Engineering Design Challenge
Mapping the Ocean’s Floor
Project Title
Project Source
STEM Improvement Lesson Development Team
Project Submitter
STEM Improvement Lesson Development Team
Grade Level
Math, Grade 6, 4th Quarter
Lesson Description Oceanographers and engineers constantly analyze what is under
our oceans. By doing so, they protect our environment and improve the quality of our
lives. Often engineers must know the exact topography of the ocean floor and create
maps of the floor. They use these maps to assist in prediction currents, laying
underwater cables, designing deep water construction projects and minerals
exploration. Teams of students will conduct simulated depth soundings and develop
underwater maps.
Engineering content Naval and ocean engineers use the engineering design process
to develop maps of the sea floor without being able to visually see the objects on the
floor. This information is used for a variety of needs including exploration and
navigation.
Learning Objectives The engineering design process, teamwork, mathematical
reasoning, biodiversity, problem solving using decimals, percent, fractions and
proportions, proportional reasoning
Educational Content Standards
Alabama Mathematics
E. Apply data analysis and probability content to solve real world and
mathematical problems involving biodiversity.
Alabama Science
2. – Conduct a systematic approach to creative problem solving and finding ways
to meet society’s needs
2.3. – Apply mathematical reasoning, knowledge of earth and space science and
teamwork to solve technological problems
Materials:
Sounding box
Thin wooden shish kabob sticks
Ruler
Mapping the Sea Floor
Sixth Grade Math, 4th Quarter
Oceanographers and engineers constantly analyze what is under our oceans. By doing
so, they protect our environment and improve the quality of our lives. Often engineers
must know the exact topography of the ocean floor and create maps of the floor. They
use these maps to assist the prediction currents, laying underwater cables, designing
deep water construction projects and minerals exploration. Teams of students will
construct models of the ocean floor and its features. Other teams of students will
conduct simulated depth soundings and develop underwater maps.
Sounding Boxes are pre-assembled and provided to teachers
"Pretend" water - Aluminum foil is the best way to represent the water surface. Label
each side of the aluminum foil with a grid that matches the attached plotting chart.
Cover your box with aluminum foil and add the labeled grid on top to complete your
sounding box. Now you are ready to take measurements.
Day 1
Engage:
Define the Problem
How could you map the sea floor?
What are some things you need to know before being able to do this?
Show PowerPoint (provided) that discusses how ancient mariners mapped the sea floor
and then show embedded clips of current sonar technology paying close attention to the
various colors that are produced in the sonar graphing.
Explore:
Research the problem
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The teacher will hand out the ready-made boxes, bamboo skewers, cm ruler, and
cm grid paper (depth chart).
Position the stick carefully into the first spot you want to sample.
Measure “depths” by gently pushing the long, skinny stick through gridded
covering of the sounding box until the stick hits something on the bottom.
Pinch your fingers around the stick where it is even with the cover, and without
letting go, gently pull stick from the grid.
Measure the distance from the pointed end of the stick to your fingers using the
cm ruler. Record measurement on depth chart.
Repeat steps at each point marked on the grid covering the box. Record each
measurement in the proper place on the depth chart (cm grid paper).
Develop solutions
Choose a solution
Create a model

On the” depth chart”, construct a visual representation of depth markings.
Test
 Students will remove the cover from, and inspect the box. Students will compare
their charts with actual “ocean floor”.
Day 2
Extend:



Use ratios to find actual depths of ocean floor.
Use scale: 1 cm = 1000 m (1 km)
Write actual depths of “ocean floor”
Explain:
Communicate
 Each group shares “depth chart” with class
 Discuss difficulties encountered during trials
 After each group has shared, discuss……….
Redesign

Students can take into consideration that every time you measure the ocean floor
it requires a great deal of money. What are some revisions or plans that can be
taken into consideration to help save as much money as possible?
Evaluating Student Learning: A Rubric
The Student Will
be able to:
Novice
1
Apprentice
2
Proficient
3
Distinguished
4
Use a depth
chart to map the
ocean floor
Student is
unable to
effectively
complete
sounding with
the model
provided
Student is able
to complete
sounding with
significant
guidance.
Student is
successful:
sounding is
done with care
and attention to
detail, and data
chart is correct
and effective.
Student goes
significantly
beyond
proficient level,
i.e. by
explaining how
sounding data
relates to the
topography of
the ocean floor.
Use the
information
gained to
develop a plan
to revise the
original sea floor
map.
Student is
unable to
develop a plan
to revise the
original
measuring
method.
Student is able
to complete a
plan for revision
but requires
significant
guidance.
Student is
successful in
developing a
planto revise the
original map.
Student goes
significantly
beyond the
required revision
to include the
measuring
method and the
map itself.
Use the
information
gained to solve
problems using
proportion.
Student is
unable to
effectively solve
the proportion
problems
related to depth.
Student is able
to effectively
solve the
proportion
problems
related to depth
but required
significant
guidance.
Student is able
to effectively
solve the
proportion
problems
related to depth.
Student is able
to effectively
solve without
difficulty or
guidance the
proportion
problems
related to depth
and helps other
in solving the
problems.
Use the
information
gained between
two points on a
horizontal scale
to determine the
actual distance.
Using scale,
student is
unable to
effectively solve
for actual
distance
between two
points.
Using scale,
student is able
to effectively
solve for actual
distance
between two
points but
requires
significant
guidance.
Using scale,
student is able
to effectively
solve for actual
distance
between two
points.
Using scale,
student is able
to effectively
solve for actual
distance
between two
points as well as
determines the
surface area for
various items on
the sea floor.
___________________________________
Student Name
______ out of 16
_______%
Mapping the Sea Floor
Step 1 - Have your “Color Coded Chart” ready: color each grid that is next to a number in a
different color of your choice. Example: #1 – Red, #2 – Orange, etc.
Step 2 - Get a copy of the “Depth Chart”.
Get a small sharp object. Poke a small hole in each square of the “Depth Chart” so that you
can easily push your bamboo skewer through each square of the grid. Tape the “Depth
Chart” on top of the aluminum foil that covers the box.
Step 3 -Position the stick carefully into the first spot you want to sample. (grid 1,1 )
Step 4 - Measure “depths” by gently pushing the long and skinny stick through the Depth
Chart and cover of the sounding box until the stick hits something on the bottom.
Step 5 - Pinch your fingers around the stick where it is even with the cover.
Step 6 - Measure the distance from the end of the stick to your fingers using the Color
Coded Chart. What is the color that corresponds to that distance?
Step 7 - On your second copy of the “Depth Chart,” color the first grid (1,1) with the color
that corresponds to the distance that you measured.
Step 8 - Repeat steps 4-7 at each point marked on the grid on the box. Record each
measurement in the proper place on the depth chart.
Note - When you have finished, each square on the Depth chart should be colored. (See the
example below.)
Step 9 - Draw lines that connect grid boxes that have the same colors to show what objects
or landforms are on the bottom of your Sea floor. (See example here above.)