GRADE: ESAM: 3-5

CONTENT STANDARD: Earth and Space Science

CONTENT TOPIC: Oceanography

CONCEPT: The topography of the ocean floor is in constant change.

CONTENT OBJECTIVE: D6.00 To understand the changes which occur in the oceans and their effect on the earth

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE: The learner will:

6.01 trace the patterns of ocean currents.

I. Define current
II. How currents are formed
III. Patterns of currents
IV. How currents affect the earth

TN COMPONENT OF SCIENCE: Unifying Concepts of Science

TN GOAL:

To enable students to acquire scientific knowledge by applying concepts, theories, principles and laws from life/environmental, physical, and earth/space science.

2.1 SCALE AND MODEL - The development of models provides a conceptual bridge between the concrete and the abstract, while the use of scales allows for a comparison of differences in magnitude between the model and the desired form.

2.1e Different properties are not affected to the same degree by changes in scale; large changes in scale typically change the way things work.

BENCHMARK: Changes made to models represent how real objects or processes are affected by change.

TIME REQUIRED:

One or two instructional periods

Map, sand, large cake pan, water

Have you ever been in a small boat on a stream or river? (response) When you tried to keep the boat in one place over a period of time, were you successful? (No) Why did the boat move? (The current of the stream or river) Today, we will talk about currents and other water movements that effect the earth.

A current is water that moves in a certain direction. Several factor cause currents. Currents are caused by the movement of wind at the ocean's surface. The sun affects the deep ocean currents.

Varying amounts of salt in different parts of the ocean can also cause deep ocean current. Look at the map we have here. This line in the center of the earth is the equator. The winds blow east to west as they blow TOWARD the equator. These winds are called TRADE WINDS. (On the world map draw red arrows, pointing away from the equator and east.) Winds that blow AWAY from the equator move from east to west.

(On the world map draw blue arrows pointing away from the equator and west) The winds are called WESTERLIES. These winds push the water as they go and cause the currents. Scientists are still studying the effects of currents on the earth.

Wind also causes waves. The wind pushes against the surface of the water causing waves. The tallest part of a wave is called the CREST. When the crest of a wave tumbles into foam, a breaker forms. Breakers carry sand away from the beach. After many years, the force of waves can change the shape of a shoreline.

(The following activity is suggested:

Place moist sand in one end of a large cake pan. Put about an inch of water in the other end of the pan. Gently rock the pan to simulate wave action as the water strikes the sand. Observe what happened during the experiment. Take out about half of the water to simulate a falling tide and repeat the process.)

Today we have discussed ocean currents. Write on your paper how winds over bodies of water might affect land formations. (pause, then summarize)

Today we have used a model to show how changes affect the ocean. Write paragraph about the model we used. Tell what each component in our model represented in oceans and tell what the change we made represented. Tell the results of the change in our model and compare these with the results in the real world.

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