**Earth Science Week**

**Problem- Based Career Activity for the Mystery Mollusc NOAA Explore
Poster**

Written by Joyce E. Patterson Stark

Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow

NOAA -- Office of Education and Sustainable Development

> Problem-based learning is an inquiry technique that involves students
> working cooperatively in groups solving real-world problems. Students
> learn how to assess what they know, identify what they need to know,
> gather information and come to a conclusion. The teachers are the
> coaches or facilitators who give only guidance on how to approach the
> problem. This problem-based career activity follows similar steps used
> in problem-based learning models. [Teacher note]{.underline}: If your
> computer lab is not available, copies could be made of the information
> and distributed to the groups. These sites were selected to help solve
> the problem more efficiently. The teacher needs to guide the
> development of the problem statement around a career theme.

1.  [Read and discuss the problem-based scenario]{.underline}. Discuss
    it with your group (2-4 members)

> **Scenario**
>
> In February 2000, Dr. Bruce Robinson organized a marine science
> expedition to study the organisms living in the Monterey Bay area. He
> invited scientists, research technicians, graduate postdoctoral and
> students from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute as well as
> scientists from U.C.L.A. A film crew was also invited.
>
> The ocean is divided into upper, midwater and benthic regions. The
> midwater region is below the photic zone but above the benthic
> boundary. It is the largest living space on Earth. MBARI is one of the
> few institutions with the tools to study the unknown depths of "inner
> space". This area is inhabited mostly by
>
> gelatinous animals that feed on particulate matter from the photic
> zone.
>
> The scientists' objective was to explore the biological organisms that
> lived in the midwater region although some of the dives did go
> 3300-3500 meters to the bottom.
>
> The research vessel, R/V Western Flyer is shaped like a catamaran and
> can carry the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) Tiburon in its belly.
> For launching, the moon pool doors are opened and the ROV Tiburon is
> lowered into the water by a crane. Once in the water, the submersible
> is controlled by an on-board control room in the Western Flyer. Pilots
> and scientists sit in the control room to view real-time video images
> as the ROV is maneuvered through different depths of water.
>
> With the use of submersible vehicles, such as the ROV Tiburon, new
> creatures are continually being discovered. One of the highlights of
> this expedition was the discovery of a new mollusc!
>
> In 2003, another exploration team led by scientists from the Monterey
> Bay Nation Marine Sanctuary (NOAA) collaborated with the Monterey Bay
> Aquarium Research Institute to explore an undersea volcano, Davidson's
> Seamount . This seamount is as tall as the Sierra Mountains (9000')
> and is located 80 miles southwest of Monterey. Their goal was to
> characterize the biological communities that live on or near the
> seamount. The mystery mollusc was found again and photographed "in
> situ" with the background later darkened in the photo lab. (Refer to
> the NOAA Explore Poster)
>
> **Your Mission (we are assuming that you will accept it):**

2.  [List what is known]{.underline}. Make a list of everything you know
    from the scenario and write it in one column. Observe the NOAA
    Explore Mystery Mollusc poster. Make a list of the characteristics
    which will describe this new species in a second column. What other
    information does the poster provide that was not discussed in the
    scenario?

3.  [Develop a problem statement]{.underline}. In this case, each group
    is trying to determine which careers were involved in discovering
    and photographing this mystery mollusc. Another problem statement
    could also include which type of mollusc it could be or how the new
    species could be identified.

4.  [Prepare a list of questions]{.underline}. Think of some questions
    that will help you solve the problem of determining which careers
    were involved. (examples) What does an oceanographer study? What is
    a marine biologist? Why would the scientists classify the new
    organism as a mollusc? How do scientists identify these creatures?
    Does the Western Flyer have a captain? Who pilots the ROV Tiburon?

5.  [The previous steps should be done before going to the websites
    provided for this activity.]{.underline}

6.  [Explore the websites]{.underline} looking for different types of
    careers that were directly or indirectly associated with these
    expeditions. Remember that expeditions are a team effort. One person
    is not responsible for the discovery of the mystery mollusc.

-   Make a list of the possible jobs associated with these expeditions
    and briefly describe them.

-   Choose two of the jobs that interest you the most. Create a Venn
    Diagram to show how these jobs are similar and how they are
    different.

-   Write a paragraph explaining why these careers were selected.

-   Make a hypothesis about which type of mollusc was discovered. You
    will need to know the characteristics of a mollusc first. Explain
    the reason(s ) for your decision.

