Lesson Plan

pH and the Acidification of our Oceans
Subject: Chemistry/Oceanography                                         
Grade: High School                          
Time Required: One Block Period

Content:

Indicate what you intend to teach: The lesson Plan will teach students more about our oceans and the problems surrounding them, specifically the chemical imbalance affecting the acidity of the ocean.
Forms of knowledge:  A form of knowledge that will be used throughout the lesson will be kinesthetic intelligence. The students will learn through hands on activities that will include using the water quality testing kits that will be provided for them. Logical thinking and intelligence will also be a form of knowledge that students will hopefully use to comprehend the material in the lesson.

Prerequisites:

Students must understand what a molecule is, how chemical reactions work, what a hydrogen ion is. They must also understand basic terms and vocabulary such as substance, molecule, solutions and concentrations.

Objective:

Students will learn how to test water using the marine water testing kit. They what pH is and how acidity is measured. They will understand what substance is acidic. The students will learn how the rising level of acidity in our oceans affects sea life and humans.

Materials:

-          pH testing
-          Thermometer
-          Turbidity testing kits
-          Beakers
-          Stoppers
-          Titration bottles

Preparation:

 Set Up classroom- Place the display board where everyone in the classroom will be able to view it. Proceed with the lesson/lecture.  Assign a member of the team to lead a group in testing water using the testing kits. Make sure each member has a set of instructions to lead their group.  Gather water in beakers that will be tested later in the lesson. Divide students into groups.

Outline of Lecture

I. Acidity - the current problem

A. How is acidity measured?

1. Testing for pH helps you determine the concentration of hydrogen in the water also known as the pH scale
                                                                                     

2. P = potential, H= hydrogen
                                                                                                                                                            3. pH ranges from O (very acidic) to 14 (very basic) and 7 is neutral

B. How is acidity affecting our oceans?

1. One of the most pressing environmental threats to our oceans

2. Industrial activity is pumping amounts of CO2 into the environment which is being absorbed by our oceans

3. Seawater is becoming more acidic

4. Greenhouse gases in atmosphere are entering the ocean at a rate of 1 million tons per hour (10 times the natural rate)

5. Last 650,000 years, oceans are more acidic today than they ever

C. Acidity affects oceanic species

1. Acidic waters caused by the rising levels of CO2 disrupt the process of shell and coral formation

2. Other organism such as phytoplankton and zooplankton depend on coral and shellfish

3. The food chain begins to disrupted

D. How does acidity affect you?

II. Explain the instructions to the experiment (water testing)

A. Students must get into groups of 4 to 5

B. Each group will be lead by a team member

C. Group leaders will be given the materials needed

 

Follow Up Activity:

Students will create a visual outline of the effects of acidity mentioned throughout the lesson. This will help them further comprehend the rising problem affecting our oceans.

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