Global Mean Sea Level
Data, Graphs, and Maps
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Earth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by NASA
What it is
- This resource shows a graph charting the change in average global sea level since 1992 and a map of sea level changes across the globe since 1993.
- Students can zoom on the graph to see detailed views of a specific period.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This map provides an excellent opportunity for students to practice curiosity and ask questions.
- Students can hover over the underlined words to see the definition of the word.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should know how to read a line graph.
- Some students might not understand what the ± (plus-minus sign) means (e.g., sea level rise is 98 ± 4 mm). This is the uncertainty margin, which means there is a high probability that the true number is within that range. Students can read more about uncertainty margins by hovering over the "i" icon on the left side of the page to the right of the latest measurement.
Differentiation
- In social studies or geography classes, students could use the map to identify areas that might be in danger of going underwater due to sea level rise.
- Science classes could make a list of solutions for stopping sea level rise.
- Other resources on this topic include this article about the future of sea level rise, this media literacy activity on sea level rise, and this video on what causes sea level rise and how it is affecting coastal communities in New Jersey.
From the scientist review
The GMSL datasets are accurate and the criteria set for validation is appropriate. The resource will provide students with knowledge on global mean sea level, sea surface heights, anomalies, and variations. This resource is suitable and recommended for teaching.
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Hosted on sealevel.nasa.gov
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