To decode the science of crude oil formation we first need to go back in time. Waaaay back! We have to set our geologic clocks back tens and even hundreds of millions of years to a time when ancient seas covered much of North America. Small lifeforms, mostly algae, and tiny creatures known as zooplankton lived in these ancient seas. They produced their life energy by using CO2, water, and sunlight. Like all living things, these plants and animals eventually died. Their remains fell to the bottom and mixed with and were buried by sediment. Their remains and seafloor sediment piled up for millions of years.
Eventually, the pressure from the piled sediment and heat caused changes in the plant and animal, or organic, materials into a wax-like material called kerogen. Another by-product of this pressure is a tar-like substance known as bitumen, which we will learn more about later.
Catagenesis happens next. Big word. Essentially, catagenesis is the cracking of kerogen into smaller, hydrocarbon molecules that make up crude oil. Hydrocarbons are carbon atoms that have their “outer shell” filled only with hydrogen atoms. The minerals contained in the plant and animal remains mentioned earlier have an important role in catagenesis. They function as catalysts, materials that speed up or change the outcome of a reaction without being used up in the reaction itself. The catalyst helps catagenesis continue and, if the levels of pressure and temperature are just right, it forms crude oil – ta-da!
When you're ready to drill even deeper into the science of crude, click on the "Learn More" tab below to discover more about the mysteries of crude oil formation and exploration. Filling up your gas tank will never be the same again.
Plus, take a moment and check out the jazzed petroleum industry careers video on the right. Then, click the link of our educational partner here to dig even deeper into the science of refining and transporting crude oil.
So how does this water cycle thing work? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.
Like many things on our planet, water is constantly changing. As it goes through its cycle, water can change from a solid, to a liquid, or even into a gas. This constant change helps our rivers to run, lakes to stay full, and supplies our homes with water. Without this cycle, our water supplies would be in trouble. The water cycle, or “hydrologic cycle” as our scientist friends call it, can be broken up into three major stages.
The first stage in the water cycle is “evaporation”. As the sun’s energy heats the surface of our lakes, rivers, plants and soil, the water begins to turn to “water vapor”. Steam coming off hot liquid is one way we can see water vapor. This water vapor is a gas that can rise up into the sky. Winds and air currents push the water vapor through the atmosphere until it forms into the next stage – clouds. Have you looked at the sky and wondered “where do all those clouds come from?” Well, they are an important part of the water cycle.
To discover the rest of this story that affects every aspect of life here on the "blue planet", watch this video. Or, to really dive into the depths of understanding the water cycle, try the companion Lesson Guide below in your classroom.
To really get your feet wet in understanding the water cycle, students and educators can learn all about the various roles of water in our lives by exploring Project WET's Discover Water. Just follow the link and dive into all the wet learning there.
Oh yeah, there's also lots more info below in "Learn More" expanded section. Enjoy the water.
Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. So click on their logo to discover more!
Did you know that trees are actually plants? Or that we would be unable to survive on this planet without plants? These are just a few of the facts presented in this Serious Science video. Josh and Caroline start things off with a debate about whether plants are best as an economic product or as a living home to wildlife. Where do you stand?
So...what is a plant exactly? Josh and Caroline will help you out with that one, before handing things off to mission control. There, Amelia defines the different values related to forests.
First, it's important to understand the difference between abiotic and biotic factors. Biotic factors are living things that contribute to healthy ecosystems. Trees fall into this category, as they take in carbon dioxide, expel oxygen, and feed other species. Abiotic factors include non-living, but essential, parts of an ecosystem. Water, air, soil, and structure fall into this category. Again, trees provide, or help to provide, a multitude of abiotic factors.
Watch the video to learn about the variety of values related to plants. Ecological, economic, social, recreational, cultural, and traditional values all tie in to how humans perceive the environment. What do you value about plants, trees, and the natural world?
Check out the links below and the lesson activities to gain more knowledge about the role plants play in our lives.
Aquaculture is the production of fish, either in containment nets or in recirculating systems.
Aquaponics is the combination of fish culture and hydroponic vegetable production.
Aquaponics systems are more economically and environmentally feasible than typical recirculating aquaculture systems. By growing a secondary crop, such as vegetables or herbs, costs associated with construction, operation and maintenance can be distributed across both fish and vegetable production and make both more viable in cost return. Plants/vegetables via the nitrogen cycle help break down ammonia and nitrates and remove them from the culture water. This is mutually beneficial for both plant propagation and fish culture.
In aquaponics the fish effluent and the nutrients left by leftover decomposing fish food can be utilized by plants and other aquatic life as food. Rather than just throwing away these nutrients food can be produced. Creating a closed loop is not only economically more viable but is also more environmentally sustainable.
Even though traditional agriculture of farming the land is on the decline, aquaculture, also known as fish farming, is on the rise and offers new educational and occupational opportunities. And aquaponics is also a growing trend that has a strong sustainable side.
Aquaculture involves the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of water-raised plants and aquatic animals in various water environments; including tanks, ponds, rivers, lakes, and even the ocean. Aquaculture produces food fish, sport fish, bait fish, ornamental fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, sea vegetables, and fish eggs. And some operations combine two or more products in the same operation. Watch our video here and you’ll see for yourself how they make ‘surf n turf” under the same roof.
Some aquaculture operations produce seafood from hatchery fish that are grown to market size in ponds, tanks, or raceways. Other operations grow the combination of fish and plant species used in a variety of food, pharmaceutical, nutritional, and biotechnology products.
