Ocean current, stream made up of horizontal and vertical components of the circulation system of ocean waters that is produced by gravity, wind friction, and water density variation in different parts of the ocean. Oct 31, 2016 map the ocean floor, identifying the major mountain ranges and rifts, learn about ocean currents and color a map of the prevailing currents on earth. This is making waves from noaas national ocean service. Ocean current is a ongoing, instructed activity of sea water produced by the causes performing upon this mean circulation, such as splitting waves, wind, coriolis impact, cabbeling, heat range and salinity variations and tides brought on by the gravitational take of the moon and the sun. Thermohaline ocean currents circulation map thc ocean currents opposed to wind driven currents and tides the thermohaline circulation is part of the ocean. These waters are occupied at the upper 400m of an ocean or the ekman layer. Work with your partner to become familiar with the features of the simulation. Dive into the science of ocean currents including the global conveyor belt current, and find out how climate change affects them. Ocean currents, ocean floor, ocean in a bottle craft, and. Students will explain the cause of the coriolis effect, and how this effect influences ocean currents. Interesting facts and fun activities related to aquatic animals will extend students knowledge. Be an ocean guardian activity book es offsite link. You know about ocean tides, but how much do you know about ocean currents. Finally, we will look at different ways in which we can measure ocean currents.
Undercurrent floats flow fluid frictional forces frictional influence gulf stream gyre horizontal pressure gradient indian ocean. Point out that ocean currents are driven by the wind and influenced by the landmasses that obstruct the flow of water as well as the density and temperature of the water. If you have tasted the ocean, you know it is very salty. The ship sailed from long island, new york, to the pacific, searching in different parts of the ocean, called whaling grounds where whales were known to be found at certain times of year. Although there are labels that separate names of different regions, the earth ultimately has just one large, interconnected ocean. Great way to spend time with your child looking at it,reading it together and talking about ocean world.
They constitute about 10% of all the waters in an ocean. The geography of ocean currents national geographic society. Using the data table and the current cards, draw in each of the currents onto the global ocean surface current map label and draw in the correct location and direction of each. Fun and educational activities for students of all ages. Students will now make a flap book describing what ocean currents are in the first section, surface currents in. Ocean currents, ocean floor, ocean in a bottle craft. Fill a tin pie plate to the inner rim with cold tap water. Why would a transocean shipping company want to use maps that indicate the location of ocean currents.
Map the ocean floor, identifying the major mountain ranges and rifts, learn about ocean currents and color a map of the prevailing currents on earth, make an ocean in a bottle craft, and then round it out with an ocean lapbook. Pictures are amazing,loaded with useful information. Is to establish scientific partnerships between schools around the world and engage students in activities and communication about ocean climate science. My students absolutely love this activity and it may be the way i. Students will identify the primary causes for ocean currents and waves. Grades 48 learning goals students will understand the location of the major surface currents of the oceans, how surface currents affect nearby landmasses, the relationship between temperature of water and density, the relationship between salinity of water and density. What does temperature have to do with the speed and direction of ocean currents. Interesting facts and fun activities related to the ocean. Objectives students will watch an internet video on ocean currents and.
Ocean currents are similar to winds in the atmosphere in that they transfer. Surface currents in the ocean are primarily driven by the wind. Ocean currents introduction and map activity by geoearth. Ocean current worksheet temperature affects and surface currents. Display the ocean conveyor belt cartoon from the resource carousel. They are the results of deflections caused by the angle at which a. We will show a video clip showing sea level height and describe its connection to ocean circulation.
The currents of this one big ocean carry people, animals, and debris around the globe. Ocean currents introduction and map activity map activities. Were compiling lessons on ocean acidification and currents to share here. A powerpoint with lecture content and activity guidance for the teacher is also provided along with a 5e chart. Cute as they might be, the rubber ducks are pollution. Ocean currents map national oceanic and atmospheric. Oceans are a broad topic covering physical, earth and space, and life science concepts. Tidal currents are strongest near the shore, in bays, and in estuaries along our coasts.
Its pretty cool that rubber ducks have helped to track ocean currents in the last thirty years. Strong winds and large ocean currents are the results of heat moving from warm areaslike the equatorto colder. Join natalie, anna, and calvin as they get to the bottom of this mystery. Page1 reading activity to introduce students to the basics of. Ocean surface current analysis real time map showing how plastic floats in the ocean and onto beaches that ocean blue cleans up. Exploring the ocean, atmosphere, and climate simulation 1. Each lesson contains at least one handson activity with instructions or a worksheet for the students.
Play go with the flow to learn about ocean currentsand to unlock the hidden treasure in this game, you are in a submarine and you need to fix the currents to take you where you want to go. Apr 30, 2020 the rules of the game are how ocean currents work in real life, too. These patches are formed by large, rotating ocean currents called gyres that pull debris into one location, often to the gyres center. The deep waters of the oceans come from the surface water cooled in the polar region. Students will calculate the magnitude of ocean currents, given data from. Page1 reading activity to introduce students to the basics of ocean currents. Winds, water density, and tides all drive ocean currents. If you have not heard of it, watch this quick video. Water currents are a crucial abiotic factor or issue that considerably influences copy of marine organisms, marine ecosystems we tend to all inhabit. Highly recommend substitution for screen time limitation. The ocean conveyor belt is caused by differences in water temperature and salinity. Detail shapes, coastline options and connections with other voltages. Ocean currents summary students will learn what causes ocean currents and how they play a role in distributing marine debris and pollution around the world.
The lesson plans, labs, and other resources in this collection can help students. You do not need to pick all of the printables and activities below, just the ones. Students will now make a flap book describing what ocean currents are in the first section, surface currents in the second, and deep water. Dont forget to use a red colored pencil for the warm currents and a blue colored pencil for the cold currents.
Covers types of currents surface and deep and the role of ocean currents and the. The lesson we present here uses the story of the lost ducks to integrate instruction in science, mathematics, and geography as students map the journey the ducks take across the pacific ocean. The rules of the game are how ocean currents work in real life, too. Ocean pollution national oceanic and atmospheric administration. All ocean currents are caused by either wind patterns or by differences in water densities. Explain to students that this is a depiction of ocean currents called the ocean conveyor belt. Loves looking,reading this beautifully illustrated book. Both, however, tend to moderate the temperature more than inland. On the map you can see occasional exceptions to the general rules of circulation. Youll find handouts on ocean tides, hurricanes, marine biologists, and much more. The ocean in motion circulation in this program, students will learn about the driving forces responsible for ocean circulation. How do the techniques used to map ocean currents today differ from those used in the late 1700s. They could follow the currents to make it easier to travel.
Ocean currents, ocean floor, ocean in a bottle craft, and ocean. This activity relates a sailing ships route to ocean currents. Students learn about ocean surface currents through a. Ocean currents introduction and map activity by geoearth sciences. Jan 31, 2019 dive into the science of ocean currents including the global conveyor belt current, and find out how climate change affects them. Lets go back to the shoreline to witness one cause of ocean currents. Oceanography worksheets and teaching resources teachervision. Ocean currents introduction and map activity by geo. Handson lessons and activities about oceans polar oceans. This exploration is for all ages, as the colored smilies show. It is the layer of the ocean water which moves due to the stress of blowing the wind and this motion is thus called as ekman transport.
