Earthrise -- June 2024 Issue: Earth's Ocean

NASA STEM Engagement

ISSUE 06 JUNE 2024

Welcome to Earthrise

Apollo 8, the first crewed mission to the Moon, entered lunar orbit Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1968. That evening, the astronauts - Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders - held a live broadcast from lunar orbit in which they showed pictures of Earth and the Moon as seen from their spacecraft. Credits: NASA

Earthrise is an initiative launched by NASA in cooperation with federal and nonfederal partners to elevate Earth and climate science in the classroom. Each monthly edition focuses on a new theme, such as air quality, oceans, and agriculture.

We would love your feedback! Please click the hyperlink or use the QR Code to complete the five-minute Earthrise Feedback Questionnaire.

Remembering Apollo Astronaut William Anders

“In 1968, as a member of the Apollo 8 crew, as one of the first three people to travel beyond the reach of our Earth and orbit the Moon, Bill Anders gave to humanity among the deepest of gifts an explorer and an astronaut can give. Along with the Apollo 8 crew, Bill was the first to show us, through looking back at the Earth from the threshold of the Moon, that stunning image – the first of its kind – of the Earth suspended in space, illuminated in light and hidden in darkness: the Earthrise.” – NASA Administrator Bill Nelson

This collection of resources was inspired by the first image of Earth rising above the horizon from the vantage point of the Moon by astronaut William “Bill” Anders aboard Apollo 8 in 1968. This month’s Earthrise issue is presented in honor of the life and legacy of astronaut Anders.

June 2024 Issue: Earth's Ocean

The study of Earth’s ocean from space spans a rich history. Delving into the depths of the ocean from space unveils the mysteries of our own planet, our home. The ocean is the planet's largest reservoir of heat and carbon dioxide, which are distributed by currents.  For nearly five decades, researchers have collected data across all of the world’s ocean basins with satellites, airplane-mounted instruments, and space shuttles and stations. In celebration of National Ocean Month, explore this set of resources that delve into what we know and continue to learn about Earth’s ocean.

WATCH

PACE Celebrates National Ocean Month With Colorful Views of the Planet

(All Grade Levels)

NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite views our entire planet every day, returning data at a cadence that allows scientists to track and monitor the rapidly changing atmosphere and ocean, including cloud formation, aerosol movement, and differences in microscopic ocean life over time.

Learn more

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sanctuaries 360° Virtual Reality Lesson Plans

(Grades 6-8)

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has launched Sanctuaries 360°, a collection of immersive underwater experiences featuring the immense beauty, biodiversity, and marine life found in the ocean. This collection includes seven lessons and accompanying 360° videos which can be implemented in classrooms.

Learn more

EXPLORE

Ocean Odyssey Educators Guide From NOAA (Grades 2-4)

Understanding the ocean and its ecosystems is essential to comprehending and protecting this planet. We must all be stewards for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable ocean. This guide includes eight elementary-level lessons, inspired by topics from the IMAX film, Ocean Odyssey. The activities will help lead you and your students to learn more about our ocean planet, its myriad of wonders beneath the waves, and work to maintain healthy ecosystems that are resilient in the face of change. Watching the film is not required for these lessons, but may enhance students’ learning experience.

Learn more

Down by the Seashore: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Corals Lab Helps Protect Coral Reefs (Grades 6-8)

At Gulf Breeze, the only EPA lab for corals research, scientists use this Florida location and a state-of-the art laboratory to address some of the pressing issues affecting coral reefs.

Learn more

It's a Small World: How Oceans and the Climate Can Affect Wildland Fires Thousands of Miles Away (Grades 6-8)

The scientists in this study were interested in three common periodic changes in sea surface temperatures, called oscillations. In particular, the scientists wanted to see how wildfires over the past 400 years aligned with the oscillations. Read about the study, then complete an activity about how yearly weather conditions can affect how tree growth rings look.

Learn more

Water in Our World: Exploring Storage and Movement in Different Environments (Grades 5-8)

In this lesson plan, students will investigate and compare where water is stored and how it moves in six different environments: deserts, forests, urban areas, suburban areas, coastlines, and agricultural regions.

Learn more

TEACH

Why Is the Ocean Salty? (Grades 2-6)

Oceans cover about 70% of the Earth's surface and 97% of all water on Earth is saline—that's a lot of salty water! Learn why Earth’s global ocean has such a high saline concentration in this video from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Learn more

Ocean! Community Research Guide (Grades 6-12)

Ocean! is a freely available community research guide developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center in partnership with the InterAcademy Partnership as part of the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project. Smithsonian Science for Global Goals community research guides use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework to focus on sustainable actions that are defined and implemented by students.

Learn more

EPA's Microplastics Research Spotlight

(Grades 6-8)

Plastics in natural environments have raised concerns about how they can potentially harm humans and aquatic life. This webpage adds to existing information about microplastics and how EPA researchers are advancing the understanding of these complex pollutants.

Learn more

Graphing Sea Level Trends (Grades 5-12)

In this activity, students will use sea-level rise data to create models and compare short-term trends to long-term trends. They will then determine whether sea-level rise is occurring based on the data.

Learn more

Underwater Robotics With U.S. Department of Defense STEM (Grades K-12)

SeaPerch! Defense STEM Education Consortium Partner Robonation promotes water discovery and real-world research and engineering through SeaPerch. SeaPerch is an underwater robotics program that equips students and teachers with resources to learn about water, basic science, engineering concepts, problem-solving, and teamwork in an exciting and hands-on way.

Learn more

National Ocean Month: 10 Ocean Field Sites You’ve Got to ‘Sea’ to Believe (All Grade Levels)

The ocean is a beautiful, dynamic, and sometimes dangerous place. Unsurprisingly, this is probably why a lot of U.S. Geological Survey researchers spend their entire careers studying it. In celebration of National Ocean Month, dive in and learn about ten ocean field sites you’ve got to “sea” to believe.

Learn more

Immerse Yourself in Earth and Space: Get SOS Explorer (All Grade Levels)

NOAA's Science on a Sphere (SOS) team has just released free software that lets you explore Earth and space data on a virtual globe on your personal computer. Visualize sea turtle migration patterns, learn about changes in sea surface temperatures, explore ocean currents, and more with over 175 datasets, including virtual experiences that allow you to dive into the deep ocean and pilot a submarine.

Learn more

NASA's Climate Kids: How Does Climate Change Affect the Ocean? (Grades 3-6)

The ocean covers about 70% of Earth’s surface, so it’s not surprising that it plays a large part in Earth’s environment. Explore this interactive series of resources to learn about the relationship between climate and ocean.

Learn more

Look for more great Earth and Climate Science content next month!

Click the link to subscribe to the Earthrise Newsletter.

For more information, head to www.nasa.gov/Earth or science.nasa.gov/earth-science.

To learn more about how NASA puts its data to use for society, see appliedsciences.nasa.gov.

Thank you to our collaborating partners for contributing resources and engaging educators.

Please join our community of educators in NASA CONNECTS! NASA CONNECTS (Connecting Our NASA Network of Educators for Collaborating Together in STEM) is a professional learning community of educators who are invited to engage with NASA’s team to inspire the next generation of explorers.

NASA Office of STEM Engagement

NASA is committed to engaging, inspiring, and attracting future generations of explorers and building a diverse future STEM workforce.

stem.nasa.gov

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

Visit nasa.gov

Follow NASA