Teaching Module: pH Scale, Ocean Chemistry and Impact of Ocean Acidification on Marine Life

A set of hands-on laboratory activities that uses the pH scale to understand the changes in ocean chemistry due to increased carbon dioxide emissions. This module shows that increased ocean acidification has adverse effects on marine organisms.

Video Micro-lecture: Ocean Buffer Chemistry

A video micro-lecture that explains carbonate buffering in the ocean. It includes discussions on the changes in the chemical composition of the ocean caused by a higher concentration of dissolved CO2, ocean acidification and the resulting effect on ocean biota.

Reading: The Water Cycle

A reading that describes the impacts of climate change on the water cycle of Earth. This reading titled, ‘The Water Cycle and Climate Change’ by UCAR (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) Center for Science Education details the effects of climate change on the natural water cycle on Earth.

Students will learn how various processes of the water cycle, such as evaporation, precipitation, and cloud formation, are potentially affected by climate change. They will further understand how these changes in turn could exacerbate the impacts of global warming.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Describe the water cycle.
  2. List some of the ways how climate change can affect the weather.
  3. Discuss the water cycle and how it affects Earth’s climate. 

About the tool

Tool NameThe Water Cycle and Climate Change
DisciplineChemistry
Topic(s) in DisciplineEnvironmental Chemistry, Water Cycle, Biogeochemical Cycles, Hydrologic Cycle, Condensation, Evaporation, Evapotranspiration, Groundwater, Precipitation, Sublimation
Climate Topic Climate and the Hydrosphere; Climate and the Atmosphere
Type of tool Reading
Grade LevelMiddle School, High School
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byUCAR (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research) Center for Science Education
Hosted atUCAR Center for Science Education Website
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Classroom/ Laboratory Activity: Interactive Quiz on the Water Cycle

An interactive quiz about the Water Cycle. This  quiz by NASA’s Global Climate Change website allows students to test their knowledge about the natural water cycle and its role in Earth’s climate. 

Students will be quizzed on various aspects of the water cycle, including evaporation and precipitation. They will understand the connections between the various components of the water cycle and be introduced to some of the facts and figures associated with these components. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. Discuss the ‘Water Cycle’ and its components in the classroom. 
  2. Discuss how climate change can potentially affect the water cycle. 

About the tool

Tool NamePrecipitation and the Water Cycle
DisciplineChemistry
Topic(s) in DisciplineEnvironmental Chemistry, Water Cycle, Biogeochemical Cycles, Hydrologic Cycle, Condensation, Evaporation, Evapotranspiration, Groundwater, Precipitation, Sublimation
Climate Topic Climate and the Hydrosphere; Climate and the Atmosphere
Type of tool Quiz
Grade LevelMiddle School, High School
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byNASA’s Global Climate Change
Hosted atNASA’s Global Climate Change Website
Linkhttps://climate.nasa.gov/quizzes/water-cycle/
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Video Lecture: Thermodynamics and the Hydrostatic Equation

A video lecture titled, ‘The Hydrostatic Equation’ from the e-learning course, ‘Introduction to Atmospheric Science’ developed by C Balaji, IIT Madras, for National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), India. This video lecture introduces the hydrostatic equation and explains in detail the concept of ‘virtual temperature’ and its importance in thermodynamics. 

Students will learn about virtual temperature, impact of water vapour on virtual temperature, hydrostatic equation, impact of pressure on hydrostatic equation, and geo potential and its importance in thermodynamics.

A transcript of the lecture is also provided.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. What is ‘virtual temperature’?
  2. Given the virtual temperature of air is 298K and water vapour content is 1.5%, what is the actual temperature of air?
  3. What role does virtual temperature play in Earth’s Climate System?

About the tool

Tool NameLecture-11: The Hydrostatic Equation
DisciplinePhysics, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineAtmospheric Sciences, Atmospheric Physics, Virtual Temperature, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Hydrostatic Equation
Climate TopicClimate and the Atmosphere; Climate and the Hydrosphere
Type of toolVideo Lecture (50 mins)
Grade LevelUndergraduate, Graduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byC Balaji, IIT Madras
Hosted atNPTEL (https://nptel.ac.in/courses/119/106/119106008/)
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Reading: The climate in our hands – Ocean and Cryosphere

The Office for Climate Education (OCE) presents a Teacher’s Guidebook that aims to support teachers in carrying out various activities on climate change and the ocean and cryosphere in their classrooms, and targets students of ages 9 to 15. 

Visualization: pH Levels of Oceans and Atmospheric CO2

A visualization that allows students to explore changes in the pH levels of oceans for different levels of atmospheric CO2. It includes visualizations of CO2 concentrations corresponding to various emission scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Classroom/Laboratory Activity: Ocean Chemistry, Ocean Acidification, and Oyster Growth

A classroom/laboratory activity to learn about the pH of ocean water, explore the potential effects of climate change on ocean acidification, and understand the possible impacts of ocean acidification on marine organisms such as oysters.

Students will explore and analyze the relationship between the growth of oyster larvae and the chemistry of ocean water (aragonite saturation state) by plotting graphs for actual data from the Whiskey Creek Hatchery in Oregon, USA.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. If ocean water became more acidic, how might it affect oyster populations?
  2. What are the possible impacts of climate change on the chemistry of seawater?

