Spirulina algae can be used for a variety of experiments comparing algae growth based on temperature, light, and nutrient differences. Spirulina can be purchased through Algae Research Sup- ply https://algaeresearchsup- ply.com/. Capped and uncapped


jars filled with various levels of decaying organic matter, leaves, food scraps, or algae can be used in conjunction with dissolved oxygen probes to study how decomposing matter impacts oxygen levels. Experiments can then be con- nected to algal bloom dead zones. Probes are available on the internet. One popu- lar source is Vernier: https:// www.vernier.com/product/ dissolved-oxygen-probe/ Incorporating tempera-


ture trends into a HABs PBL project is a great way to con- nect the increasing rate of algal blooms to climate change. NOAA has a user-friendly web page with temperature infor- mation by state and year: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag/ statewide/time-series/5/tavg/1/7/1910-2019?base_prd=true& begbaseyear=1901&endbaseyear=2000 Having students collect location data is a great way to


make the project even more meaningful for teachers whose classrooms are near bodies of water. Here’s a test kit that can help students understand the role of nitrates and phosphates in nutrient pollution of water bodies: https://www.westlab.com/earth-sciences/environmental/ water-testing-kits/117-2852-nitrates-phosphates-eutrophica- tion-kit Frontline Poisoned Waters 2009 — the first half of the


PBS Frontline film offers a comprehensive multifaceted view of nutrient pollution, algal blooms, and dead zones. This film can be used to solidify student understanding of the causes and many effects of harmful algal blooms: https:// www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/poisonedwaters/ Google searches for NASA, NOAA, USGS, or EPA com- bined with the term “harmful algal bloom” will yield many results and plenty of information for students to digest. For more information about Project Based Learning


check out the Buck Institute for Education: https://www. pblworks.org/?_ga=2.19337656.1690183852.1583685257- 350620876.1583685257 For those readers who have first-hand or digital access to


research libraries, here’s an interesting academic paper that looks at human behaviors impacting nutrient pollution of the Mississippi River and HABs in the Gulf of Mexico: Justic, D., Rabalais, N., & Turner, R. (n.d.). Modeling the impacts of decadal changes in riverine nutrient fluxes on coastal eutrophication near the Mississippi River Delta. ECOLOGICAL MODELLING, 152(1), 33–46.


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Victoria Ford is a 5th- and 6th-grade science teacher at Friends Seminary, an independent Quaker school in New York City, USA. She’s passionate about sustainability, con- servation, climate change, and other issues pertaining to the environment. Victoria is currently working on a second mas- ter’s degree in conservation biology through Miami Univer- sity and Project Dragonfly. Her first master’s was in teaching science to middle school students. This is Victoria’s ninth year of teaching middle school science in NYC. For ques- tions, more detailed guidance, or unit materials, please feel free to contact Victoria Ford at vford@friendsseminary.org.


Endnotes:


1. Lee, J. J. (2016, May 24). Driven by Climate Change, Algae Blooms Behind Ohio Water Scare Are New Normal. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/8/140804-harmful- algal-bloom-lake-erie-climate-change-science/


2. Meszaros, J. (2019, January 21). Most Sea Turtle Deaths For Single Red Tide Event. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.wlrn.org/post/ most-sea-turtle-deaths-single-red-tide-event


3. Schlossberg, T. (2017, July 27). Fertilizers, a Boon to Agriculture, Pose Growing Threat to U.S. Waterways. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/climate/nitrogen-fertilizers-cli- mate-change-pollution-waterways-global-warming.html


4. Person. (2007, October 19). Why Is Project-Based Learning Important? Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning-guide- importance


Photo by Dr. Jennifer L. Graham, U.S. Geological Survey. Public domain.


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