Students will utilize Pacific Decadal Oscillation data, and Coho and Chinook Salmon data to explore the connection between salmon returns and water temperature.

Climate change is a topic we hear about every day, from increasing sea levels, warming oceans, and melting polar ice caps. But is climate change impacting our salmon populations? Students will utilize Pacific Decadal Oscillation data, and Coho and Chinook Salmon data to explore the connection between salmon returns and water temperature.

Topics

Authors

Dina DiSantis

Next Generation Science Standards

Crosscutting Concepts
  • Cause and effect
Core Ideas
  • ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
  • LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
Practices
  • Planning and carrying out investigations
  • Analyzing and interpreting data

Ocean Literacy Fundamental Concepts

  • 6.E: Humans affect the ocean in a variety of ways. Laws, regulations and resource management affect what is taken out and put into the ocean. Human development and activity leads to pollution (point source, non-point source, and noise pollution) and physical modifications (changes to beaches, shores and rivers). In addition, humans have removed most of the large vertebrates from the ocean.