Students connect with scientists from the Nautilus Exploration Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to analyze the oceanic and atmospheric processes that influence and modify climate. Watch students track drifting buoys to gather ocean data and see how scientists use sophisticated computer-modeling systems to predict the effects of climate change. Through labs, articles, and videos, students will gain a foundational knowledge of how Earth’s ocean and climate are interrelated.
Climate — Seas of Change: Ocean Systems, Climate, Models
Explore earth science through the timely topic of climate change.
Expedition 1: Earth’s Ocean System — Beneath the Blue
Students join oceanographer Dr. Katy Croff Bell on board the Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus to explore Earth’s ocean from shoreline to deepest trench, and begin to investigate the effects the ocean and Earth’s climate have on each other. Through hands-on experiments, articles, videos, and games, students learn how to use technology and their understanding of the basic properties of water to explore Earth’s ocean.
Target Audience:
Grades 4-12
Examples of Key Vocabulary
Mid-ocean ridge, continental ridges, abyss, sea level, continental margin, salinity, turbidity, pH and balance, density, heat capacity, thermal expansion, circulation, currents
Relevant Games:
Climate Vocab Challenge- Expedition 1
Expedition 2: Climate Connections — Drift and Flow
Students hop aboard the NOAA Research Vessel (R/V) Shearwater and work alongside climatologists Dr. Diane Stanitski and NOAA Commander John Adler to analyze data from drifting buoys, in order to better understand the role ocean currents play in Earth’s climate. In this expedition, students exploring unique environments and gather critical data to better understand how Earth’s climate is changing through experiments, articles, videos, and games.
Target Audience:
Grades 4-12
Examples of Key Vocabulary
Heat transfer, The Greenhouse Effect, air pressure, surface currents, climate variability, weather vs climate, El Niño
Relevant Games:
Climate Vocab Challenge- Expedition 2
Mission 3: Climate Change — Models and Decisions
Students join climate scientist Dr. James Hack as he demonstrates how some of the world’s most advanced supercomputers are used to run climate models made to study the causes and potential long-term effects of climate change. The Earth’s atmosphere is home to many factors that heavily affect the planet’s warming and cooling. In this expedition, students explore both cooling and warming periods in Earth’s history and with this knowledge learn to model thousands of years of Earth’s climate history and future.
Target Audience:
Grades 4-12
Examples of Key Vocabulary
Global warming, sunspots, ice age, climate model, fossil fuel, snowball Earth
Relevant Games:
Climate Vocab Challenge- Expedition 3
Videos
45-minutes of videos introduce students to key science concepts through the work of JASON Host Researchers and National Argonauts. Video segments are seamlessly woven throughout the curriculum, offering a window into the exciting world of research and exploration.
Digital Labs and Games
Digital labs allow students to explore the work of Climate: Seas of Change through interactive online games. Digital labs cover topics from the curriculum such as volcanic eruptions, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), Earth systems, and energy transfer.
