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Polar Sciences Collection: Oceans

Resource Grade Level Media Type
Antarctica: Sea Ice  

Antarctica: Sea Ice
This video segment adapted from NOVA uses microwave images to reveal how sea ice doubles the size of Antarctica each winter. Rare footage shows how sea ice crushed the famous ship Endurance in 1914.

K-12 QuickTime Video
Antarctic Ecosystem  

Antarctic Ecosystem
In contrast with its largely lifeless interior, the Antarctic coastal marine environment supports a vibrant and diverse ecosystem. Explore the region's living bounty in this interactive activity adapted from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

5-12 Flash Interactive
Antarctic Food Web Game  

Antarctic Food Web Game
In this interactive game adapted from the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, build a food web that illustrates the flow of energy in an Antarctic ecosystem and the relationships between predators and prey.

5-8 Flash Interactive
Antarctic Ice: Sea Level Change  

Antarctic Ice: Sea Level Change
What would happen if a portion of the Antarctic Ice Sheet were to melt? This video segment adapted from NOVA uses animations to show the effect of a 6-meter sea-level rise on coastal cities across the world.

6-12 QuickTime Video
Arctic Climate Perspectives  

Arctic Climate Perspectives
This video, adapted from material provided by the ECHO partners, describes how global climate change is affecting Barrow, Alaska.

6-9 QuickTime Video
Arctic Ecosystem  

Arctic Ecosystem
Despite seemingly inhospitable conditions, the Arctic environment has a vibrant and diverse ecosystem. Explore the life that thrives in this region in this interactive activity adapted from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

5-12 Flash Interactive
Arctic Tundra  

Arctic Tundra
This video segment from Wild Europe: "Wild Arctic" explores the struggle for survival in one of Earth's most extreme environments.

3-12 QuickTime Video
Compare the Poles  

Compare the Poles
Explore the defining features of the Arctic and the Antarctic in this interactive activity adapted from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

3-12 Flash Interactive
Earth as a System  

Earth as a System
This visualization adapted from NASA maps progressive global changes onto a rotating globe. Earth's atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere are shown to be dynamic and interconnected.

6-12 QuickTime Video
Earth’s Albedo and Global Warming  

Earth’s Albedo and Global Warming
In this interactive activity adapted from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, learn about Earth's albedo (the ratio of reflected vs. incident solar radiation), how pollution alters albedo, and how ice-albedo feedback may accelerate global warming.

6-12 HTML Interactive
Earth's Cryosphere: The Arctic  

Earth's Cryosphere: The Arctic
In this video segment adapted from NASA, take a tour of the cryosphere in North America and the Arctic using satellite imagery.

6-12 QuickTime Video
Earth System: Ice and Global Warming  

Earth System: Ice and Global Warming
This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center explains ice's role in the Earth system, highlighting the delicate balance that could be upset with a continued rise in temperature due to climate change.

6-12 QuickTime Video
Earth System: Satellites  

Earth System: Satellites
This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center shows how integral satellites are to everyday life and describes the different types, including orbital and geostationary.

6-12 QuickTime Video
Examine Global Surface Currents  

Examine Global Surface Currents
This visualization from McDougal Littell/TERC visualizes the relationship between global wind directions and the direction of ocean surface currents.

6-12 Flash Interactive
Fastest Glacier  

Fastest Glacier
In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, scientists in western Greenland explain how a glacier there is shrinking and moving faster due to increased melting.

6-12 QuickTime Video
Global View of the Seasons  

Global View of the Seasons
This interactive activity produced for Teachers' Domain features satellite data of Earth's seasonal cycles. Visualizations and comparative still images reveal how successfully plants are photosynthesizing at different times of the year.

6-12 Flash Interactive
Global Water Distribution  

Global Water Distribution
How much water on Earth is fresh water? How much of that fresh water is found in icecaps? Lakes? Rivers? This interactive resource uses bar graphs to illustrate the relative distribution of fresh and salt water on Earth. Adapted from Oxford University Press

3-12 Flash Interactive
Great Ocean Conveyor Belt: Part I  

Great Ocean Conveyor Belt: Part I
This image from GRID-Arendal depicts the major circulation pattern of the ocean, illustrating interactions between temperature, salinity, and depth.

9-12 GIF Image
Great Ocean Conveyor Belt: Part II  

Great Ocean Conveyor Belt: Part II
A substantial increase in freshwater running into the northern Atlantic Ocean could dramatically affect climate and global ocean currents. This audio segment from National Public Radio presents viewpoints from scientists studying changes in ocean circulation.

6-12 QuickTime Audio
Ice Shelf and Ice Sheet Simulation  

Ice Shelf and Ice Sheet Simulation
In this interactive activity adapted from Texas A&M University, a block of melting ice simulates ice shelves and ice sheets and their differing effects on global sea level.

6-12 Flash Interactive
Mountain of Ice: If the Ice Melts  

Mountain of Ice: If the Ice Melts
This interactive resource adapted from NOVA Online features a collection of images that show what would happen to selected coastlines around the world if the Antarctic Ice Sheet melted.

6-12 Flash Interactive
Polar Bears and Climate Change  

Polar Bears and Climate Change
In this video from the World Wildlife Fund, learn how rising temperatures in the southern Arctic could lead to polar bear extinction.

6-12 QuickTime Video
Satellites Orbiting Earth  

Satellites Orbiting Earth
This animation adapted from NASA shows the orbital paths of spacecraft in NASA's Earth Observing Fleet that are a source of wide-scale, primary research about Earth.

3-12 QuickTime Video