What Is Ocean Acidification?

Positives

• While this video contains extensive scientific vocabulary related to ocean acidification, it is scaffolded by the use of graphics and illustrations.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should be familiar with concepts such as climate change and fossil fuel use.
• The video is available without an account, but teachers need to make a free account to access the additional materials.

Differentiation

• Pausing the video after each new concept is introduced and checking for understanding or leading a discussion could be helpful.
• Stop at 00:40 and discuss the concept of carbon sources and sinks. Guiding questions might include "Why is a carbon sink a good thing?" and "How does the ocean act as a carbon sink?".
• In biology or social studies classes, discuss how the threat to shelled sea creatures impacts the whole ocean food web and the people that rely on it for food.
• For additional content about ocean acidification, you can reference this Climate Change and the Oceans resource here and this video about ocean acidification and coral reefs.