Ocean Acidification Mock Conference
Courtesy of the California Academy of Sciences
Through this lesson, students will learn what organisms are affected by ocean acidification by taking on the role of one of the stakeholders affected by ocean acidification and creating poster(s) to address their issue(s). They will then participate in a mock conference to address the affects of ocean acidification and discuss solutions to reduce ocean acidification.
Grades: 7th – 12th Grade
Subjects: Biology / Life Sciences, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, English-Language Arts, Investigation and Experimentation, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences
Topics: Acids and Bases, Chemical Properties and Processes, Chemistry of Living Systems, Environmental Policy
Duration: 10 min Prep + 1 hour Activity + 1 hour Post
Setting: Classroom
Downloadable Materials:
Lesson Plan
Stakeholder Cards
Conference Directions
Objectives: Through this lesson, students will:
- Learn what organisms are affected by ocean acidification
- Take on the role of one of the stakeholders affected by ocean acidification
- Create poster(s) to address their issue(s)
- Participate in a mock conference to address the affects of ocean acidification
- Discuss solutions to reduce ocean acidification
Materials:
Stakeholder Cards (classroom set)
Conference Directions Sheet – 1 per group
Poster paper (one per group)
Markers, colored pencils, or crayons (set per group)
6 envelopes with one blank paper taped to the outside and 5 blank papers inside
Scratch paper
Vocabulary:
calcifier: an organism that builds a calcium carbonate shell or skeleton
calcium carbonate: the basic material of which most marine shells and some skeletons are made
carbon dioxide: a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms bonded on either side of a carbon atom. While naturally occurring in our atmosphere, carbon dioxide is also the by-product of the combustion of fossil fuels, emitted from car engines, coal power plants, and other producers of exhaust. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.
green house gas: gases in the atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect.
ocean acidification: the process by which carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater causing a decrease in pH. To learn more, see ‘Teacher Background.’
Activity
Preparation:
Create six groups of students, one for each stakeholder group: Organisms, Fishing Industry, Energy Companies, Transportation Industry, Recreation/Travel Industry, and Representatives from the Public.
Print out one set of Stakeholder Cards. Each group will get the card associated with their group. For example, the Fishing Industry will receive the “You are: Representatives of the Fishing Industry” card. *if groups are large, you may wish to print out more than one set so that students aren’t crowded around one card.
Print out Conference Directions Sheet (one per group).
We recommend breaking up the activities so that the first day focuses on preparing for the conference (introduction and creation of poster and presentations), reserving the second day for the actual conference, presentations, and class discussion.
Click here for the remainder of the lesson plan, teacher background information, and more.
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