Exploring salinity patterns is a great way to better understand the relationships between the water cycle, ocean circulation, and climate. In this mini lesson, students analyze sea surface salinity mapped plots created from the Earth System Data Explorer, paired with questions (and answers) from the Aquarius Mission. Credit: Aquarius Education
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In this mini lesson, students use in-water profiles of historical ocean data to analyze how sea surface salinity varies with depth.
Students examine satellite images of a recently formed island to identify areas of erosion and deposition.
Students explore albedo, sea ice, and the relationship between changing albedo and changing sea ice using data visualizations.
Students observe the surface temperatures of a variety of surface types found in a suburban environment.
In this activity, students make a claim about the cause of ocean currents and then develop a model to explain the role of temperature and density in deep ocean currents. This lesson is modified from "Visit to an Ocean Planet" Caltech and NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
This mini lesson engages students by watching a NASA video related to plant growth activity around the world using data from the NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP satellite and answering questions on these stability and change relationships.