Sea Level Rise

This learning module is a cooperative effort between NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NOAA’s National Ocean Service. It informs about sea level rise, its causes, and impacts; and challenges students to think about what they can do in response. This module features an integrated educational package of grade level-appropriate (6-12) instruction and activities centered on a 23-minute video presentation. Note that the video has scheduled pauses so educators may facilitate discussions of presented topics. Discussions will extend the total viewing time of the video.

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Focus Question: What is causing sea level rise and what can be done about it?

Pre-Video Viewing Activities

• Sea Level Rise Module Guide for Educators
• Teacher background information:
  • IPCC Fact Sheet: Is Sea Level Rising
  • IPCC Fact Sheet: How do Human Activities Contribute to Climate Change and How do They Compare with Natural Influences?
• Grades 6-8: NOAA Ocean Explorer Multimedia Discovery Mission: Tides
• Grades 9-12: Lesson Plan – Ups and Downs – What Causes Tides and Tidal Currents

In-Conference Materials: (During Video Viewing Activities)

Sea Level rise Graph PDF – 1 per student

Post Video Viewing Activities

Teacher Background Information
Data in the Classroom
Calculating Your Carbon Footprint — Use this activity with the Climate Wheel Card.

5E Learning Objectives:

The learner will:

• Engage: recall prior knowledge related to sea level and sea level rise.
• Explore: explore resources and materials that indicate sea level is rising.
• Explain: explain the causes of sea level rise.
• Elaborate: apply new knowledge to understand how their actions impact sea level rise and climate change.
• Evaluate: calculate their carbon footprint and determine what, if any, changes can be made.

Additional Resources:

• NOAA National Ocean Service Education – Ocean and Climate Literacy
• NOAA National Ocean Service Education – Climate Resources
• NOAA National Ocean Service Education – Tides and Water Levels
• NOAA Office of Coast Management – Sea Level Rise Viewer

Next Generation Science Standards

• MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
• MS-ESS3-5: Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
• HS-ESS3-5: Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.
• HS-ESS3-6: Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.