Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 129998
Causes of Surface Currents
Students will plot the major ocean gyres on a map, using colors to represent the relative temperature of the surface waters. Students will then plot
several pairs of locations at the similar latitudes and discover that the coastal climate is in part affected by the circulation of ocean gyres.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter,
Computers for Students, Internet Connection, LCD
Projector, Speakers/Headphones, Adobe Flash Player,
Java Plugin
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s) 15 Minute(s)
Keywords: gyre, ocean currents, surface currents, Atlantic Gyre, Pacific Gyre, Indian Gyre
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Earth Systems
ATTACHMENTS
LearningScale.docx
WhatAreOceanGyres.ppt
CoastalClimateChart.docx
KWLChart.docx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will describe the major ocean gyres and relate them to the transfer of thermal energy from the equator to the poles.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Students should have a working knowledge of the physical layout of the world's ocean basins.
Students should have a basic knowledge of global geography and map-reading skills.
Students should know the locations that are warmed by oceans.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. What causes ocean surface circulation?
(winds, water density differences, tides)
2. What influences the direction and nature of currents?
(winds and interference from land masses)
3. What is an ocean gyre and where are they?
(The circular flow of water in an ocean basin influenced by the Coriolis Effect. They spin clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the
southern hemisphere. There are 5 major ocean gyres, one in each major ocean basin.)
4. Why do ocean currents tend to flow around the edges of an ocean basin?
(Domes of water build up in the center of the ocean basins. The general tendency for water to flow away from the high center of the gyre pushes the water toward
page 1 of 4 the periphery of the ocean basins.)
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
1. Distribute the KWL Handout to each student.
2. Ask the students to fill in the K line with what they already know about ocean currents and circulation and the W section with what they want to know about the
topic.
3. Ask students to share the information that they have added to the first two parts of the KWL Handout. Add the student contributions to the board or project a list
using overhead projection.
4. Show the students the YouTube video "Flow: Currents and Climate" by NOAA SOS (c. 8 minutes).
After the video, instruct the students to complete the L line of the with what they learned from the video.
5. Review student responses with a class discussion. Responses may include:
Temperatures differ at the same latitude
In 1769, Benjamin Franklin discovered a warm water current in the North Atlantic, the Gulf Stream
Warm currents exist in all oceans
There are cold deep water currents
Oceans are like giant batteries storing energy
The top 3m of the oceans can hold as much heat as the whole atmosphere
Computer models are used to study climate
6. Review the "What are Ocean Gyres?" PowerPoint with the students. Students should take notes on the processes that influence surface currents. This information
will be used later as the students fill in a map of the surface currents.
7. When finished with the PowerPoint, assess student understanding using the attached Learning Scale.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
1. Distribute blank world maps to the students.
2. Display the same map on the board or projector and draw in the Atlantic Gyre, which was discussed in the video.
Start with a red pen and draw in the Gulf Stream heading North in the Atlantic Basin. Students should add the current to their map.
This is a good opportunity to reinforce that the heat collected in the oceans near the equator travels due to the prevailing westerly equatorial winds. Heat is
transferred from warm areas to cool ones, and the Coriolis effect causes the waters of the northern hemisphere to circulate to the right.
The teacher will explain that the warm waters are cooled in near the polar regions and begin to head south. The teacher should draw in the Canary Current in
blue, and students should add the current to their map. Remind students that the Coriolis effect and land masses cause the Atlantic waters to continue rotating
clockwise in the northern hemisphere.
3. Instruct the students to complete the world map by filling in the other ocean gyres.
Students can use the notes taken earlier to determine which way the gyre flows (clockwise/counter-clockwise).
Circulate around the room to assist students in filling out the anticipated direction of currents for the remaining ocean gyres.
4. After students have had enough time to complete the ocean gyres, display a complete ocean gyre map (this map is also linked in the PowerPoint). If you want,
make copies for the students to have at their desks.
Instruct students to write down the names of the major gyres in the middle of the clockwise/counter-clockwise currents that they have drawn. Students should
label the North Atlantic Gyre, South Atlantic Gyre, North Pacific Gyre, South Pacific Gyre, and the Indian Ocean Gyre.
5. Ask students "How do the ocean gyres transfer energy from the equators to the poles? Explain the energy transfer as it relates to the gyres drawn on your map."
Give the students an opportunity to discuss their ideas with a partner.
Select students to share their responses to the question. Answers may vary but should include:
By moving warm water from the Equator and cold water from the poles forming gyres due to the Coriolis Effect
By moderating the Earth's climate by distributing energy around the globe through the ocean gyres. Within each gyre, the heat energy moves away from
the Equator and warms the air above it, helping to distribute energy from the warmest areas to the cooler ones.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
1. The teacher will then display the following pairs of locations to the students:
New Jersey and Portugal
Chile and Argentina
Mozambique and West Australia
Peru and Papua New Guinea
These location pairs represent countries with a similar latitude but are under the influence of different ocean currents making their climate either warmer or cooler
depending on the flow of the gyre current.