> 7\. After the individual groups have completed their analysis, each
> group should present their conclusions to the class for discussion.

**Hints for Careers**

Davidson's Seamount NOAA/MBARI Expedition 2002

<http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02davidson/davidson.html>

R/V Western Flyer

<http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/vessels/westernflyer/westernflyer.html>

<http://www.mbari.org/dmo/vessels_vehicles/Western_Flyer/flyer.html>

Building the R/V Western Flyer

<http://www.mbari.org/staff/reiko/makewf/makewf.htm>

Virtual Tour of R/V Western Flyer

<http://www.mbari.org/expeditions/indexarchive.htm>

ROV Tiburon

<http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/subs/tiburon/tiburon.html>

<http://www.mbari.org/dmo/vessels_vehicles/tiburon/tiburon.html>

Crew of the R/V Western Flyer and Pilots of the ROV Tiburon

<http://www.mbari.org/expeditions/GOC/crew.htm>

ROV Tiburon Improvements

<http://www.mbari.org/rd/projects/1999/rov_improvements.html>

OceanAGE Careers

**O**cean Careers to Inspire, **A**nother **G**eneration of
**E**xplorers

<http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/oceanage/welcome.html>

SeaGrant Marine Careers

[http://www.marinecareers.net](http://www.marinecareers.net/)

Southwest Fisheries Science Center

Careers in Marine Biology :Outlooks

<http://swfsc.nmfs.noaa.gov/publications/careers.htm>

Ocean Facts on Ocean Science Careers

<http://www.yoto98.noaa.gov/facts/careers.htm>

National Marine Mammal Laboratory

Strategies for Pursuing a Career in Marine Mammal Science

<http://nml.afsc.noaa.gov/education/science/mmcareersl.htm>

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Careers in the Marine Science Field

<http://graysreef.noaa.gov/student/careers.html>

University of Delaware SeaGrant College Program

Marine Science Center

<http://www.ocean.udel.edu/seagrant/education/marinecareers.html>

Alaska SeaGrant Program

Marine Advisory Program

<http://www.uaf.edu/MAP/tradeschools.html>

SeaGrant Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and
Mary

General Information about Marine Careers

<http://www.vims.edu/adv/ed/careers/>

Underwater Photography

MATE, Marine Advanced Technology Education Center

<http://www.marinetech.org/nine_degrees/who.php>

NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps

<http://www.noaacorps.noaa.gov/recruiting/index.html>

Ocean Science Career Information

<http://www.mbari.org/education/careers.html>

**Discovery of Mystery Mollusc, February 2000**

Dr. Bruce Robinson, Senior Scientist

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

<http://www.mbari.org/staff/robr/>

Dr. William Hamner, Director UCLA Marine Science Center

<http://www.eeb.ucla.edu/indivfaculty.php?FacultyKey=695>

<http://www.msc.ucla.edu/Intro/intro.html>

Dr. George I. Matsumoto

Senior Education and Research Specialist

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

<http://www.mbari.org/staff/mage/>

Rob Sherlock, Research Technician

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

<http://www.mbari.org/staff/robs/>

Dr. Steven Haddock, postdoctoral fellow

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

<http://www.mbari.org/staff/haddock/>

Dr. Kevin Raskoff

California State University, Monterey Bay

<http://www.mbari.org/staff/kraskoff/>

Film Crew (Jonathan Grupper, Mark Knobil and Kathy Turko)

Kim Reisenbichler, senior research technician

Jessica Silguero, graduate research assistant

Peggy Hamner, senior research technician

**Hints for Identification of Mystery Mollusc**

Midwater Ecology and Biology

Monterey Bay Aquarium and Research Institute

<http://www.mbari.org/midwater/>

MBARI 1999 Projects: Midwater Research

<http://www.mbari.org/rd/projects/1999/midwater_research.html>

Marine Biology Images

(Includes NOAA Photo Library)

<http://nature.ac.uk/text/browse/578.770222.html>

Classification of Gelatinous Zooplankton

<http://jellieszone.com/classification.htm>

Bioluminescence Web Page

<http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/~biolum/>

Ocean Link:Mollusca

<http://oceanlink.island.net/oinfo/intertidal/mollusca.html>

National Science Education Standards

Content Standard A (5-8) (9-12)

-   Abilities to do scientific inquiry

-   Understandings about scientific inquiry

Content Standard B (5-8)

-   Populations and ecosystems

-   Diversity and adaptations

Content Standard B (9-12)

-   Interdependence of organisms

-   Biological evolution