Smithsonian Science Education Center Publishes New Ocean Research Guide for Youth

WASHINGTON, February 22, 2024 (Newswire.com) - The ocean occupies 71% of Earth’s surface area and is critical to making Earth a habitable place for people. Life on a sustainable planet requires us to understand the central role the ocean plays in Earth’s temperature regulation, nutrient cycling and the water and carbon cycle. 

The Smithsonian Science Education Center, in collaboration with its Smithsonian colleagues and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), has developed Ocean! How can we create a sustainable future for the ocean?, a new community research guide for youth ages 11–18. Underpinned by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the guide aims to help young people use systems thinking to explore their relationship with the ocean.

As part of the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project, Ocean! is the tenth freely available guide and includes research, activities, and perspectives from subject matter experts on various ocean topics. Within the guide, students explore current problems facing the ocean related to various types of pollution, ocean acidification, rising ocean temperatures, dwindling numbers of fish, and competition for coastal spaces. The Smithsonian Science for Global Goals guides integrate inquiry-based science education with social and emotional learning and civic engagement.

“Half of the world’s population live near a coastline, and everyone on the planet is deeply connected to the ocean in some way. This means that negative changes in our ocean will affect all of us," said Carol O’Donnell, Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center. “This new freely available guide gives young people everywhere the tools to discover, understand and act on complex concepts surrounding our ocean, and encourages students to apply what they learn to take action for Life on a Sustainable Planet.”

Ocean!, and the conceptual framework for all Smithsonian Science for Global Goals guides, was funded through a grant from the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation.

Smithsonian Science Education Center

Smithsonian Science Education Center is transforming K–12 Education Through Science in collaboration with communities across the globe. Visit Smithsonian Science Education Center and Smithsonian Science for Global Goals and follow on X, Facebook, LinkedIn. 

InterAcademy Partnership

Under the umbrella of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), more than 140 national, regional and global member academies work together to support the vital role of science in seeking evidence-based solutions to the world’s most challenging problems. In particular, IAP harnesses the expertise of the world’s scientific, medical and engineering leaders to advance sound policies, improve public health, promote excellence in science education and achieve other critical development goals. See www.interacademies.org. 

Source: Smithsonian Science Education Center