Scientific expeditions exploring
deep-sea volcanic vents

For teachers

In its 2007 report on 'Investigating the Oceans', the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee noted that 'marine science has clear attractions to young people and could be drawn into many topics to increase interest in science, such as biodiversity in the deep ocean', and suggested that 'a focus on extreme environments (space and oceans) would entice young people into science'.

We completely agree, and so the links below contain some suggestions for where and how the science of our expeditions can fit into the UK school curriculum:

Primary curriculum: 'Scientific knowledge and technological understanding'

Key Stage 3: 'Science'

Key Stage 4: 'Science'

GCSE Biology, Chemistry, Physics

A-level Biology, Chemistry, Physics

And here's our pick of educational links about undersea volcanoes and deep-sea life:

Explore the Deep Sea - Volcanoes and Vents

Explore the Deep Sea - Life in the Deep

(There are lots of webpages out there about deep-sea vents. Unfortunately many are riddled with factual errors. But those Venture Deep Ocean pages are excellent. They were created by the Education and Outreach team of Ridge 2000, the US national programme of scientific research at mid-ocean ridges.)

Get involved!

If you are in the southern UK and would like some hands-on experience of marine science, why not try a Discover Oceanography trip? The University of Southampton offers school groups the opportunity for half-day field trips aboard its research vessel Callista. We can't take you to deep-sea vents, but the trips aboard Callista give a real taste of science at sea - including driving a remotely-operated vehicle to explore the seafloor of the Solent. And you can usually have a talk from one of our expedition team members afterwards - and meet some of the new species that we have found at deep-sea vents.

Unfortunately we can no longer routinely offer live webchats for school groups with our expedition team members at sea, as a result of changes in the provision of internet access for scientists aboard UK research ships.