Feeding the Whales: Chlorophyll

Instructions for completing task #1
Step1: on yout webquest, click on the "task button" located on the left side of the screen.
Step2: select any video listed below to view the lesson at hand.
Step3: after viewing the video repeat step #2 until all videos have been viewed

Instructions to complete task #2
Step1: Click on the link below to go to the Giovanni NASA site.
Step2: In the Area of Interest section (below the map), type in the coordinates for the North Atlantic : West (-75), North (50), South (30), and East (-5)

Step 3: In the Temporal section, set the begin date to Jan 2007 and the End Date to Dec 2007.

Step 4: Make the following selections:

Under Ocean: The Physical Ocean,in the parameter section, click on sea surface temperature (11 micron day)
Under Ocean Biosphere, in the parameter section, click the box next to chlorophyll-a (first selection in the list).
Under Atmosphere: Atmospheric Gases, in the parameter section, click the box next to CO2 fraction.
Under the Energy and Radiation system, in the parameter section, click the box next to photosynthetically available radiation.

Step 5: Click on the upside down triangle that is below "select visualization" and look through the list of descriptions and click on "animation".
Step 6: At the bottom of the screen, click on generate visualization. Wait a few seconds until all information has processed. You should see the visualization results tab that shows
the image of the North Atlantic region as a video screen with video controls. Investigate the color variations in the image with the scale listed below that displays levels. You can
still view images separately one at a time by clicking on the left-pointed triangle of the video controls or the right-pointed triangle of the video controls.

Class Activity:
Inquiry question 1: Ask the students to identify what months display that the highest levels of chlorophyll based on the color variation?
Inquiry question 2: Ask the students to identify what months that display the lowest levels of chlorophyll based on the color variation?
Inquiry question 3: Ask the students to identify if these months for the highest levels of chlorophyll correspond with the months of highest levels in ocean nutrients?
Inquiry question 4: Ask the students to identify if these months for the lowest levels of chlorophyll correspond with the months of the lowest levels in ocean nutrients?
Based on the highest levels of chlorophyll and ocean nutrient sources, ask the students which months they believe will provide a good source of phytoplankton for whales?