About the Tool

Tool Name Ocean Acidification and Oysters Lab
Discipline Chemistry
Topic(s) in Discipline pH Scale, Acids and Bases, Acidification, Ocean Carbonate Chemistry, Seawater Chemistry, Aragonite Saturation State, Ocean Acidity
Climate Topic Climate and the Hydrosphere
Type of Tool Laboratory Activity
Grade Level High School, Undergraduate
Location North America
USA
Language English
Translation
Developed by Hilary Palevsky, UW Oceanography
Hosted at Program on Climate Change, College of the Environment, University of Washington
Link Link
Access Online, Offline
Computer Skills Intermediate

(Image credit: Program on Climate Change, College of the Environment, University of Washington)

Teaching Module: Biogeochemical Cycles and Climate Change

A teaching module that discusses the carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle. This reading by University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) describes the 2 cycles and details how the components are cycled through different parts of the Earth- atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere. 

Students will be introduced to biogeochemical cycles, the processes involved, and how the carbon and nitrogen cycles work. They will further understand how anthropogenic activities potentially alter the functioning of such cycles and how this contributes to climate change.

Use this tool to help your students find answers to: 

  1. What is the carbon cycle? Describe its components and processes.
  2. What is the nitrogen cycle? Describe its components and processes.
  3. Discuss how biogeochemical cycles influence Earth’s climate?

About the tool

Tool NameBiogeochemical Cycles
DisciplineChemistry
Topic(s) in DisciplineCarbon Cycle, Nitrogen Cycle, Sequestration, Capture and Storage, Sources and Sinks, Biogeochemical Cycles
Climate Topic Long-term Cycles and Feedback Mechanisms; Climate and the Atmosphere, Climate and the Biosphere; Climate and the Hydrosphere, Climate and the Anthroposphere; Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
Type of tool Teaching Module
Grade LevelMiddle School, High School
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish 
Translation
Developed byUniversity Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR)
Hosted atUCAR Website
LinkLink
AccessOnline
Computer SkillsBasic

Teaching Module: T-tests and Climate Data

A teaching module by Wendy Van Norden, University of Wisconsin, that makes the use of T-tests to analyse dataset to study seasonal ice cover over Lake Mendota, US, to understand how climate change has impacted ice cover over 160 years.

This teaching module will have the following outcomes:

  1. Students will learn the use of Excel through a guided-inquiry process of the statistical tool (T-test) for comparing change in seasonal ice cover data over time. 
  2. Students will be introduced to statistical terms such as probability, variance, uncertainty, standard deviation, mean and T-test. 
  3. Students will understand the difference between annual variability versus long-term trends.

Additionally, students will ​​learn to use and investigate the IPCC Likelihood Scale and apply it to their statistical results.

Use this tool to help students find answers to:

  1. What is a T-test?
  2. Using T-test for the given data, calculate the probability of ‘ice off’ date being earlier than in the previous decades.

About the Tool

Tool NameProbabilities, Uncertainties and Units Used to Quantify Climate Change
DisciplineMathematics and Statistics
Topic(s) in DisciplineProbability, Variance, Uncertainty, Standard Deviation, Mean, T-test, P-value
Climate TopicClimate Variability Record; Climate and the Hydrosphere
Type of toolTeaching Module
Grade LevelHighschool
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation 
Developed byWendy Van Norden
Hosted atCLEAN Website
Linkhttps://cleanet.org/resources/42682.html
AccessOnline/ Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Classroom/ Laboratory Activity: Using Isotopes to Measure Temperatures

A classroom/ laboratory activity titled, ‘From Isotopes to Temperature: Working With A Temperature Equation’ from Starting Point by Dorien McGee, University of South Florida, USA, that uses oxygen isotopic data from corals and sea water as a proxy for determining ocean temperatures.

This activity includes isotope and ocean temperature data in an Excel spreadsheet and a PowerPoint Presentation with detailed instructions and equations. It further includes questions that you may wish to use in your classroom to introduce different oxygen isotopes, methods of data collection and how isotopic data can be used to reconstruct average ocean temperatures.

Students will learn basic concepts in both Chemistry and Earth Sciences related to isotopes, isotopic ratios, and the temperature equation. 

Use this tool to help your students find answers to:

  1. Define ‘isotopes’.
  2. What can the ratio of oxygen isotopes found in corals tell us about the ocean temperature on a geological timescale?
  3. What does the correlation coefficient between oxygen isotopes and current ocean temperature tell us about the efficiency of using corals for statistical analysis?

About the Tool

Tool NameFrom Isotopes to Temperature: Working With A Temperature Equation
DisciplineChemistry, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in DisciplineIsotopes, Oxygen Isotopes, SMOW, Isotopic Ratios, δ18O, Correlation, Regression, Oceanography, Paleontology, Marine Geology
Climate TopicClimate and the Hydrosphere, Climate Variability Record
Type of toolClassroom/Laboratory Activity
Grade LevelUndergraduate
LocationGlobal
LanguageEnglish
Translation
Developed byDorien McGee, University of South Florida, USA
Hosted atStarting Point: Teaching Entry Level Geoscience
LinkLink
AccessOnline, Offline
Computer SkillsBasic

Teaching Module: The Impact of ENSO and Human Activities on River Hydrology (a case study of the Huanghe River)

A teaching module to learn about the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) by performing calculations and analyzing results for Tahiti and Darwin (Australia), and for the Huanghe River in China.