The Ocean Acidification Module explores how human disruption of the carbon cycle can negatively impact the ocean, and our planet as a whole. It looks at the importance of algae like the giant kelp forests around the Channel Islands in mitigating these impacts. Not to be all doom and gloom, the module ends with an examination of personal agency and action, looking at what students can do in their daily lives to mitigate the causes of ocean acidification.
Carbon Cycle
Ocean Acidification
Carbon Footprint
This module contains materials for roughly 3 hours of instruction,
plus time spent gathering information at home for carbon footprint calculation.
Suggested Grade Level: 6-9
The following sequence of lessons and activities will examine how the ocean supports life on this planet, and how human impacts like ocean acidification are disrupting this. It ends with an exploration of what actions we can take on a daily basis to reduce our individual contributions to these impacts. These elements can be completed in sequence, or as separate lessons.
Class Reading and Discussion: “Our Life Support System”
Students will read and discuss Sylvia Earle’s explanation of how the ocean literally supports all life on this planet.
Island Visions, pages 78-81
Suggested Duration: 30 minutes
Independent Research: Our Carbon Explained
Students will examine the resources below, completing a comprehension worksheet.
Suggested Duration: 40 minutes
Class Discussion: Your Carbon Footprint
Students will discuss what individual actions in our personal lives might lead to ocean acidification.
Discussion GuideSuggested Duration: 30 minutes
Activity: Calculating Your Footprint
Students will calculate the total amount of carbon that they generate in a year.
Activity GuideSuggested Duration: 50 minutes + time at home to gather personal carbon footprint data
Class Discussion: End of the World Fatigue
Students will discuss how to cope with their individual actions contributing to such a large issue, and how to transform hopelessness into action.
Discussion GuideSuggested Duration: 30 minutes
Want to expand out this module? Here are a few options:
The long-term functioning and health of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems are influenced by their relationships with human societies.