On this page you will find an exercise that explores the concept of spatial scales in ocean mapping. The example is plotting ocean water temperatures that result from large scale (coarse resolution) sampling vs. finer scale (higher resolution) sampling. The purpose of this specific exercise is to provide students an opportunity to learn how different sampling scales will reveal different levels of detail about ocean temperatures within a study region. While the temperature data for this activity have been taken from satellite imagery of the Northeast Pacific (Oregon and Northern California), the concepts of sampling scale and frequency are applicable to most coastal ocean regions.

This activity is appropriate for integrated and earth science courses in grades 6-12. Two Acrobat PDF files are available:

• Classroom Exercise
• Teacher Guide

This classroom exercise was developed by John Hercher, science teacher at South Salem (Oregon) High School following a "Teacher-at-Sea" experience on a U.S. GLOBEC Northeast Pacific Cruise in the Summer of 2002.