MIT Coastal Climate Change Toolkit
A Scientific Framework with Hands-On Experiments
Embedded Files
Pathway:
Changes to Atlantic Ocean Circulation
See how changes to the Atlantic Ocean circulation is being affected by an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and causing harm to marine life.
Quick guide to navigating a Pathway
Educators gather supplies for the Experiments and review the Explainer resources. If using the worksheets, they distribute the sheets to students.
Students do the Experiments/Analyses and identify the connection arrows on the Framework.
Students check out the the Explainer pages for the phenomena along the pathway.
Educator sets up discussion or other processing activity.
Experiments
Get a feel for the physical, chemical or biological mechanism that is occurring at each connection arrow.
The activities listed below correspond to the connection arrows in the highlighted path. Each activity reveals the mechanism occurring between the cause and effect phenomena.
Make a copy of the framework, and mark off the connection as you complete each activity.
Greenhouse effect (50 min)
Fresh water added to ocean (30 min)
Water temperature and density (30 min)
Effect of salinity on currents (30 min)
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Explainers
After the experiment or analysis, learn the science behind the environmental phenomena.
Each Explainer page has several resources (videos, graphics, articles, interactive visualizations) designed to educate the public. Dive into one or more to fill in your understanding.
Groups can split the resources among them.
Increasing CO2 in the atmosphere
Warmer air and the greenhouse effect
Melting glaciers and Ice sheets
Regional changes in water salinity
Pathway for Changes to Atlantic Ocean Circulation.pdf
We’d love to hear how you used this tool in your community, how the students responded, and your suggestions to improve the experiments and other resources. Contact us at ccsae@mit.edu.
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