Septentrio Educational

Introduction

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An introduction to the 16 interdisciplinary lesson plans and ideas about the ocean and connecting to it via the senses that make up this booklet. The booklet was developed as part of the Advancing Knowledge about Methane in the Arctic (AKMA) Project, which is also briefly presented here.

Functions of senses in learning

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Using various senses to process and store new information is a powerful way of exploring the natural environment for children, but also adults. Using senses through the sensory organs (the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin) makes the learning experience effective, meaningful and unforgettable. This is the most natural method that children use to learn each detail in their environment since they were born.

Exploring the Arctic deep-sea by color filters

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Focus:

To get to know some of the creatures in the deep-sea that use color and the lack of light to camouflage themselves.

Learning objectives:

With these TWO activities, we use vision to explore life forms in the deep sea which have adapted to extreme conditions. Through the activities, the pupils will also become familiar with some organisms well-hidden at the bottom of the ocean.

Key words:

Camouflage strategies, Deep sea ocean, Physical effects of light, Characteristics of sea lifeforms

Life from bad smells

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Focus:

To understand that hydrogen sulphide indicates that there is life at the bottom of the deep-sea.

Learning objectives:

With this activity, we create a nasty smell similar to hydrogen sulphide from rotting organic matter. We use that smell as a foundation for a discussion/lesson on interesting life, animals and food webs from the deep sea floor.

Key words:

Deep-sea, hydrogen sulphide, chemosynthesis, nematodes, tube worms, food webs.

Listen to the world around us

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Focus:

To take time to identify and recognize the sounds in the spaces around us.

Learning objectives:

With this activity, we will draw attention to our surrounding environment through listening. This can function as a stand-alone activity. However, you can also use it as a starting point before transferring the experience to deep- sea environments in the activity called “Cold Seeps Symphony”.

Key words:

Spatial awareness, listening, sound walk, noise pollution.

Cold seeps symphony

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Focus:

To listen to the Arctic Ocean’s sounds and to learn about the Arctic Ocean’s biodiversity, particularly near cold seeps. We will experiment with creating new sound expressions inspired by the Ocean. For pupils with hearing impairment, pupils can create a bodily expression of this and/or use instruments they are comfortable with.

Learning objectives:

With this activity pupils will start to understand:

The multitude of sounds audible in the Ocean and near to cold seeps at the sea-bed.
That the oceans, including the Arctic Ocean, harbors great biodiversity.
What an oceanographic ship is, and the anthropic sounds related to it.

Key words:

Ocean research, exploration, human/non-human relationship within ocean, sounds, place, noise.

The foraminifera boogie

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Focus:

To learn about foraminifera through practicing and presenting the song “The Foraminifera Boogie”. Pupils and teachers can also decide to play instruments along with the recorded soundtrack.

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will practice listening to one another and the music. They will learn lyrics and use their voices to sing the song. This can be combined with playing actual musical instruments or using instruments the pupils have made themselves (for example see the activity “Cold Seeps Symphony”). This activity brings together music with the scientific story of the Foraminifera.

Key words:

Ocean, researchers, little known beings in the Arctic Ocean, co-living of humans and non-human beings, planetary time.

A journey to a cold seep

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Focus:

Where are and what happens at cold seeps and how scientists study them.

Learning objectives:

After this lesson, students should be able to:

Relate different datasets by observing and describing scientific maps
Differentiate between carbon dioxide and methane gas
Clarify misconceptions about greenhouse gas
Explain what cold seeps are and why most gas/methane hydrates

occur at continental margins
Describe some of the methods scientists use to locate and study

methane/gas hydrates

Prerequisites:

Prior to this lesson, students should be familiar with understanding maps, molecular structure and bonding, and the greenhouse effect and gases.

Key words:

Arctic Ocean, Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Gas Hydrate, Cold Seep, Greenhouse Gases.

Where is the (ancient) ocean floor?

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Focus:

To understand that that the ocean floor is dynamic and changes through time. Sometimes it’s far away, and sometimes much closer than we think. But where is the ocean floor?

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will understand that we can find ancient ocean floors on land because of tectonic activity. NB: This will require prior planning and may not be possible if your school is too far from such tectonic formations.

Key words:

Sedimentation, sedimentary rocks, tectonics, Earth history.

How deep is the ocean?

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Focus:

To gain an appreciation of ocean depth using ideas of scale and physical education.

Learning objectives:

With these TWO activities, pupils will begin to understand (and feel) how deep the ocean can be in relation to their own size and height. They will get a feeling of the difference between height (above ground) and depth (in relation to water).

Key words:

Height, (ocean) depth.

Under pressure

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Focus:

To understand and feel how water pressure changes with depth.

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will recognize the relationship between water depth and pressure. Pupils will be able to reflect on how lifeforms in the deep sea might be affected by the high water pressures in their ecosystems.

Key words:

Depth, weight, pressure.

Arctic Ocean temperatures

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Focus:

To understand what water temperature is, and why it is important for life in the ocean. What factors influence water temperature (e.g., sunlight, solar radiation, heat transfer)?

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will learn that temperature is an important factor influencing water, water quality, and altering the physical and chemical properties of water.

Key words:

Temperature, solar radiation, heat transfer, changes & drivers, consequences.

Ocean floor diorama

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Focus:

To consolidate pupils' learning about the ocean floor in a creative and fun way. Through creating a diorama, the pupils will think about what the ocean floor looks like and what species live there.

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will design, classify, and find a place for all the elements and characters that compose the ocean floor and biodiversity that they have learnt about in class.

Sculpting micro-, meio-, and macrofauna

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Focus:

To appreciate the biodiversity of the Arctic Ocean and ocean floor, with a particular focus on lesser-known species. What kind of micro- meio-, and macrofauna (species) live on the ocean floor and what do they look like?

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will identify (one, two, or more) species living at or close to the Arctic Ocean floor and sculpt them using modelling clay. Through this activity, pupils will hopefully begin to understand difference between Arctic Ocean micro-, meio-, and macrofauna.

Key words:

Arctic ocean biodiversity, species, fauna.

Sculpting foraminifera

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Focus:

To appreciate the biodiversity of the Arctic Ocean and ocean floor, with a particular focus on lesser-known species like foraminifera.

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will identify (one, two, or several) foraminifera species living at or close to the Arctic Ocean floor and sculpt them using modelling clay.

Key words:

Foraminifera, Benthic, Planktonic.

Sedimentation

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Focus:

To understand the role of sedimentation in creating the unique conditions of ocean floor ecosystems.

Learning objectives:

With this activity, pupils will gain a basic understanding of how sediments in the ocean settle on the ocean floor (sedimentation) and what this looks like.

Key words:

Settling, sediment, terrigenous, pelagic.

Human impact: Plastic pollution

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Focus:

To comprehend that plastic pollution is a major problem and is having an impact on oceans everywhere. These impacts are seen on beaches and shorelines and all the way to the deepest places in the ocean.

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will gain an appreciation for the extent of plastic pollution in and around oceans. They will start to understand how plastic pollution can have a negative impact on life below the surface of the sea.

Key words:

Ocean pollution, plastics, microplastics.

Human impact: Ecological footprints

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Focus:

To understand the meaning of the human ecological footprint. Pupils will think about questions like how do our actions (e.g., research) affect the environment around us and, what can we do to reduce the human impact on the oceans?

Learning objectives:

In this activity, pupils will learn to develop an understanding of their relationship with the oceans and the marine environment and hopefully be inspired to turn their knowledge into action.

Key words:

Human impact, footprints, action.