Grade Level: 5-12
Focus: Information about NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer missions (Physical Science/Life Science/Earth Science)
Students use the Okeanos Explorer Atlas to obtain information about position and movement of NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, meteorological and oceanographic observations, and activities undertaken during specific cruises.
Grades 5–12
Focus: Meteorological and oceanographic (METOC) data, navigation data and exploration activities during the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition (Physical Science/Earth Science)
Students use the Okeanos Explorer Atlas to obtain information about position and movement of NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, meteorological and oceanographic observations, and activities undertaken during specific cruises.
Grade Level: 5-12
Focus: Multibeam sonar data and exploration activities during the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition missions (Earth Science)
Students describe multibeam sonar, explain why the velocity of sound in water must be measured before maps can be created with the Okeanos Explorer’s multibeam sonar system, discuss the advantages of multibeam sonar bathymetry compared to two-dimensional topographic bathymetry, and interpret three-dimensional multibeam data of underwater features mapped by the Okeanos Explorer. This activity is followed up with Okeanos Explorer Multibeam Sonar Supplemental Datasheet #1 for Cruise 12.02 (pdf, 924 KB) in which students interpret three-dimensional multibeam data of underwater features mapped by the Okeanos Explorer during the Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition.
Grade Level: 5-12
Focus: Multibeam sonar data interpretation (Earth Science)
Students interpret three-dimensional multibeam data of underwater features mapped by the Okeanos Explorer during the Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition.
Focus: CTD data and exploration activities during the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition (Physical Science/Earth Science)
Students define "CTD" and explain how this instrument is used aboard the Okeanos Explorer; explain how relationships between temperature, salinity, pressure, and density in seawater are useful to ocean explorers; and use data from the Okeanos Explorer to create and interpret graphs of temperature, salinity, and depth. This activity is followed up with Okeanos Explorer CTD Supplemental Datasheet #1 for Cruise 12.02 (pdf, 956 KB) in which students interpret CTD data collected by the Okeanos Explorer during the Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition.
Grade Level: 5-12
Focus: CTD data interpretation (Earth Science)
Students interpret CTD data collected by the Okeanos Explorer during the Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition.
Focus: ROV imagery and exploration activities during the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition (Earth Science)
Students will describe typical applications and limitations of imagery obtained with ROVs, demonstrate how lasers may be used to calibrate images for size and distance measurements, and analyze ROV imagery from the Okeanos Explorer to make inferences about deep-ocean habitats and organisms. This activity is followed up with Okeanos Explorer ROV Imagery Supplemental Datasheet #1 for Cruise 12.02 (pdf 837 KB) in which students interpret ROV imagery collected by the Okeanos Explorer during the Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition.
Grade Level: 5-12
Focus: ROV imagery interpretation (Earth Science)
Students interpret ROV imagery collected by the Okeanos Explorer during the Gulf of Mexico 2012 Expedition.
The following lessons are included in the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection Volume 2: How Do We Explore?
Grade Level: 5-6
Focus: Telepresence and communications for ocean exploration
Students identify the basic requirements for human communication; describe at least three ways in which humans communicate; discuss the importance of scientific communication; and explain the concept of telepresence, how it is implemented aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, and how it is used to increase the pace, efficiency, and scope of ocean exploration.
Grade Level: 5-6
Focus: Telepresence and communications for ocean exploration
Students identify the basic requirements for human communication; describe at least three ways in which humans communicate; discuss the importance of scientific communication; and explain the concept of telepresence, how it is implemented aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, and how it is used to increase the pace, efficiency, and scope of ocean exploration.
Grade Level: 5-6
Focus: Measuring physical properties of seawater for ocean exploration
Students define “CTD” and explain how this instrument is used aboard the Okeanos Explorer; define salinity and density; explain how relationships between temperature, salinity, and density in seawater are useful to ocean explorers; and use data from the Okeanos Explorer to create and interpret graphs of temperature, salinity, and depth.
Grade Level: 7-8
Focus: Bathymetric mapping
Students explain the advantages of multibeam sonar, and its role in the exploration strategy used aboard the Okeanos Explorer; and use data from the Okeanos Explorer to create a bathymetric map.
Grade Level: 7-8
Focus: Use of Robotics for Ocean Exploration
Students discuss the importance of robotic vehicle technology to the ocean exploration strategy used aboard the Okeanos Explorer; discuss how information from underwater robots about biological and geological features is relevant to the concept of biodiversity; and demonstrate a process for analyzing video data from the Okeanos Explorer’s underwater robot.
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Multibeam sonar
Students explain how multibeam sonar uses the properties of sound waves in water for scientific research about topography of the ocean floor; and analyze and interpret multibeam sonar data using free iview4D software to identify patterns in the distribution of seafloor features that contribute to scientific research about large-scale interactions in Earth’s systems.
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Use of CTD data in ocean exploration
Students describe and explain redox potential and optical backscatter, and how these parameters are related to deep-sea ecosystems and geologic features; and analyze data from CTD casts aboard the Okeanos Explorer for the presence of anomalies.
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Image analysis
Students describe typical applications and limitations of imagery obtained with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs); demonstrate how lasers may be used to calibrate images for size and distance measurements; and analyze ROV imagery from the Okeanos Explorer to make inferences about deep ocean habitats.
The following lessons are included in Lessons from the Deep: Exploring the Gulf of Mexico's Deep-Sea Ecosystems Education Materials Collection
Grade Level: 5-6
Focus: Deep-sea habitats (Life Science)
In this activity, students will be able to describe major features of cold-seep communities, list at least five organisms typical of these communities and infer probable trophic relationships within and between major deep-sea habitats. Students will also be able to describe the process of chemosynthesis in general terms, contrast chemosynthesis and photosynthesis, and describe major deep-sea habitats and list at least three organisms typical of each habitat.
Grade Level: 7-8
Focus: Biological organisms in cold seep communities (Life Science)
Grade Level: 7-8
Focus: Biology and ecology of Lophelia corals (Life Science)
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Chemosynthetic bacteria and succession in chemosynthetic communities (Chemistry/Biology)
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Deep-sea corals and hydrocarbon seeps (Life Science/Earth Science)
Grade Level: 5-6
Focus: Benthic invertebrates that produce pharmacologically-active substances (Life Science)
Grade Level: 7-8
Focus: Bioassays (Life Science)
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Quantifying biological diversity (Life Science)
In this activity, students will be able to discuss the meaning of biological diversity and will be able to compare and contrast the concepts of variety and relative abundance as they relate to biological diversity. Given abundance and distribution data of species in two communities, students will be able to calculate an appropriate numeric indicator that describes the biological diversity of these communities.
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Pharmacologically-active chemicals derived from marine invertebrates (Life Science/Chemistry)
In this activity, students will be able to identify at least three pharmacologically-active chemicals derived from marine invertebrates, describe the disease-fighting action of at least three pharmacologically-active chemicals derived from marine invertebrates, and infer why sessile marine invertebrates appear to be promising sources of new drugs.
Grade Level: 5-6
Focus: Importance of deep ocean exploration (Life Science/Earth Science)
(from the INDEX-SATAL 2010 Expedition)
Students describe at least three different deep ocean ecosystems; explain at least three reasons for exploring Earth’s deep ocean; and explain at least three ways that deep ocean ecosystems may benefit humans.
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Technology for deep ocean exploration: CTD (Chemistry/Earth Science)
(from the INDEX-SATAL 2010 Expedition)
Students describe typical effects of hydrothermal vents, volcanoes, and cold seeps on chemical and physical parameters of seawater; explain how oceanographers can use CTD data to locate these geologic features; and analyze data from CTD casts for the presence of anomalies.
Grade Level: 9-12
Focus: Technology for deep ocean exploration: Remotely Operated Vehicles (Earth Science/Physical Science)
(from the INDEX-SATAL 2010 Expedition)
