These selected lessons were developed by scientists and educators to demonstrate key concepts about hydrothermal vents and underwater volcanoes. For more lessons, search the full OceanExplorer.NOAA.gov lesson archive.
Older lessons are aligned to the National Science Education Standards and newer lessons support the Next Generation Science Standards (and their associated Common Core Standards). All lessons from 2006 to the present also support the Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts . Note: The links provided in lessons are verified at the time of publication, but over time, may change or become obsolete.
Focus: Hydrothermal vent ecosystems (Earth Science/Life Science)
Students will explain the overall structure of hydrothermal vents and how they are related to the motion of tectonic plates, describe the process of chemosynthesis in general terms, contrast chemosynthesis and photosynthesis, describe the anatomy of vestimentiferans, and explain how these organisms obtain their food.
Read moreFocus: Hydrothermal vents (Physical Science)
Students will explain the overall structure of hydrothermal vents and how they are related to the motion of tectonic plates and will create a model of a hydrothermal vent.
Read moreFocus: Mud volcanoes (Earth Sciences)
Students describe mud volcanoes; contrast them with magma volcanoes; and explain how these structures, the Mariana Islands, and the Mariana Trench are related to the motion of tectonic plates.
Read moreFocus: Biochemistry of hydrothermal vents (Biology/Chemsitry)
Students will compare and contrast food web energy sources in hydrothermal vent and aerobic environments and will use models to explain the overall chemistry of autotrophic nutrition.
Read moreFocus: CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth profiler), ocean chemistry and hydrothermal vents (Physical Science)
Students will analyze and interpret data from NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to make inferences about the possible presence of hydrothermal vents. Students will explain how interaction with hydrothermal vents affects chemical and physical properties of seawater.
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Focus: Effects of temperature and pressure on solubility and phase state (Physical Science/Earth Science)
Students use conceptual models of matter to explain the effect of temperature and pressure on solubility and phase state and construct explanations for observed chemical phenomena around deep-sea volcanoes that are consistent with principles of solubility and phase state.
Read moreFocus: Chemosynthetic Communities, Hydrothermal Vents (Life Science)
Students explore the phenomenon: How can ecosystems survive without sunlight? and develop their understanding of chemosynthetic communities through student-sensemaking.
Read moreFocus: Hydrothermal Vent Chemistry (Earth Science/Chemistry/Mathematics)
Students will describe hydrothermal vents, identify changes that they cause to the physical and chemical properties of seawater, and use oceanographic data to recognize a probable plume from hydrothermal activity.
Read moreFocus: Volcanic processes at convergent tectonic plate boundaries (Physical Science/Earth Science)
Students analyze and interpret data to construct explanations for processes that form volcanoes at convergent tectonic plate boundaries and for the role of water in these processes.
Read moreFocus: Multibeam sonar (Physical Science/Earth Science)
Students will explain how multibeam sonar uses the properties of sound waves in water for scientific research about topography of the ocean floor. Students will 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. Students explore a seamount using free Fledermaus mapping software.
To supplement this lesson, the following activities describe how geographical and mapping data marry with expedition website data and selected interactive Fledermaus scene files from key discoveries:
Focus: Vailulu'u seamount ecosystems (Life Science/Earth Science)
Students will create physical models that illustrate changes in Vailulu'u seamount topography over time and use these models and other evidence to make inferences about the relationship between physical and biological components of Vailulu'u seamount ecosystems.
Read moreThe above items are only a selection of the educational materials highlighting hydrothermal vents and underwater volcanoes on our website.
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