We have been hearing about the phenomena of Global Warming, Ocean Acidification, and troubled marine ecosystems in the news lately. In what way are all of these three connected? How does global warming contribute to the bleaching of the corals that are located on the ocean floor? This unit will shed some light on the process of how carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by the carbon cycle combined with human activities results in the formation of atmospheric CO2. Some of the excess from fossil fuel burning get absorbed by the oceans resulting in a drop in the pH and makes the water acidic. In turn, the acidity of the oceans is negatively affecting the soft shell formation of some marine animals, including corals. Some of the devastating effects include threat to the survival of marine plants and animals, bleaching of corals, weaker shell formation in some invertebrates, and the extinction of the marine ecosystems, resulting in the decrease of ocean biodiversity across the globe.
I teach biology at one of the largest comprehensive high schools in New Haven, Connecticut. Biology is a mandatory, sophomore science class that is required for graduation. This unit is designed for 10th-grade biology students. This curricular unit is designed with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in mind. The State of Connecticut adopted the NGSS1 in 2015 and the unit will allow the instructor to weave many of the NGSS practices into classroom activities for the students. This unit will highlight several of the national standards from chemistry, life science, physical science, environmental science, and engineering.
The current 10th-grade biology curriculum is partially aligned with the NGSS. For example, during the third marking period the curriculum expects that the students will be able to:
understand the basics of ecology, the structure of various ecosystems, the interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem, and the importance of biodiversity in the survival of these ecosystems. However, the current curriculum fails to expose the students to the importance of the impacts of human activities on ecosystems, basic understanding of the carbon cycle, ocean acidification, and its effects on plants and animals that make up the marine ecosystems. This is the main reason why this unit was developed. This unit has the potential to create awareness among the younger generations about these phenomena.
The high school where the author teaches utilizes a block schedule wherein students attend four classes per day, each running for about 90 minutes. Students have eight classes total and any given class meets either 2 or 3 times per week. This presents challenges for teachers concerning homework and turn-around time for feedback because of long gaps between class meetings. The block schedule offers a longer class period wherein lab experiments are more easily carried out. The unit will be taught during the third marking period when students learn ecology. This 2-week unit could be modified for K-8th grade level students. Therefore, the unit has the potential to fill gaps in the current biology curriculum.
