NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection -
Volume 2: How Do We Explore?
Volume 2 of the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection - How Do We Explore? begins with an introductory section that sets the stage for the exploration strategy of the Okeanos Explorer. The book is divided into sections based on the modern exploration tools used aboard the ship: telepresence, multibeam sonar, water column investigations and underwater robots. Some of these lessons have been adapted from lessons previously developed for various NOAA Ocean Explorer expeditions, while others have been created specifically for the Okeanos Explorer education initiative. Whenever possible, hands-on activities are included that involve manipulations other than paper-and-pencil exercises or Web-based research. The reason for doing this is that field science, and exploration in particular, depend heavily upon technology and problem-solving skills needed to create, use, and advance new technology.
Each lesson in this volume is correlated with A Framework for K-12 Science Education in preparation for the Next Generation Science Standards, and also with the Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts. These correlations do not necessarily mean that a particular lesson fully develops the correlated standards, principles, or concepts. Rather, correlations indicate that an educator may use the information in the lesson as a context or point of departure for addressing those standards.
Lessons also include links to other relevant lesson plans from the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, as well as the Ocean Explorer Web site. Educators who use the Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection should regularly check the Okeanos Explorer Education section for the latest information about new education offerings and professional development opportunities.
Book Version
PDF of the entire How Do We Explore? book (8.5 Mb)
PDF files of Individual Lessons
Please note that while each of the following lessons is targeted toward a specific grade level, most can be adapted for use in other grades as well.
Introduction
How Do We Explore? Introduction
This section includes: Table of Contents, An Introduction from the NOAA OER Director of Education, and an Overview of the Collection by the How Do We Explore? Lesson Developer.
Section 1:
Introduction to Volume 2: How Do We Explore?
Introduction
Video Introduction to the How Do We Explore collection
Lesson 1: To Explore Strange New Worlds(Grades 5-12)
Focus: Strategies for exploring unknown areas on Earth
Students explain how the exploration strategy used aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer determines the structure and function of the ship’s exploration technologies; how science, engineering and technology influenced exploration strategies of the Lewis and Clark and HMS Challenger Expeditions; how fractal geometry can be used to model patterns in natural systems; and how fractal geometric models can be used to explain how scale influences requirements for ocean exploration technologies.
Section 3:
Multibeam Sonar
Introduction to Multibeam Sonar
Video Introduction to Multibeam Sonar
Lesson 3: Wet Maps (Grades 5-6)
Focus: Bathymetric mapping
Students analyze and interpret data to explain how multibeam sonar is used to identify patterns of ocean floor structures; contruct three-dimensional maps; and understand how multibeam sonar technology extends the measurement and exploration capacity of modern ocean exploration. Addendum: Blank Wet Maps Graph, pg 62
Lesson 4: Mapping the Deep-ocean Floor (Grades 7-8)
Focus: Bathymetric mapping
Students analyze and interpret data from the Okeanos Explorer to explain how multibeam sonar is used to identify patterns of ocean floor structures; and how multibeam sonar technology extends the measurement and exploration capacity of modern ocean exploration.
Lesson 5: Watching in 3-D (Grades 9-12)
Focus: Multibeam sonar
Students explain how multibeam sonar uses the properties of sound waves in water for scientific research about topography of the ocean floor; and analyze and interpret multibeam sonar data to identify patterns in the distribution of seafloor features that contribute to scientific research about large-scale interactions in Earth’s systems.
Section 4:
Water Column Investigations
Introduction to Water Column Investigations
Video Introduction to Water Column Investigations
Lesson 6: What’s a CTD? (Grades 5-6)
Focus: Measuring physical properties of seawater for ocean exploration
Students explain how a CTD is used aboard the Okeanos Explorer to reveal patterns that help ocean explorers answer questions about the natural world; and analyze and interpret data from the Okeanos Explorer to make inferences about relationships between density, salinity, temperature, and pressure in seawater.
Lesson 7: The Oceanographic Yo-yo (Grades 7-8)
Focus: Ocean chemistry and hydrothermal vents
Students analyze and interpret data from the Okeanos Explorer to make inferences about the possible presence of hydrothermal vents; and explain how interaction with hydrothermal vents affects chemical and physical properties of seawater.
Lesson 8: A Quest for Anomalies (Grades 9-12)
Focus: Use of CTD data in ocean exploration
Students explain how properties of redox potential and optical backscatter are related to deep-sea ecosystems and geologic features; and analyze and interpret data from the Okeanos Explorer to detect potential anomalies.
Section 5:
Underwater Robots
Introduction to Underwater Robots
Video Introduction to Underwater Robots
Lesson 9: Invent a Robot! (Grades 5-6)
Focus: Engineering Design
Students explain how underwater robots are used in scientific exploration to gather data and help answer questions about the natural world; and design and optimize potential solutions for an ocean exploration problem.
Lesson 10: What Little Herc Saw (Grades 7-8)
Focus: Use of robotics for ocean exploration
Students explain how robotic vehicle technology is used to extend the exploration capacity of scientific investigations aboard the Okeanos Explorer; discuss how information from underwater robots about the variety of biological and geological conditions in marine ecosystems is relevant to the concept of biodiversity; and analyze and interpret video data from the Okeanos Explorer’s underwater robot to make inferences about environmental interactions of organisms in deep-sea ecosystems.
Lesson 11: Through Robot Eyes (Grades 9-12)
Focus: Image analysis
Students explain how robotic vehicle technology is used to extend the exploration capacity of scientific investigations aboard the Okeanos Explorer; use mathematics and computational thinking to show how lasers may be used in scientific investigations to calibrate images for size and distance measurements; and analyze and interpret video data from the Okeanos Explorer’s underwater robot to make inferences about environmental interactions of organisms in deep-sea ecosystems.
Resources & Standards
Resources
This section provides lists of resources and links associated with each topic area.
Standards Correlation Matrix
This matrix provides correlation of all How Do We Explore lessons to the Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts and to the K-12 Framework for Science Education in preparation for the Next Generation Science Standards.
Appendix A
Appendix A describes how the Okeanos Atlas can be used to obtain information about:
- The location and movement of the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during a specific cruise;
- Meteorological and oceanographic (METOC) observations made during the cruise; and
- Details about exploration activities undertaken during the cruise.
Appendix B
This appendix explores the NOAA Ocean Explorer OceanAGE web presence which is a unique online educational resource that enables
users to learn more about a variety of ocean careers available to those interested in work on or in the ocean.
How Do We Explore? Online Professional Development
For more information and video introductions on Telepresence, Multibeam Mapping, Water Column Exploration and Underwater Robots, visit the online professional development offerings for How Do We Explore?, archived here.
For More Information
Contact:
Paula
Keener
Education Director
NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
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