Bering Sea Expedition

Bering Sea Expedition
http://aswc.seagrant.uaf.edu/grade-8/investigation-3.html

Alaska Seas and Rivers Curriculum, Alaska Sea Grant

Learners research the effects of melting sea ice in the Bering Sea Ecosystem. They create research proposals to earn a place on the scientific research vessel Healy and present their findings and proposals to a Research Board committee.

Activity takes 6 to 8 class periods. Computer with internet access required.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

See how this Activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards»

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Middle School

Performance Expectations: 1

MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

MS-LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

Cross Cutting Concepts: 3

Stability and Change, Patterns, Cause and effect

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Stability and Change, Patterns, Cause and effect

MS-C1.2: Patterns in rates of change and other numerical relationships can provide information about natural and human designed systems

MS-C2.3: Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.

MS-C7.3: Stability might be disturbed either by sudden events or gradual changes that accumulate over time.

Science and Engineering Practices: 5

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Engaging in Argument from Evidence, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information, Asking Questions and Defining Problems

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MS-P1.6: Ask questions that can be investigated within the scope of the classroom, outdoor environment, and museums and other public facilities with available resources and, when appropriate, frame a hypothesis based on observations and scientific principles.

MS-P3.1: Plan an investigation individually and collaboratively, and in the design: identify independent and dependent variables and controls, what tools are needed to do the gathering, how measurements will be recorded, and how many data are needed to support a claim.

MS-P6.6: Apply scientific ideas or principles to design, construct, and/or test a design of an object, tool, process or system.

MS-P7.2: Respectfully provide and receive critiques about one’s explanations, procedures, models, and questions by citing relevant evidence and posing and responding to questions that elicit pertinent elaboration and detail.

MS-P8.5: Communicate scientific and/or technical information (e.g. about a proposed object, tool, process, system) in writing and/or through oral presentations.

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High School

Performance Expectations: 1

HS-ESS3-6: Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

HS-LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

Cross Cutting Concepts: 5

Patterns, Cause and effect, Scale, Proportion and Quantity, Structure and Function, Stability and Change

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Patterns, Cause and effect, Scale, Proportion and Quantity, Structure and Function, Stability and Change

HS-C1.2: Classifications or explanations used at one scale may fail or need revision when information from smaller or larger scales is introduced; thus requiring improved investigations and experiments.

HS-C2.2: Cause and effect relationships can be suggested and predicted for complex natural and human designed systems by examining what is known about smaller scale mechanisms within the system.

HS-C3.1: The significance of a phenomenon is dependent on the scale, proportion, and quantity at which it occurs.

HS-C6.1: Investigating or designing new systems or structures requires a detailed examination of the properties of different materials, the structures of different components, and connections of components to reveal its function and/or solve a problem.

HS-C7.1: Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

Science and Engineering Practices: 5

Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions, Engaging in Argument from Evidence, Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

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HS-P1.6: Ask questions that can be investigated within the scope of the school laboratory, research facilities, or field (e.g., outdoor environment) with available resources and, when appropriate, frame a hypothesis based on a model or theory.

HS-P3.1: Plan an investigation or test a design individually and collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence as part of building and revising models, supporting explanations for phenomena, or testing solutions to problems. Consider possible confounding variables or effects and evaluate the investigation’s design to ensure variables are controlled.

HS-P6.3: Apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence to provide an explanation of phenomena and solve design problems, taking into account possible unanticipated effects.

HS-P7.3: Respectfully provide and/or receive critiques on scientific arguments by probing reasoning and evidence, challenging ideas and conclusions, responding thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, and determining additional information required to resolve contradictions.

HS-P8.5: Communicate scientific and/or technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (i.e., orally, graphically, textually, mathematically).

Climate Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Climate change has consequences

Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines

2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.2 The Living Environment:A) Organisms, populations, and communities
Other materials addressing:
A) Organisms, populations, and communities.

2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.2 The Living Environment:C) Systems and connections
Other materials addressing:
C) Systems and connections.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

There is a teacher background webpage at http://seagrant.uaf.edu/marine-ed/curriculum/grade-8/teacher-background.html.
Accompanying video and webquest resources are listed on this webpage http://seagrant.uaf.edu/marine-ed/curriculum/grade-8/resources.html.
While the focus in this investigation is on the Bering Sea, the activity can be adapted to other regions.

About the Content

Webquest, which is the heart of this activity, includes links to many current sources (NOAA, NASA, WHOI etc.) of information about the Bering Sea as an ecosystem.
Accompanying video features current scientific work underway in Bering Sea.
Comments from expert scientist: The science content is in a great video that is linked to the site. It's a very dramatic, catchy video, good for the academic levels targeted here.

About the Pedagogy

The investigation provides an imaginative context for the main webquest activity i.e. the development of a research proposal for an icebreaker mission.
This is an open-ended investigation and may require some clear guidance.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

As of Oct 2016 all of the necessary links worked. But it is wise to check them before doing the activity.

Entered the Collection: April 2013 Last Reviewed: October 2016

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Middle School (see details)

Middle School

Performance Expectations: 1

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

Cross Cutting Concepts: 3

Science and Engineering Practices: 5

High School (see details)

High School

Performance Expectations: 1

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1

Cross Cutting Concepts: 5

Science and Engineering Practices: 5

Grade Level

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Topics

Climate Literacy

Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines

Teaching Tips

About the Content

About the Pedagogy

Technical Details/Ease of Use

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