Grades: 4+
Duration: 30-45 minutes
Materials: Clear or white bottle cap, black Sharpie, liquid whiteout- if your cap is not white, a penny, hot glue or super glue, white or light-colored string, ruler, toothpick, scissors, pencil, 3 pieces of blank paper, 3 glasses that can hold 12 oz of liquid, liquid measuring cup, 24 oz of Pepsi or other dark-colored soda, 12 oz of water, calculator.
OSO alignment: Students observe the color and clarity of the water on the boat. Instructors engage students in a discussion about primary productivity in the ocean. Students learn that the Monterey Bay is often green and cloudy due to the large amounts of phytoplankton and that tropical waters are nutrient-limited resulting in less primary productivity and increased clarity.
NGSS performance expectation: 4-PS4-2. Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen.