Course title

Pre-requisite

Course description

Marine Biology
Gilbert High School; Instructor: Jillian Cook

Rationale:

Marine Biology is a course of great interest to students and provides an additional lab science after two years of other lab sciences. The interdisciplinary nature of the subject allows for development of scientific skills and literacy based on the different aspects of the ocean; from its composition and dynamic nature to ecology and adaptation. Exploring geology; physics; chemistry; and biology with emphasis on; and examples taken form the ocean allows for more detailed studies for real-world learning. In addition to gaining understanding of different scientific disciplines as they apply to the ocean; careers and environmental impacts of human choices will be explored. Engaging students in science coursework is the goal. The course will include direct teaching; but will also incorporate a large amount of time for student research and presentation of learning in different formats; ranging from posters; peer teaching; and essays to model building; simulations; and predicting outcomes.

The following information is a list of each unit of study; with key concepts; and activities.

Unit: History of oceanographic exploration and study
Concepts:
? Overview-Interdisciplinary nature of marine science
? Review significant maritime explorers
Activities:
? Set-up marine science career portfolio
? Timeline of significant events in marine science

Unit: Plate Movement
Concepts:
? Layers of the earth
? Plates
? Plate tectonics and volcanism
? Volcanic island arc formation and ?hot spots?
? Life cycle of an island
Activities:
? 1/10;000;000 scale model
? Earthquake boundaries activity
? Sea-floor spreading lab
? Discuss geologic time; fossil record; and age of ocean floors
? Video Hawaii: Born of Fire
? Basic islands activity
? Mysteries of the oceanic islands Part IV

Unit: Ocean Floor
Concepts:
? Bathymetry
? Modern mapping
? Life on the floor
Activities:
? Bathymetry power point
? Mapping the unknown sea-floor Lab
? Present sea-floor structures

Unit: Sediments
Concepts:
? Sediment sources
? Types of sand
? Sediment sampling techniques
? Distribution and types of sediments
? Beach profiling
? Shoreline dynamics
Activities:
? Comparing sands lab
? Candy sampling simulation
? Mini-teach presentations
? Profiling of campus ?dunes?
? Wave tank simulation

Unit: Properties of salt water
Concepts:
? Chemistry
? Circulation of the ocean
? World ocean surface salinities and water mass signatures
? How organisms deal with salinity
Activities:
? Aquarius SSS concept map
? Compare oceans using titration
? Pycnoclines; haloclines; thermoclines
? Stacking water lab w/poster presentation
? Graphing a thermocline
? Isohaline mapping activity

Unit: Circulation of the Atmosphere
Concepts:
? Six-cell diagram
? Coriolis effect
Activities:
? Draw and explain on a 3-D model

Unit: Waves; Tides; and Currents
Concepts:
? How currents are studied
? How currents affecting living things
? Wave features
? Tides
? Inter-tidal communities and organisms
? Tsunamis
Activities:
? Chasing buoys power point activity
? Video Surfing Hawaii
? Mini-teach: Forces that cause Tides
? Adaptations for survival; zonation
? Activity: Run-up on Llewellyn
? Convection Currents Lab
? How Currents Affect Society Debate

Unit: Coastlines
Concepts:
? Bays
? Estuaries
? Lagoons
? Life on the Coastlines
Activities:
? Create a habitat poster
? Write a human impact news article
? Discuss holistic management of aquaculture

Unit: Marine Zones and Communities
Concepts:
? Life on the continental shelf
? Coral reefs
? Life near the surface
? The ocean depths
Activities:
? Wall-size chart of zones with representative life correlated to changing physical properties
? Videos: Living corals; Deep Sea
? Research paper ? Adaptations
? Within a Zone

Unit: Primary Producers
Concepts:
? Plankton and microbes
? Food chains; food webs; and biomass
? Overview taxonomy
? Larger marine producers
Activities:
? Readings on impact of these organisms on world ecosystems
? Algae races
? Wall-size energy pyramid with representative life
? Seaweed in my kitchen exploration
? Photosynthesis lab

Unit: Marine Invertebrates:
Concepts:
? Sponges
? Cnidarians; comb jellies
? Worms; mollusks
? Arthropods
? Lophophorates
? Arrow worms
? Echinoderms
? Chordates
Activities:
? Prepare terrestrial/aquatic cladograms based on major body plans
? Classify marine life forms by phyla
? Dissect and make drawings of representative marine invertebrate species ? squid; crab; sea cucumber; sea star; etc.

Unit: Marine Fishes
Concepts:
? Types of fish
? Biology of fish
? Osmoconformer vs. Osmoregulator
Activities:
? Dissection: perch; dogfish. Students draw comparative anatomical reference plates
? ?Sea cucumber? lab - Osmosis
? Reading for writing: The Salmon

Unit: Other Marine Vertebrates
Concepts:
? Marine reptiles
? Seabirds
? Marine mammals
Activities:
? Endangered species conference
? Video Dolphins: The Wild Side

Unit: Oceanographic Research in a Submersible
Concepts:
? Overview physical and biological characteristics by depth
Activities:
? Vertical transect activity

Unit: Issues of Concern for Ocean Health
Concepts:
? Marine fisheries and sustainable yield
? Exotic species
? Student issues
? Importance of sanctuaries
? Human Impact on the ocean
Activities:
? Tragedy of the commons(fishing)
? Video Empty Nets Empty Oceans
? Essay: Restoring balance in
fisheries around the world
? What is wrong with the ocean? Can photography help? Proposal
activity
? Research and present a sanctuary
? Oil spill clean-up lab

School country

School state

School city

High school

School / district Address

School zip code

Requested competency code

Date submitted

Approved

Approved competency code

• LBIO
• Biology

Approved date

Online / Virtual