As we complete our fourth week of sampling aboard Expedition 340, I am overwhelmed with the amount of science and learning taking place each day aboard the JOIDES Resolution. Students learning through a LIVE! Aboard the JR broadcast to classrooms around the globe or sharing with teachers a teaching resource from the Deep Earth Academy, JR website, or Educators blog. I would like to share some of the Best of Teaching Resources related to the 340 science concepts that we have mined thus far. Thank you teachers who participated in School of Rock to help develop these wonderful resources housed at the Deep Earth Academy website (http://www.oceanleadership.org/education/deep-earth-academy/). Teachers check out these introductory lessons with your students and send back a comment to share your experiences using the resources with other teachers following Expedition 340.  The next blog series will introduce one of the many Labs aboard the JR and with each overview will be a series of Lesson Plans from Deep Earth Academy to accompany each. Happy teaching to all!

Photo credit, Etienne Claassen, Marine Instrumentation Specialist

Meet the JOIDES Resolution

• Science Picture Explorations: A Set of Mini Lessons – Grades Pre K-2. Children observe photographs and do simple introductory activities related to oceanography and ocean science.
• What You See is What You Get – Grades K-4/Grades 5-12. Students will be able to practice simple visual and geological observation through activities using core photos available through the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program web site.
• Measure for Measure – Grades 5-8. Students compare the size of the JOIDES Resolution to their classroom and use ratios and fractions to draw a scale model of the ship.
• Sedimentation Rates on Shatsky Rise – Grades 5-8. Students use Shatsky Rise core data to calculate sediment rates at different sites on the ocean floor to explore a real-life application of rate calculation and see what really counts as “fast” in geologic time.
• It’s Sedimentary, My Dear Watson– Grades 5-8. In this introductory activity, students analyze core sample data and use Google Earth to make their own qualitative observations that help them determine the types of sediments that make up the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
• Get Onboard the JR Using the JOIDES Resolution Website – Grades 5-12. Students explore the adventures of current scientific ocean drilling research taking place onboard the JOIDES Resolution (JR) using the variety of resources available on the ship’s website.

Photo credit, Bill Crawford, Digital Imaging Specialist

Ocean Research Drilling

• Why Did They Drill There?– Grades 9-12/Undergraduate. Imagine you are a scientist writing a proposal to use the JOIDES Resolution. Where would you drill? This activity guides students through the drill site location decision making process.
• A “Bit” of Engineering – Grades 5-8. Student teams test three different drilling tools on a variety of ocean bottom substrates to discover which type of drill allows them to retrieve the most intact core for study.
• Drilling Rates through Oceanic Crust  – Grades 9-12/Undergraduate. Students will be able to calculate drilling rates over a three day period during Expedition 309 by using the data provided.