syllabus NORWEGIAN MARGIN

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  • Curriculum Title: Exploring the Deep Sea – Benthic Habitats of the Norwegian Margin
    Target Audience: 12–16-year-old students 
    D    uration: 4 Lessons (each 45–60 minutes) 
    • 15–20 minutes e-learning content + online assessment 
    • 30–45 minutes optional classroom/offline activity (Lessons 1–3) 
    • 30–45 minutes BIIGLE Party Image Tagging Challenge (Lesson 4) 
    Cooperating Marine Researcher: Autun Purser
    Location: Alfred-Wegener-Institut (Bremerhaven, Germany)

  • Have you ever wondered what lives deep below the waters in the Arctic? What type of life is there and what do they do?

    Over four lessons, students explore the world of Arctic cold seeps — extreme deep-sea habitats fueled by methane and sulfide. Students examine real and preserved specimens, use modern scientific tools such as BIIGLE, and engage in simulated research to classify species and understand deep-sea biodiversity.

    The unit builds practical skills in observation, classification, and environmental analysis whilst linking classroom science to real-world challenges. 

  • Lesson 1: Introduction to Deep-Sea Environments

    • Describe and explain the benthic habitats in the Norwegian Margin.

    • Discover what types of animals live in this area

    • Understand why biodiversity is so important for these areas.

    Lesson 2: Importance of Deep Sea Habitats

    • Explain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their connection to deep-sea habitats.

    • Understand the importance of Norwegian Margin seafloor habitats for biodiversity.

    • Describe how these habitats contribute to the food web.

    • Explain the role of deep-sea habitats in carbon storage and climate mitigation.

    Lesson 3: Threats and Conservation

    • Trawling – How fishing nets destroy seafloor life.

    • Oil & gas drilling – Habitat destruction and pollution.

    • Invasive species – How species introduced by humans affect ecosystems.

    • Plastics & microplastics – How waste harms marine life.

    Lesson 4: BIIGLE Party – Animal Identification 

    • Understand why assessing fauna in deep-sea images is important.

    • Identify and annotate different at-risk and indicative species in deep-sea images.

    • Monitor human impact on benthic habitats through citizen science contributions.

  • Lesson 1: Introduction to Deep-Sea Benthic Environments

    • Definition of benthic and ecosystem

    • Overview of Norwegian Margin deep-sea habitats (cold-water coral reefs, sponge gardens, soft-bottomed seafloor).

    • Biodiversity & importance of these habitats.

    Lesson 2: Importance of Norwegian Margin Seafloor Habitats

    • Maintaining Biodiversity

    • Carbon Storage and Climate Impact

    • Sustainable Developement Goals & Ocean Decade Goals

    Lesson 3: Threats and Conservation of Benthic Habitat

    • Biggest Threats to Deep-Sea Habitats

    • Consequences of Human Impact

    • Studying and Monitoring Human Impact

    Lesson 4: BIIGLE Party – How to Tag Animals Like a Scientist

    • Introduction to image annotation & marine animals 

    • Hands‑on BIIGLE activity with real images 

    • Species matching, behavior identification & AI training support 

  • Lesson 1 

    • Cold‑seep ecosystem model building 

    • Discussion: how does life survive in extreme environments? 

    • Habitat mapping from Barkley Canyon topography

    Lesson 2 

    • Student interview project with family on perceptions of climate/weather changes 

    • Creative writing: 'A day in the life of a sablefish near a cold seep' 

    • Debate: Should cold seeps be protected like coral reefs? 

    Lesson 3 

    • Data comparison from Oceans 3.0 Portal 

    • Design your own underwater research robot 

    • Video analysis of Wally’s crawler movement 

    Lesson 4 

    • BIIGLE Challenge: species tagging competition 

    • Group discussion on species recognition strategies 

    • AI & Ethics discussion: should we rely on automated data processing?

  • Students reflect on what they have learned and consider actions to protect deep‑sea ecosystems. 


    • Reflection prompt: 'What surprised you most about life in the deep ocean?' 
    • Creative campaign: marine conservation posters or videos 
    • Class brainstorm: 'How can we protect deep‑sea ecosystems from afar?' 

  • • Final Quiz: covering terms, concepts, and species across all lessons 

    • Creative Project: Campaign or infographic about cold‑seep ecosystems 

    • Oral Presentation: Describe a cold‑seep animal and its role in the ecosystem 

    • Science Communication Task: Write a blog or short article explaining deep‑sea tech 

  • • Formative quizzes (e-learning platform) 
    • Participation in class activities and discussions 
    • Reflective writing and creative projects 
    • BIIGLE tagging accuracy and engagement 

  • The course is designed to be inclusive and accessible: 
    • Subtitled videos and text transcripts available 
    • Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning pathways 
    • Flexible assessment options: oral, visual, or written 
    • Adaptive tech support for students with mobility or processing needs