Ocean Acidification Lab

• This two-part lab will teach students about ocean chemistry, the effects of ocean acidification on shell-building organisms, and the effect of ocean acidification on carbon storage in the ocean. 
• The lab includes both hands-on and online sections to complete, as well as assessment questions, videos, and animations.
  

Positives

• Students will enjoy the hands-on lab portion that indicates a change in pH.
• It will help students understand the importance of changes in chemistry for living creatures and the climate.
• The BBC animated video about sea stars and worms is engaging and interesting.
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should know how to read graphs and have basic knowledge of chemical reactions.
• Teachers need to sign in to access the key.
• There is a TERC Earthlabs app for ipads.
• You may need to zoom out to see all components of the Virtual Urchin Lab (part 2).
  

Differentiation

• Consider using the Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institute's interactive in part B as a review or lecture tool when discussing the chemistry of ocean acidification and how it affects shelled organisms.
  
• Have students keep a lab notebook or journal to record important notes, questions, data, and findings.
• The Virtual Urchin Part 1 interactive can be used on its own for chemistry or biology classes, as it covers the pH scale, carbon emissions, ocean acidification chemical formulas, organisms affected by acidification, and projections of increasing CO₂ on life in the oceans.
• The Virtual Urchin Lab (Part 2) is a great way to have students practice a lab before doing it in class, or as a substitute for a hands-on lab.
• This is a great lab to showcase the scientific method, lab procedures, and using instrumentation to test or analyze samples.