HS Marine Biology Series; Environmental Conservation and Diverse Marine Habitats
From the Black Sea to deep-sea coral reefs, students will explore unique marine habitats such as kelp forests and learn about nutrient pollution, environmental degradation, marine waste, and ecosystem development and conservation.
Mrs. Atwood
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(267)
What's included
4 pre-recorded lessons
average 32 mins per video4 weeks
of teacher support2 hrs 7 mins
total video learning hours1 year access
to the contentHomework
1-2 hours per week. Each week the students will be provided with a recording to listen to as well as assigned weekly readings and a discussion question that students will be required to respond to. Students may also complete the questions in the Nearpod lessons while they are watching the recording for the week. This will help to them to reinforce the concepts presented in the lessons. Each student will also be provided with their own individual login to Ck-12, which is a site I will be using to provide additional assignments for the students. This site is designed for students to work at their own pace.Assessment
Understanding of the weekly concepts is assessed by completion of the discussion questions, in addition to, participation in the Nearpod lessons. In Ck-12 students can access supplemental materials such as readings, videos, and interactives. Quizzes in Ck-12 are offered as a way to gauge student understanding of the optional lessons given in Ck-12. This class is designed to best suit each student individually, therefore, if a student would like more reading materials or other ways to gauge student understanding, then I can provide that. Families can also use all of the recordings, discussions, the project, and reading materials the way that they see works best for their student(s).Grading
Grades, progress reports, or a certificate of completion can be given if requested by the learner or parent.Class Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Have you ever wondered about the magical world of animals and organisms that exist in our aquatic environment? Dive into the world of sea turtles, fishes, corals, sharks, and many others in an exploration that will take students into the world full of amazing creatures. Explore areas such as the Great Barrier Reef and learn about the multitude of species of aquatic life that exist. Students will learn about coastal ecology and conservation, which will include exploring conservation groups and how they are helping to protect and conserve organisms. We will also study the biological impacts of climate change and how it affects marine organisms such as corals, fish, polar bears, walruses, sea lions, penguins, and sea birds. Learn about the life cycles and different habitats of underwater organisms and what makes them so amazing and extraordinary. Also, get an introduction into why some species are at risk for extinction and what can be done to protect them. In this four-week class, students will have the opportunity to explore the marine environment in areas throughout the world. Students will learn about how the different environments are home to amazing animals, organisms, and plant species and how the effects of pollution, unsustainable development, and our growing human population is affecting them. Students will work with Nearpod, an interactive software program that allows students to participate in discussion boards, answer short quizzes, and watch interactive videos that pertain to course material. There are no pre-requisites for this course, just a love for animals and the environment. Students will also work with CK-12 an interactive learning platform, that allows students to answer practice tests, read articles, and work in interactive textbooks. Assignments will be assigned on this platform weekly. Each student will be provided with their own login information to access their assignments and readings, which the teacher will set up.
Learning Goals
Students will develop an understanding of the structure, growth, development, and species diversity of deep-sea coral reef systems and kelp forests.In exploring unique marine habitats such as the Indian Ocean and the Black Sea, students will learn about marine waste and environmental degradation, while exploring conservation efforts underway to protect these unique marine ecosystems.
Syllabus
4 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
The Indian Ocean
In this lesson, students will learn about the unique environment of the Indian Ocean. Students will learn how atmospheric pressure in combination with counterclockwise currents has made this extraordinary ecosystem so dynamic. In addition, students will also be provided with an introduction to how marine life in the Indian Ocean has been influenced by its purpose as a major sea route of multiple continents. 27 mins of video lessons
Lesson 2:
The Black Sea
In this lesson, students will learn about the fascinating Black Sea! We will discuss the many unique qualities of this environment, from the anoxic water and absence of oxygen to the variety of species that have unique adaptations to inhabit these waters. Additionally, students will learn about the environmental degradation that has impacted the Black Sea from eutrophication derived from nutrient pollution, as well as ongoing issues of marine litter from this body of water being vital in trade. 1 assignment
40 mins of video lessons
Lesson 3:
Deep-Sea Coral Reefs
In this lesson, we will explore the unique world of deep-sea coral reefs! Students will learn about the structure, habitat, and growth of these unique species of coral that can thrive with minimal exposure to sunlight. We will discuss the many different varieties of deep water corals, some of the conservation efforts underway to preserve these fragile ecosystems, and learn about their important role in maintaining an ecosystem and overall ocean health. 30 mins of video lessons
Lesson 4:
Kelp Forests
In this lesson, students will learn about the kelp forest ecosystem! We will discuss the structure, ecosystem dynamics, species diversity, threats to the kelp forests and management, as well as the important role kelp forests play in maintaining coastline environments and supporting a large array of aquatic organisms. 30 mins of video lessons
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This class utilizes the third-party tools Nearpod and Ck-12 Flexbooks. The students do not need to share any personal information in order to use the material for these particular tools, the teacher generates the login information from her own personal account and shares them with the students.
For the research project, students may need to research information for their projects online. Parental guidance when using the internet is advised.
I take Sundays off to spend with my children, so I may not reply to students' emails until the following Monday if emails are sent past 8 pm EST on Saturday. I may not see these emails until Monday.
Pre-Requisites
Any lesson materials or readings will be provided by the instructor, there are no materials required to purchase.
Supply List
Any relevant links to resources will be provided by the instructor, there are no materials required to purchase.
Language of Instruction
English
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, NOAA, various scientific articles from Nature, Science Direct
Joined September, 2017
4.8
267reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
My entire life I wanted to explore the ocean and the environment. I have always had a great appreciation for the processes that are not completely understood and the unknowns that have yet to be discovered in the environment. In the beginning of my professional career in research, I worked as a naturalist on a whale watch boat and as a laboratory technician working on environmental clean up projects such as water and land pollution. Then I moved into my dream job of being a research chemist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in marine & geochemistry where I was able to be in the foundation of the research community and learn from many amazing scientists & researchers who devoted their life to exploring the mysteries of the environment as well as protecting the animals and organisms living in it. For me, working as a student mentor with graduate and post graduate students, made this experience one I will always cherish. As a teacher, I want my students to be excited about what they are learning and with my background in research, I will work extra hard to make sure that if there is an aspect of a topic that a student is interested in, I will make every effort to alter my lessons to include those topics.Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$12
weekly4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
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Ages: 13-18
