Instead of giving them the answer, we asked them to discuss what they already knew and what questions they still had. Our goal was for them to understand the many socio-ecological factors that drive algal blooms and then predict how these blooms may develop in a warming climate. So, what is the link here? What does ocean temperature have to do with toxins in our food? This is what a I asked middle-school students on the first day of a week-long curriculum. During an algae bloom, there can be so many individuals in the water that the water appears green, as shown in this satellite image. Phytoplankton, like this microscopic species called Pseudo-nitzschia, are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye. To prevent these toxins from rising up the food chain and making humans sick, many fisheries were closed and these animals were kept off our plates. Animals that were once a popular main dish became avenues for toxins that could damage our brains. Then, scientists found alarmingly high levels of toxins in many species like razor clams and green crabs. In 2015, tiny marine plants called phytoplankton bloomed and turned the coastal ocean a vibrant green. In 2014, a blob of abnormally warm water persisted off the US West Coast. Also check out the Curriculum Packet for Teachers for this learning expereince, as well as PowerPoints for Lesson 1, Lesson 2, Lesson 3, and Lesson 4.
#Elementary lessons climate science phenomena full
See the full story of how the students explored these events here in a Full Blog Story.
We taught middle-school students in Seattle about how a recent harmful algal bloom (HAB) right off their own coast influenced what they could eat for dinner. How can we effectively teach a topic as complicated as climate science to middle-school students? We did by focusing on a local phenomenon that they themselves can experience, see, touch, and feel. Decisions at a local level impact the health of the global population. Physical processes at a molecular level cascade upward to drive global-scale events. Climate science is inherently interdisciplinary and complex.
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