Making Air Out of Oceans

In this two-part lesson, students will create a graph using data collected by scientists (Dr. Alex Worden and Dr. Amy Zimmerman) to test their predictions about the effects of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) on the abundance of phytoplankton (Ostreococcus) in the world’s oceans.  Students will then use a blank world and an interactive map database to make and analyze predictions about what parts of the world’s oceans are the most biologically productive. Throughout this activity, students will answer written prompts that ask them to think critically about the data they are working with and the larger processes they are analyzing.  This assignment can be done individually or in small groups.

Author: Megan O’Neill, Kathy Couchon, Katie Sard, Katie Lodes, Slade Sapora, Kama Almasi; EARTH 2015

Lesson Resources

• Lesson Plan
• Student Handout
• Phytoplankton Data Set