, students create a structure out of several interlocking types of blocks. During the second part of the activity, one type of block will be made scarce, and students will rebuild their structures. The goal for each part of the activi

First, the class reads a short write-up about the research. Students analyze the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup data to make inferences about which countries documented the most amount of marine debris and the types of debris found/collected. Students also answer prompts about why some states or countries had much higher amounts of marine debris reported than others. Middle school students can do this part as a guided activity and will focus on the domestic data. High school s