COURSE TITLE OCEANOGRAPHY

COMPUTER TITLE OCEANOGRAPHY

COMPUTER CODE SCZ603

GRADE LEVEL 10-12

PREREQUISITE RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED BIOLOGY

LENGTH OF COURSE 18-36 weeks

Laboratory Requirement: Students who take this course spend a minimum of 30% of their time engaged in laboratory exercises.

Major Concepts/Content: Oceanography is designed to be an elective course examining the contributions of physics, chemistry, geology, and biology to an understanding of the oceans. Information is presented in an integrated approach with science as inquiry, science & technology, science & social perspectives, and the history & nature of science. The course integrates unifying science concepts and processes of systems, order & organization, evidence, models & explanation, change, consistency & equilibrium, and form & function.

Scientific inquiry and understanding about inquiry are emphasized through practical implications and meaningful applications. Topics students study include plate tectonics, properties of sea water (e.g., salinity, temperature, density, and minerals of the oceans), Coriolis force, currents and circulation in the world oceans, tides and waves, estuarine types, marine biological issues and history, instrumentation, and experimental methods of oceanography.

Major Instructional Activities: Based on the philosophy that scientific knowledge is best acquired through inquiry, the course uses a variety of techniques to introduce, stimulate, explore, and reinforce major scientific concepts, theories, principles, and skills.

Instructional activities are staged in appropriate settings including laboratories, classrooms, forms of technology, and field studies. Teaching strategies include investigations, demonstrations, discussions, and hands-on/minds-on experiences.

Major Evaluation Techniques: All aspects (e.g., ability to inquire, scientific understanding of the natural world, and understanding of the nature and utility of science) of progress in science are measured using multiple methods such as individual and group performances, projects, interviews, reports, student-generated works, and/or conventional testing.

Essential Objectives: Upon completion of Oceanography, students should be able to:

• Engage in full and partial scientific inquiries to design, conduct, and communicate scientific investigations to explore ideas about the natural world.
• Use scientific inquiry to design and conduct scientific investigations to meet a human need, make a decision, solve a human problem, or develop a product.
• Recognize and describe the interrelationship between science and technology.
• Apply the tools of technology (e.g., computers) in scientific endeavors.
• Identify qualities inherent in scientific behavior (e.g., reasoning, insight, energy, skill, and creativity).
• Discuss contributions of men and women of various social and ethnic backgrounds to science and technology.
• Apply science concepts to make decisions (weighing risks and benefits) about students' personal health and well-being.
• Describe how information is acquired through observations and measurements of marine phenomena.
• Demonstrate a manifestation of the critical thinking skills by examining marine, physical, biological and chemical problems.
• Describe the structure, function, and behavior of marine life forms, especially in the planktonic community.
• Describe interactions among physical, biological, and chemical events occurring in the various marine environments.
• Identify and describe major energy sources and interactions in the marine environment.
• Analyze current issues in marine science and technology.
• Describe the impact of current marine oriented issues on humans.
• Describe the structure of the earth's oceans and their basin.