EARTH
Stranded…How You Can Help!
Students will learn what marine mammal stranding is, how to read and interpret data to determine where and why strandings are occurring, and create a PSA to raise awareness about proper response to strandings. The data used in this lesson was provided by the Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network. This lesson can also be adapted […]
Hatch a Tag
Much of the data available to students wanting to understand marine biology requires understanding why, where and how animals are observed. This lesson will serve to create this baseline and introduce students to real datasets. Students will discuss what data they would want to get from animals in the wild. They will work as groups […]
Climate Change Impacts on Animal Populations
Summary: Around the world and throughout history, humans have impacted the Earth and its animal populations. Students will read and interpret scientific and math data involving animal populations, habitat temperature change, as it correlates to the Co2 changes from the impact of the Industrial Revolution. We attempted to include many different standards from different content […]
Why are the Humpbacks Hanging Out?
Scientists doing recent cetacean research around the Antarctic Peninsula have noticed that the Humpbacks whales are staying about a month longer along the Western Peninsula. Students will be asked to come up with a hypothesis for why the whales are staying longer. Then, students will look at and analyze the scientists’ whale tagging data. Students […]
Microplastics – A Major Problem?
Students will analyze data collected from an actual research excursion in Antarctica. Students will apply knowledge learned about ocean currents, gyres, and garbage patches, to make inferences about the presence of microplastics in Antarctica. Students will address the problem of microplastics and design a solution on a school level to raise awareness of the threat […]
Collecting and Comparing Microplastics on the Gulf Coast
This investigation will focus on the impact microplastics are making on the Gulf Coast. Water and sediment/sand samples will be collected at specific locations along the Gulf Coast and analyzed for microfibers, micro-fragments, and microbeads. Students will be comparing the amount of microplastics in each location, the type of microplastics in each location, and the areas […]
More Plastic than Fish
Students will analyze data using statistics to connect human population to the amount of as well as the types of microplastic found in the ecosystems of Antarctica, the Gulf of Mexico and a local fresh water source in order to create a Public Service Announcement to influence their community to reduce the use of plastics.
About MBARI
Research programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) encompass the entire ocean, from the surface waters to the deep seafloor, and from the coastal zone to the open sea. The need to understand the ocean in all its complexity and variability drives MBARI's research and development efforts.