VHS Catalog 12-13

Course Title:
Oceanography Section MC
Course Code:
anochacl
MA NCES Code:
03049
Discipline:
Science - General
Grade Level:
09, 10, 11, 12
Level:
Honors
Offering:
Fall Only (Fall: 25 Seats; )
Duration:
15 weeks
Prerequisites:
It is strongly recommended that students have a working knowledge of basic Algebra, Geometry and Trigonometry.
There is no media kit for this class. Students will be expected to provide “kitchen science equipment” such as a clear plastic container, food coloring, aluminum foil, paper towels, etc.
Additional Requirements:
Accredited by:
Certified by NCAA for initial-eligibility (VHS School Code: 221356); Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools; Northwest Accreditation Commission
Course Requires a Media Kit to be Shipped to Students:
No
Course Requires a Media Kit to be Purchased by Course Sponsor
(see additional details below):

No
Description:
"There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew." Marshall McLuhan.

Students will board the USS Cyber, a virtual oceanographic research vessel modeled after the flagship of NOAA's fleet for a sail that begins in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and ends in the Gulf of Alaska. As the crew of the ship, students will perform scientific experiments and collect data that will teach them about the geology, chemistry, and physics of the ocean. From the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia to the Caribbean and the Californian coast, from the coral reefs to the extreme hydrothermal vent communities, students will make observations about the sea's ecosystems and the sometimes-unexpected life within them. Students are expected to participate fully as members of the expedition. If you've ever wondered what it might be like to go to sea, pack your bags, and join us.

This is an honors level survey course covering the basics of physical oceanography and marine biology presented in a fun and engaging format. Prospective students need to be self-motivated, willing to work in a team environment and have previously been enrolled in honors level science courses. Individual assignments, topical discussions, group projects and regular reading checks take the place of traditional tests. In lieu of a midterm or final exam, students will be expected to complete a major individual project each term. The weekly assignments often rely on a multimedia component. In addition, students will be expected to access and analyze real oceanographic data which may require the use of a spreadsheet program such as Excel. Writing assignments range from informal discussions to formal lab reports and term papers that include appropriate citations. The course is fast-paced and rigorous but would still be suitable for a highly-motivated eighth grader. No prior knowledge of oceanography is expected.


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MediaKit Contents:

Syllabus:
Crew Orientation
1. Create your own homepage.
2. Find your Private Discussion Forum
3. Collect your Latitude/Longitude Data
4. Introduction to course expectations and logistics

Introduction to Oceanography: Preparing to Sail
1. Be able to contrast physical oceanography and biological oceanography (marine biology)
2. Collect real-time buoy data
3. Participate in a Group Discussion

Geology of the Ocean: Stellwagen: Bank National Marine Sanctuary
1. Participate in a group discussion about the history of oceanography
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the geology of the Earth, the theory of plate tectonics and the formation various ocean floor features.
3. A reflection of individual learning styles.

Properties of Sea Water: En route to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
1. Learn about some specialized equipment of an oceanographer.
2. Understand the properties of seawater and how each differs throughout the ocean.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between temperature, mass and density

Ocean Tides: The Bay of Fundy
1. Connect the monthly positions of the sun, earth, moon system to the periodic rise and fall of the tides.
2. Integrate real-time tidal information to predict information about tides.
3. Investigate historical shipwrecks.

Ocean Currents: The Gulf Stream in the Mid-Atlantic
1. Describe the motion of deep-water density driven currents. Explain how the forces that drive them get their energy.
2. Describe the motion of surface currents. Explain how the forces that drive them get their energy.
3. Understand the global affects of ocean currents
4. Retrieve and utilize the real-time data that are available to navigate the ocean waters.

Coastal Processes- Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
1. Investigate the dynamic geology of barrier islands
2. Discuss the development of coastal properties
3. Relate winds and geography with upwelling and downwelling
4. Investigate your choice of sea creature

Ocean Living- The Georgia Coast
1. Discuss the Future of Ocean Research
2. Discover how oceanographers have divided the ocean into zones
3. Learn about Dead Zones
4. Learn how satellites are used to reasearch phytoplankton in the ocean
5. Tell a story about your chosen sea creature.

The Coral Reef: Gulf of Mexico
1. Have a discussion about ocean careers.
2. Discover the science and plight of the coral reef.
3. Learn about an invasive species.
4. Create a Blog with your teammates that share the story of your sea turtle.

Ocean and Atmosphere: The Pacific Ocean
1. Have a discussion about group activities
2. Complete a Lab on the Carbon Cycle
3. Investigate El Nino by reading and watching a video
4. Learn about Sea Birds

Gone Fishing: The coast of Peru
1. Learn about the anchovy industry
2. Discuss the Global Fish Crisis
3. Learn about Seamounts
4. Investigate Phylum Chordata
5. Learn about shark dissection
6. Learn about the basking shark

Marine Mammals: The Hawaiian Islands
1. Learn about marine life in the Hawaiian Islands, specifically pinnepeds, sea otters and cetaceans
2. Learn about the evolution of Marine mammals
3. Learn about the Humpback Whale
4. Discover how species are related through the food chain and food web
5. Study the Manatee

Making Waves: The Coast of California
1. Study the characteristics of ocean waves
2. Complete a Lab on Changes in Waves
3. Discuss how gliders can be used to explore the ocean
4. Start a group project on surfing
5. Take a quiz on waves
6. Start a term 2 project
7. Learn about the Octopus

Ocean Extremes: Juan de Fuca Ridge
1. Learn about extreme eco-systems
2. Learn about Chemosynthesis and Hydrothermal Vent Life
3. Continue group project
4. Learn about the Marianas Trench
5. Study the Tubeworm
6. Participate in a current events discussion

Polar Regions: Alaska
1. Continue work on final project
2. Investigate careers in Oceanography
3. Learn about the Arctic Ocean
4. Learn about Sea Ice
5. Research the Bering Strait
6. Study the Pacific Walrus and the Polar Bear

Stewardship of the Ocean
1. Complete the course survey
2. Learn about Food, Water and Medicine from the Sea
3. Learn about Ocean Pollution
4. Pledge to be a steward of the Ocean
5. Submit term projects
6. Course wrap up


Course Objectives:
1. Students will be able to describe the relationships among the ocean, the atmosphere, and land masses and make predictions about how changes in one will affect the others.
2. Students will be able to describe different ocean ecosystems and demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between the different organisms that inhabit them and among the ecosystems themselves.
3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how the biology, chemistry, physics, and geology of the ocean cannot be separated from each other. Students will be able to predict how changes in one, change the others.
4. Students will understand that politics and economics affect the sustainability of our oceans and be able to defend their own positions on how the use of ocean should or should not be regulated.
5. Students will learn collaboration skills necessary to work effectively as part of a scientific research team.



This catalog description was last modified on 08/13/2012


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