Global Mean Sea Level
Provided by: NASA|Published on: April 27, 2021
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Data, Graphs, and Maps
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: NASA
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This resource shows a graph charting the change in average global sea level since 1992 and a map of sea level changes across the globe since 1993.
- Students can zoom on the graph to see detailed views of a specific period.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This map provides an excellent opportunity for students to practice curiosity and ask questions.
- Students can hover over the underlined words to see the definition of the word.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should know how to read a line graph.
- Some students might not understand what the ± (plus-minus sign) means (e.g., sea level rise is 98 ± 4 mm). This is the uncertainty margin, which means there is a high probability that the true number is within that range. Students can read more about uncertainty margins by hovering over the "i" icon on the left side of the page to the right of the latest measurement.
Differentiation
- In social studies or geography classes, students could use the map to identify areas that might be in danger of going underwater due to sea level rise.
- Science classes could make a list of solutions for stopping sea level rise.
- Other resources on this topic include this article about the future of sea level rise, this media literacy activity on sea level rise, and this video on what causes sea level rise and how it is affecting coastal communities in New Jersey.
The GMSL datasets are accurate and the criteria set for validation is appropriate. The resource will provide students with knowledge on global mean sea level, sea surface heights, anomalies, and variations. This resource is suitable and recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