What causes ocean currents and how do we measure them. Look at the ocean currents and compare the general direction followed by currents in the northern hemisphere with the direction of those in the southern hemisphere. Displaying top 8 worksheets found for ocean currents. To go along with his wind map of the earth, cameron beccario has made a world map of global ocean currents with data that updates every five days or so. An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of sea water generated by a number of. The ocean currents on your map generally travel in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Click here for video introduction ocean currents are regular movements of water in one direction in the ocean. If you have access to a television and vcr, begin by showing the class an excerpt from the film message in a bottle. Activities recommended for grades 35 regional ocean activity books. World thematic maps consist of eleven global maps covering climate, rainfall, temperatures, prevailing winds, ocean currents, vegetation, land use, population, racial distribution, languages, and religionspresenting a global view of human activity. Rubber ducky youre the one ocean currents investigation. Learn more about ocean currents in the books you got from the library or from. Under the deep blue sea grades k2 this lesson gives students the opportunity to explore oceans and ocean life.
Mapping ocean currents national geographic society. The gulf stream, a warm ocean current, has a different effect on the climate of new york city and the surrounding coastal areas. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Also known as thermohaline circulation, the conveyor belt is a.
Surface currents are important to ships as they can make it easy or difficult to travel depending on the direction of the current. Map the ocean floor, identifying the major mountain ranges and rifts, learn about ocean currents and color a map of the prevailing currents on earth, make an ocean in a bottle craft and then round it out with an ocean lapbook. After locating the earths major oceans on a world map, students will dive underwater to discover the plants and animals that live in the sea. In 1992, a cargo ship carrying bath toys got caught in a storm. Includes printables on habitats and how animals use camouflage, a shark matching activity, and writing about the overharvesting of. Show the part where the reporter is looking at a map showing all the sightings of the sailors bottled letters to his wife. Along the way, they learn some cool new things about surface ocean currents, the great lakes, and ocean research. The reason we have currents in the ocean is a bit more complicated. Teach your students about oceanography with our most popular oceanography worksheets and teaching resources. Students will explain how and why ocean currents vary with increasing latitude. Tracking marine debris is one way to learn more about currents and their impact on human activity. Map the ocean floor, identifying the major mountain ranges and rifts, learn about. Ocean currents introduction and map activity by geoearth sciences teachers pay teachers. Each year when studying the ocean currents i pull out the rubber ducky phenomena.
Ocean current worksheet temperature affects and surface. Surface waters of the earths oceans are forced to move, primarily by winds. Garbage patches of varying sizes are located in each gyre. Watch our threeminute video podcast to learn what puts the motion in the ocean. These movements are principally products of prevailing winds that push the ocean s surface. Ocean currents national oceanic and atmospheric administration. Activity 1 map of currents per student colored pencils per team activity 2 demonstration. There are plenty of resources appropriate for elementary, intermediate, and secondary school students. Examine the relationship between global wind directions and the direction of surface currents. See more ideas about ocean current, earth science and ocean. Appropriate as part of a natural science unit for a variety of grade levels.
Map of temperature of the north atlantic ocean shows the warm gulf stream current along the. See more ideas about ocean current, ocean acidification and ocean. The routeis taken from a true account of a whaling voyage on the ship lucy ann in 18471848. This module, intended for grades 35, includes a storybook and three classroom activities. The tallest wave ever measured was 1719 feet at lituya bay, alaska. Map skills, ocean currents, pollution, and a rubber duck. Waves, tides and currents foldable 5th grade science. Each year, billions of pounds of trash and other pollutants enter the ocean. Teachers, ask your students to create their own story by following the 18 frames in the story board below. Knowledge of surface ocean currents is essential in reducing costs of shipping, since traveling with them reduces fuel. Garbage patch plastic floating in the ocean currents. Generally speaking, the fact of the lesson is that warmer ocean currents produce warmer weather, while cooler ocean currents have the opposite effect. Ocean currents ocean water moves on and below the surface in streams known as currents. Kids write this information in their notebooks as their titles.
These downloadable books include fun and informative activities about the local coastal ocean and its inhabitants. Site map acknowledgments information quality freedom of. Modeling the global conveyor belt in your kitchen full science buddies project idea. This illustration will give you an idea of how this works. The tallest wave recorded in the open ocean was 95 feet during a storm near scotland.
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