Sluggish Gulf Stream Reaches Slowest Rate in More than 1,000 Years

ENVIRONMENT Call it the Great Gulf Stream Slowdown: An Atlantic Ocean current that helps regulate the global climate has reached a 1,000-year low, according to two new studies. (NPR) Use our video resource to help students better understand how the Gulf Stream and other ocean currents contribute to climate. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas … Continue reading Sluggish Gulf Stream Reaches Slowest Rate in More than 1,000 Years

Tsunami Travelers

ENVIRONMENT The Tohoku tsunami of 2011 caused longest maritime migration ever recorded, with crustaceans, sea slugs and worms riding 4,800 miles from Japan to the North American west coast. (The Guardian) What was the Tohoku tsunami? Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit Text Set. Discussion Ideas The “tsunami travelers” described in the Guardian article are associated with … Continue reading Tsunami Travelers

The Center of North America is Probably in Center

GEOGRAPHY Three towns in North Dakota have competing claims to the geographic center of North America. (New York Times) Put yourself in the center of North America with our Giant Traveling Map! Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit, including today’s MapMaker Interactive map. Discussion Ideas The New York Times article describes three towns identified as the “center … Continue reading The Center of North America is Probably in Center

Scientists Crack Mystery of Monarch Navigation

SCIENCE The uncanny mechanisms that monarch butterflies use to navigate thousands of kilometers has long baffled scientists. A new study suggests how they determine which way to go. (Christian Science Monitor) Read our profile of the “lepidopterist neurobiologist” who helped author the new study. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit. Discussion Ideas According to the fascinating new … Continue reading Scientists Crack Mystery of Monarch Navigation

Weekly Warm-Up: Great Lakes Literacy Principles: Our Freshwater Sea!

Get ready for World Water Day this Tuesday with a fresh look at the Great Lakes! This post was written by Rosanne Fortner, the Director of COSEE (Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence), and Lyndsey Manzo, a high school teacher, in 2010.  When we think about freshwater and its importance to all life, our thoughts should turn to how and where we are educating about … Continue reading Weekly Warm-Up: Great Lakes Literacy Principles: Our Freshwater Sea!