Freshwater aquaculture produces species that are native to rivers, lakes, and streams. This aquaculture is dominated by catfish but also produces trout, tilapia, and bass. Freshwater aquaculture takes place primarily in ponds and on the land, inside man-made systems such as recirculating aquaculture systems.
Below you’ll find helpful links and lessons about aquaculture and aquaponics.
Rivers are like arteries, bringing life to the region surrounding them, washing away waste, purifying the environment with their biotic and abiotic processes. Just like in the body, natural communities thrive when the flow is swift and pure and healthy. But just like a body, rivers are there to be used. The native tribes say; think like a river, and you will bring health to her and all she touches. Others say that rivers are tools to be used for efficient support of modern civilization, and should be maximized in such use. Whose perspective is right? Is there a way to do both?
The Ottaway is a case study of the issues that people everywhere are facing in regards to river health and the environmental impact of human activity. It is told though the voices of the people who care about the river, rely on its functions, and want to share their perspectives on what impending change means to them. Through their stories your students will hear the facts and experience the emotional impacts that helped community leaders make decisions on natural resource use such as logging, hydroelectric dams, fishing and boating. Through viewing scientific research methods used to gather data, your students will understand how data is collected and analyzed to determine the health of a fishery – which is the marker for overall river health.
The ultimate question is can humans take advantage of a natural resource without consequences? And if a resource is impacted by human activity, is there a way back? Experience The Ottaway to find your answers in two ways: 1) Watch all the classroom videos at the top of this page, or watch the full one-hour Emmy-winning film, 2) Have your teacher download the classroom Discussion Guide below for a healthy exchange of peer-driven, critical thinking and learning.
So what makes a forest ecosystem dynamic and sustainable? Discover the answers by watching the four parts of this science show and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.
Well, it's because a forest is constantly changing. Various processes take place in the forest that are crucial to life… such as getting clean air to breathe or clean water to drink. It starts when trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and then convert it into roots, shoots, wood, leaves, flowers, and fruits through the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is where plants use light energy, carbon dioxide, and water to make sugars and release oxygen, which is great for breathing. But as forests grow and regenerate, they also play crucial roles in the water cycle and carbon cycle. The four parts of this Into the Outdoors episode and the Serious Science video on Sustainable Forestry reveal the science behind our dynamic forests.
As bonus educational material for your classroom, below you'll find the high school activity from Project Learning Tree on Monitoring Forest Health. This activity is the first of nine found in PLT's Focus on Forests: Forest Ecology guide. Check it out on Focus on Forests from Project Learning Tree.
Share this forestry fun and education with your friends or classroom. Or, check out the "Sustainable Forestry" video on this site and its related classroom Lesson Guide. "Timber"
Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. Educators are encouraged to evaluate and consider their science sources. Click on their logo to discover more.
Hey, teachers and educators!! Don't forget to check out the advanced overview for some quick-start birding lessons in your classroom plus the lesson plans below.
Did you know that more than 45 million people in the United States are birders? That means one out of seven people you meet enjoy searching for and identifying these important feathery animals.
Why are birds so important you may ask? Well first of all, they help grow and protect many crops that you eat during your mealtimes. Two thousand bird species and other animals help pollinate 90% of plants and 75% of crops around the world. Birds also eat 20 quadrillion plant-eating insects each year that destroy crops like corn, apples, strawberries, and lettuce. Not only do birds help us eat and grow, but their ability to fly at incredible heights, speeds, and distances inspired us to build airplanes. It is no wonder since the peregrine falcon can dive up to 200 miles per hour while the Ruppel’s griffon vulture can fly 37,000 feet off the ground. That is higher than the world’s tallest mountains, the Himalayan Mountains. Lastly, since birds are sensitive to changes in temperature, moisture, and oxygen in their environmental surroundings, birds can be indicators of climate change. Counting the number of species and individual birds in an area assists scientists in gauging the health of the environment. The higher the variety and amount of birds, the better. (of course not in all cases? Could be overpopulation, crowding effects)(scientists may record shifts in nesting or migration behaviors too)
So what can we do to keep or regain habitat for birds? Organizations of people across the country aim to reduce the threat of habitat loss by building sanctuaries or conservancies. These sanctuaries and conservancies are refuges for birds because they protect, manage, and restore habitats that birds depend upon. Thinks of these places as hotels. When birds are in need of a new home, looking for places to find a partner and raise a family, or searching for a place to rest while traveling south for the winter, a bird will ‘check in’ to one of these hotels. Here, a bird may visit family and friends, eat lots of natural food, drink clean water, swim in the pool, and sleep in a safe space. Sounds fun, right?
Additionally, every bird species is unique and requires certain characteristics in their habitat. Therefore, a ‘hotel’ staff must work hard and long to create and maintain a sanctuary or conservancy that provides a vast array of habitats for as many bird and wildlife species as possible. For instance, you may find habitats ranging from tallgrass prairies and oak savannahs to mature hardwood forests and temperate rainforests to open wetlands and coastal beaches in a conservancy or sanctuary.
But sanctuaries and conservancies cannot build themselves. Watch these two videos and learn how avian stewards like you can help sanctuaries and conservancies reach to the skies and create quality habitat for birds.
Our educational partner, American Transmission Company (ATC), supported the video content above. To learn more about their pollinator program, check out the link below. Also, look out for ATC's new bird identification field guide! Book copies may be purchased at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Greenbay, Wisconsin.