Climate change

3. Ocean warming

LESSON1- global warming and ocean

Goals

-understand how rising water temperatures influences sea levels
-understand how oceans store heat
-understand how ocean currents can be affected by global warming

 Subject

Earth Science, Physics

Students age 

14-18 y

Description

Activity1 (1h) :
The ocean covers 70% of Earth's surface and plays a starring role in whatever happens with
the environment. One big part of its role is to soak up energy (heat) and distribute it more
evenly around the Earth. Another part is to soak up CO₂.
Students are asked if our ocean affects the climate and how.
After research and experiments the conclusion is
-Way up north, cold water in the North Atlantic ocean sinks very deep and spreads out all around
the world. The sinking water is replaced by warm water near the surface that moves to the north.
-The amount of salt in the ocean water also affects currents. Saltier water is heavier than less salty
water.
Activity2 (2h) :
Our ocean absorbs more than 90% of the heat trapped by human-produced greenhouse gases. This extra-heat causes the sea leavel to rise, because of the thermal expansion and because the extra heat causes the melting of ice sheets and glaciers on land. ( see melting glacier experiment here)
Lab.activity2                              Heat experiment
                                                     S.A. resources

Activity3 (2h) :
Global average sea level has risen nearly 20 cm over the past 100 years.
The rate in the last two decades, however, is nearly double that of the last century (3.4mm per year
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution,the extra-heat generated an increase of about 0,1°C of the ocean temperature
Lab.activity3                             S.A. resources
Conseguences :
Extreme events
Declining ice sheet                                                 Essay
Biodiversity loss
Coral bleaching

LESSON2- graphing sea level trends with NASA Data

Based on Classroom activity from www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/graphing-sea-level-trends/

Lesson plan2                                  Worksheet

LESSON3- Highways of the oceans