Educator Resource Database

Developed by partners in the Alaska CoastWatch for Action Project

Marine and coastal K-12 educators collaborated to create this database. It is designed to help teachers and informal community educators engage youth in community resiliency, climate change adaptation, and mitigation of coastal hazards.

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  • Next Generation Science Standards—NGSS alignments are available for most lesson plans and activities
  • Grade level
  • Topic—coastal hazard types and other topics
  • Resource type—lesson plan, citizen science data collection protocol/data sheet, poster

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Partners and funding

Marine Debris Masks – Cardboard or Plaster (CACS CoastWatch Curriculum

Lesson plans for marine debris art activities where students use trash/marine debris they or others have collected to create a plaster or cardboard mask and reflect on ways humans impact and depend upon the marine environment.

NGSS PE(s): 5-ESS3-1
Grade Band(s): 3-5, HS, MS
Topic(s): Marine Debris, Marine Shipping
Lesson Type(s): Activity
Download

Marine Debris Sorting Relay (CACS CoastWatch Curriculum)

Lesson plan for a high-energy activity that can be used after students conduct a marine debris clean up to help them understand the origins of marine debris.

NGSS PE(s): MS-ESS3-3
Grade Band(s): 3-5, K-2, MS
Topic(s): Marine Debris, Marine Shipping
Lesson Type(s): Activity
Download

Marine Exchange of Alaska’s Vessel Tracking System – Introduction

Introduction to how ships throughout Alaska are automatically tracked using satellite technology to help make shipping safer.

Link: Visit website

NGSS PE(s):
Grade Band(s): 3-5, HS, K-2, MS
Topic(s): Marine Shipping
Lesson Type(s): Article, Teacher Background

Marine Phytoplankton of Kachemak Bay (Student ID Guide)

Identification guide to common phytoplankton of Kachemak Bay, including information on harmful algal species.

NGSS PE(s): 3-LS1-1, 4-LS1-1, MS-ESS3-3
Grade Band(s): 3-5, HS, MS
Topic(s): HABs, Marine Invertebrates
Lesson Type(s): Article, Reference book
Download

Measuring Beach Profiles

Students learn how to measure a beach profile and calculate the slope of the beach. With repeated measurements, they calcuate the rates of erosion. Recommendations are provided for building needed equipment out of inexpensive materials that are available in Alaska rural communities.

NGSS PE(s): MS-ESS3-3
Grade Band(s): HS, MS
Topic(s): Coastal Erosion, Erosion
Lesson Type(s): Activity, Field Trip
Download

Modeling in Climate Change Research

Katie Spellman, IARC, and Nancy Fresco, SNAP, explain the importance and relevance of computer modeling in making sense of climate change. 13 mins

Link: Visit website

NGSS PE(s): HS-ESS3-5
Grade Band(s): HS
Topic(s): Climate Change
Lesson Type(s): Presentation, Video

Moving Meshik

An account of an erosion research project near Port Heiden that explains erosion procesess related to volcanic soil type and loss of buffering by sea ice. The community has lost protected boat launch areas but has responded by moving buildings from Meshik, the “old village” inland to the new village location. 9 mins.

Link: Visit website

NGSS PE(s): HS-ESS3-4, MS-ESS3-3
Grade Band(s): 3-5, HS, K-2, MS
Topic(s): Coastal Erosion
Lesson Type(s): Video

NCCOS: Phytoplankton Monitoring Network – New Volunteers

Students are trained to collect plankton samples to monitor for Harmful Algal Blooms in their community.

Link: Visit website

NGSS PE(s): MS-ESS3-3
Grade Band(s): HS, MS
Topic(s): HABs
Lesson Type(s): Citizen Science, Data Sheet/Protocol, Tools, Webinar

North Slope Wildlife and Environmental Observation Forms

Students submit forms online to report wildlife observations (about plants or animals) and environmental observations (about freeze up, thaw, ice or weather conditions, etc.) to the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management. The Department is seeking observations that help them have a better understanding of wildlife on the North Slope and also to alert them to unusual sightings and observations.

Link: Visit website

NGSS PE(s): K-ESS2-2, MS-ESS3-3
Grade Band(s): 3-5, HS, MS
Topic(s): Changes in Biodiversity, Making Observations, Phenology, Weather
Lesson Type(s): Citizen Science, Data Sheet/Protocol

Ocean Acidification Classroom Kit (available for loan from AOOS)

The lesson plans in the kit are designed to to familiarize students with the causes and consequences of ocean acidification, the process by which our ocean is becoming more acidic. In addition to the lesson plans and resources for the lesson plans, the kit includes the supplies and equipment for two experiments. Lesson plans are also available for download.

Link: Visit website

NGSS PE(s): MS-LS2-4,  HS-ESS3-6
Grade Band(s): HS, MS
Topic(s): Ocean Acidification, Ocean Chemistry
Lesson Type(s): Activity, Article, Video