Overarching Questions for this Course:
How do the properties of the ocean support life on our planet?
What adaptations does life associated with the oceans have in order to survive?
How is energy transferred throughout the oceans?
How do human interactions impact the health and state of the oceans?
How do the properties of the ocean support life on our planet?
What adaptations does life associated with the oceans have in order to survive?
How is energy transferred throughout the oceans?
How do human interactions impact the health and state of the oceans?
Unit 1: Introduction to Marine Science and Environments -
Unit 1: Introduction to Marine Science and Environments -
Essential Questions:
- What is Marine Science?
- How have historical and scientifically lead explorations of the oceans shaped our current understandings of Marine Science?
- What is the importance of the oceans to stabilizing the earth’s climate?
- What are the physical and chemical properties of saltwater and how do they affect life in the oceans?
- What different life zones and environments exist in the oceans at varying depth and differing coastal formations?
Unit 2: Simple Marine Life -
Essential Questions:
- What classification system is used to identify and group marine organisms and how does it demonstrate inter-relatedness?
- What unicellular organisms inhabit the oceans and how do they contribute to ocean health?
- What type of organisms are responsible for photosynthesis and primary production in marine environments?
- What is the relationship between simple marine organisms in regard to the trophic pyramid and flow of energy in marine ecosystems?
- In what ways do simple marine animals carry out the most basic of biological functions?
Unit 3: Marine Invertebrates -
Essential Questions:
- What Invertebrates groups inhabit the oceans and how are they classified to demonstrate relatedness?
- What adaptations have invertebrate groups developed in order to survive their ocean habitats?
- What are the roles of the marine invertebrate groups within their Marine ecosystems?
Unit 4: Marine Vertebrates -
Essential Questions:
- What vertebrate groups inhabit the oceans and how are they classified to demonstrate relatedness?
- What adaptations have marine fishes developed in order to survive their ocean habitats?
- What unique adaptations have marine reptiles, birds and mammals evolved to allow them to survive both marine and land environments?
- What are the roles of the marine Vertebrate groups within their Marine ecosystems?
UNIT 5: Oceanography -
Essential Questions:
- What is the composition of the Ocean floor and coastlines and how were they formed?
- What are the forms of energy found in Marine environments and how do they affect life in the oceans?
- How does the movement of the oceans affect the global climate?
- How does the relationship between Earth, Sun and moon affect currents and tides?
Unit 6: Marine Ecology -
Essential Questions:
- How do the movements of abiotic factors of the oceans, such as nutrients, impact the health of marine environments?
- How do marine organisms interact with each other in order to maintain health ocean environments?
- How do humans interact with marine environments and what are the consequences of these interactions?