2. The students will plot these locations on the Global Ocean Basins Handout.
Students can research the locations of these countries using a computer. Alternatively, the teacher could provide students with a political world map and have
them locate the countries to place on the handout. Google Maps is a good interactive map that will show the whole world if you zoom out. The CIA also
publishes world maps on its World Factbook page that are available as high-quality PDFs; the world maps are at the bottom of the page.
Check to make sure all of the locations have been plotted correctly before moving on.
3. Ask students what these pairs of locations have in common. Students should recognize that each pair of locations are about the same latitude, so they would have
similar temperatures if it were not for the effects of the ocean gyres.
4. Distribute the Coastal Climate Chart to the students. The students will need to use their knowledge of the major oceangyres to determine if the ocean temperatures
near the countries are relatively cool or warm.
New Jersey (warm) and Portugal (cool) = Atlantic
Chile (cool) and Argentina (warm) = South Pacific/South Atlantic
Mozambique (warm) and West Australia (warm) = Indian
Peru (cool) and Papua New Guinea (warm) = South Pacific
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
Review the Coastal Climate Chart with students.
End this unit with a discussion of how the movement of ocean water through the ocean gyres can affect an area's climate. Ask students to then think of one new thing
that they have learned or that interested them and then turn to a shoulder partner and teach that information to that person. This is a "Turn and Teach" strategy.
Rules: only one person can speak at a time; the other cannot interrupt and must listen. Allow about 3 minutes per person and announce when it's time to switch
page 2 of 4 teachers.
Summative Assessment
Students will use their filled-out map of ocean currents to complete a chart relating the flow of energy in the oceans and the water temperatures near several pairs
of countries with similar latitude.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of how ocean gyres affect the flow of energy (heat) in the world's oceans by comparing geographic locations in relation
to ocean gyres using the Coastal Climate Chart.
Formative Assessment
KWL – A KWL chart is a graphic organizer that helps students catalog what they know about a subject, what they want to know and what they have learned. This
graphic organizer is usually used as a way to assess prior knowledge of a topic and to have students record what they have learned from a video or an article for
example.
During the creation of the ocean gyres maps, circulate around the room to make sure everyone is on the right track. Have students work in pairs if necessary but
working on their own map. This is a good point for peer discussions and collaboration. It's a good idea to keep extra blank maps handy in case students need to redo their maps. Collect maps if you want to or do an on the spot assessment of student understanding by observation of their maps and group discussion. Refer to
the attached Learning Scale to check student understanding.
After displaying the ocean gyre map, let students correct their maps and then survey the students to check for understanding using the Learning Scale.
After student plot the country pairs on their map, collect their maps and check them for accuracy.
Feedback to Students
Students will receive written feedback from the teacher on their completed maps of ocean gyres.
Students will first peer-review their ocean gyres map, and then they will receive written feedback from the teacher after the lesson.
The teacher will provide written feedback on the Coastal Climate Chart handout. Students should accurately identify the gyres for the country/region pairs and the
appropriate relative coastal climates.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Allow extended time for completing activities if needed.
Provide native language (Heritage) dictionaries.
Chunk the lesson to break it down into smaller parts and therefore make it less intimidating for a student
Preferential grouping
Repetition of directions if assessed that it is needed
Extensions:
After students have checked their gyre map for accuracy, they can then color code the continents and landforms for vegetation, deserts and inland water features.
Students can answer the following writing prompt: How do circulation patterns in the ocean affect the climate on land?
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Speakers/Headphones, Adobe Flash Player, Java Plugin
Special Materials Needed:
Colored pencils
Student computers/tablets
Teacher computer
Projector
Speakers
Blank world map handout
World ocean gyre map
Further Recommendations:
You can get a great deal of background material and other resources from NOAA and other useful websites:
National Geographic: Ocean Gyre
NOAA Education Resources: Ocean Currents Collection
NOAA National Ocean Service Education: The Global Conveyer Belt
NOAA National Ocean Service Education: Thermohaline Circulation
Additional Information/Instructions
By Author/Submitter
This lesson covers only surface currents as they relate to the transfer of energy from the equator to the poles.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Barbara Humphreys
Name of Author/Source: Barbara Humphreys
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Broward
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
page 3 of 4 Related Standards
Name
SC.912.E.7.2:
Description
Analyze the causes of the various kinds of surface and deep water motion within the oceans and their impacts on the
transfer of energy between the poles and the equator.
Remarks/Examples:
Explain how surface and deep-water circulation patterns (Coriolis effect, La Niñ a, El Niñ o, Southern Oscillation,
upwelling, ocean surface cooling, freshwater influx, density differences, Labrador Current and Gulf Stream) impact
energy transfer in the environment.
page 4 of 4