Resources for Students & Educators
Education and outreach are vital to improving the public’s awareness and understanding of ocean acidification. This includes not only increasing the general awareness that ocean acidification is happening now, but also understanding the current scientific knowledge and impacts of our ocean’s changing chemistry.
Working with Others to Improve Understanding
The Ocean Acidification Program provides educational and public outreach opportunities to improve understanding of ocean acidification to students, educators, and the broader public.
Join us for a free virtual workshop on our Regional Resiliency & Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) projects on October 9, 2024 at 1pm EST. Our recently funded RVA projects will share results and facilitate connections between current project leaders and those interested in applying to our upcoming FY25 Regional Vulnerability Assessment funding call, which will likely release at the end of summer. RVA projects are interdisciplinary projects that supplement the physical, chemical, and biological science of ocean acidification with social science to assess regional vulnerability.
This webinar series provides ocean acidification communication tools to formal and informal educators, stakeholders, and rightsholders across the country.
SOARCE promotes a more integrated and effective ocean acidification education community by sharing activities and resources virtually. The ocean acidification education and communication communities can use and create cutting-edge communication tools incorporating current scientific and communication research to reach a variety of audiences.
The Ocean Acidification Program works to understand and fill the needs of the ocean acidification education and communication community.
The NOAA Ocean Acidification Implementation Plan identifies actions to extend the reach of NOAA research findings to the broader community through education and outreach. The first step was to evaluate the needs in education and outreach programming to determine gaps and opportunities to strengthen OA education and communication.
The identified needs are now beginning to be addressed by small OAP supported grants and include developing multimedia education tools and supporting citizen science in various US regions.
Coastal acidification represents a significant environmental change associated with nutrient runoff from land, or eutrophication.
This coastal acidification animation is intended to support teachers who are educating students about the causes and effects of ocean acidification and want to shift their students’ learning from a global problem to a coastal water quality issue.
This animation is featured as part of the NOAA Data in the Classroom Ocean and Coastal Acidification Module and is integrated directly into the online Story Map activities. To find it, go to Level 3 of the Story Map. The animation, and a choices game, can be accessed from the Teacher Guide tab and is available for teachers to use as an extension activity.
Search the Resources Portal for all education and outreach resources.
The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Education Team (SET) has developed an Understanding Ocean Acidification web site with science presentations, educational resources and links, and hands-on activities.
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This website provides a collection of links to existing lesson plans and materials on ocean acidification for teachers. Additionally, the project aims to evaluate the existing materials and identify gaps in the available lesson plans. This project was funded by portions of grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Digital Explorer, with support from Catlin Group have developed the Frozen Oceans resources. These educational resources are based on the research and journeys by explorers and scientists that took part in the Catlin Arctic Survey between 2009 and 2011 and include example lesson plans, acitivity and experiment sheets with the goal to 'Bring oceans to your classroom.' There are multiple lessons dedicated to ocean acidification.
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The NOAA Ocean Exploration and Research Program has created education materials based on the mission of the NOAA ship, Okeanos Explorer. The Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection, V1: "Why Do We Explore?" explores ocean health, including ph, buffers, and ocean acidification.
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This website provides a collection of links to existing lesson plans and materials on ocean acidification for teachers. Additionally, the project aims to evaluate the existing materials and identify gaps in the available lesson plans. This project was funded by portions of grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Visit Resource >
This infographic describes both ocean and coastal acidification and how they can impact marine life such as corals and fish, along with what we can do to help.
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Hear from researchers and communities about ocean and coastal acidification, its causes, impacts and solutions. This collection of videos were produced by the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN).
Coastal communities in the Mid-Atlantic depend on the ocean for their livelihoods. As the ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and becomes more acidic (lower pH), small changes in the food chain can ripple up to the seafood caught and sold locally. Dive in with ocean advocate Eva as she breaks down the sources of ocean and coastal acidification, its impacts on shellfish and the local economy, and actions students can take locally to protect and preserve the ocean from future acidification. We’ll also explore how new carbon removal strategies are becoming part of the solution. (9:00 Min) (Suggested Grades: 6-12)
Ocean Acidification challenges/threatens the livelihoods of shellfish growers, seafood dealers, and commercial fishermen in the Mid-Atlantic. Learn firsthand from three local growers and fishermen about the impacts they’ve observed to oysters, clams, and finfish, the business challenges they’re facing, and the ways they’re adapting their hatchery operations and fishing practices in response to climate change. (5:30 min) (Suggested Grades: 9-12)
In the Mid-Atlantic’s coastal waters, oysters and seagrass provide important habitat for fish and crabs. They also filter out nutrients that cause algal blooms (eutrophication). When faced with ocean acidification, do these habitat builders always lose? In this video, we explore how oysters and seagrass differ in their responses to acidification and what this means for local estuaries and ecosystems. You’ll also learn about community actions that can be taken to prevent ocean acidification and protect these critical habitat builders. (4:30 min) (Suggested Grades: 9-12)
Technological advances in acidification monitoring and ocean carbon dioxide removal can help reduce ocean acidification’s impacts to Mid-Atlantic fisheries and local economy. In this video, we explore how scientists use underwater robots (gliders) to help fishery managers identify “hotspots” of acidification. Find out how innovative carbon removal strategies like enhancing the ocean’s ability to buffer acidity and mineral weathering can be part of the solution. (5:00 min) (Suggested Grades: 9-12)
The OAP works closely with coastal state governments, on-the-ground networks and NGOs to develop their responses to ocean acidification
The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) works to prepare society to adapt to the consequences of ocean acidification and conserve marine ecosystems as acidification occurs. Learn more about the human connections and adaptation strategies from these efforts.
Adaptation approaches fostered by the OAP include:
Using models and research to understand the sensitivity of organisms and ecosystems to ocean acidification to make predictions about the future, allowing communities and industries to prepare
Using these models and predictions as tools to facilitate management strategies that will protect marine resources and communities from future changes
Developing innovative tools to help monitor ocean acidification and mitigate changing ocean chemistry locally
Drive fuel-efficient vehicles or choose public transportation. Choose your bike or walk! Don't sit idle for more than 30 seconds. Keep your tires properly inflated.
Eat local- this helps cut down on production and transport! Reduce your meat and dairy. Compost to avoid food waste ending up in the landfill
Make energy-efficient choices for your appliances and lighting. Heat and cool efficiently! Change your air filters and program your thermostat, seal and insulate your home, and support clean energy sources
Reduce your use of fertilizers, Improve sewage treatment and run off, and Protect and restore coastal habitats
You've taken the first step to learn more about ocean acidification - why not spread this knowledge to your community?
Every community has their unique culture, economy and ecology and what’s at stake from ocean acidification may be different depending on where you live. As a community member, you can take a larger role in educating the public about ocean acidification. Creating awareness is the first step to taking action. As communities gain traction, neighboring regions that share marine resources can build larger coalitions to address ocean acidification. Here are some ideas to get started: