Scientists have studied the physical properties of clouds and have developed instruments onboard satellites to characterize the types of clouds they see below. Some satellites have instruments that allow them to measure rainfall as well. For this lesson, students will hypothesize what types of clouds they believe will create the most precipitation (rainfall) over Nashville, TN. Students use the Live ... Full description.

The exercises presented in this paper are part of a "minds on" rather than a "hands on" approach. They are intended to complement "hands on" activities and introduce students to another aspect of scientific inquiry. The exercises require students to analyze large sets of real data, to evaluate the data critically, to observe patterns and anomalies, to make inferences and predictions based on the data, ... Full description.

In this exercise, students use online data, spreadsheets, and graphs to analyze tidal fluctuations at the Battery in New York. They will be asked to examine and compare the observed and predicted tides, and then make their own predictions. Full description.

In this activity, students will study data from satellite temperature images and underwater sensors (CTDs) to look for evidence of an upwelling off the coast of New Jersey. Based on their new knowledge, they will use real-time ocean data from the Coastal Ocean Observatory Laboratory (COOLroom) to create their own ocean weather forecast for the local newspaper. Students will discover that using the ... Full description.

In this lesson, students will investigate the South Atlantic Bight to discover what it is and how was it formed. As they investigate the Bight, students will sequence and model the events leading to the formation of the southeastern coast of the United States, examine what forces have changed the structure of this area over geologic time, predict what changes are yet to occur and how these changes ... Full description.

In this activity, students will use Moon and tide data from the internet to construct charts and answer questions about the patterns they see. They will be reminded that the Moon has something to do with ocean tides and will discover what the connections are. They will also discover when tides, moonrise and moonset, and phases of the Moon occur. Full description.

In this activity students design and execute an experiment through which they will learn the distinctions between density, buoyancy, and volume. Students are asked to imagine a staysail schooner loaded with mid-ocean ridge basalt as it floats in a swimming pool in Woods Hole. They must determine what will happen to the water level if all the basalt is dumped over the side into the pool. Posing an ... Full description.

This innovative course introduces undergraduate and graduate students in ocean science related majors to inquiry-based instructional strategies for communicating their passion for their subject area. These strategies, combined with college students' content knowledge and enthusiasm for sharing it, equip them to introduce ocean science to K-8 students and teachers in local schools. The site provides ... Full description.

This guide provides a brief introduction to the hydrologic cycle and related concepts. Users can choose from a set of links to pages which explain the distribution of water among the oceans, land, and atmosphere, and the mechanisms by which water is moved between its various sinks and sources. Full description.

Contour Basics is an exercise designed to introduce students to contour plots. The Contour Activity is a great on-line resource that starts slowly and increases in difficulty. It teaches students basic techniques for generating contours, introduces students to the subtleties of generating contour plots with sparse data, provides many opportunities for students to assess their own progress and understanding ... Full description.