Handout
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: How Ocean Currents Moderate Climate Study Guide

For Students 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Summarizes the key points about the effects of ocean currents on climate. Includes a few questions to check for understanding.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: How Ocean Currents Moderate Climate

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Looks at how ocean currents transfer heat from one place to another.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: How Ocean Currents Moderate Climate

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How ocean currents transfer heat from one place to another.
Handout
University of Southern California

University of Southern California: Ocean Currents and Climate

For Students 9th - 10th
The climate of our planet is greatly affected by Earth's oceans. Learn here about the different oceanic currents and the role those currents play on climate.
Handout
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Deep Ocean Currents Study Guide

For Students 9th - 10th
This comprehensive study guide covers the main terms and concepts needed for an earth science unit on deep ocean currents. Review questions are included at the bottom of the study guide.
Lesson Plan
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Ocean Currents

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Young scholars map the patterns of the major ocean currents, and learn about the influences of wind, water temperature, landmasses, and water density on currents.
Article
Society for Science and the Public

Science News for Students: Climate Change Could Stall Atlantic Ocean Current

For Students 9th - 10th
When carbon dioxide levels rise, the currents slow, which leads to temperatures dropping because of the lack of water movement. Europe could suffer as a result of this change.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Ocean Currents: Modeling 'Global Conveyor Belt' in Your Kitchen

For Students 9th - 10th
Ocean currents have a profound effect on the climates of the continents, especially those regions bordering on the ocean. The Gulf Stream makes northwest Europe much more temperate than any other region at the same latitude, and the...
Website
Morning Earth

How Life Works: Biosphere Is Process: Atmosphere and Ocean Currents

For Students 9th - 10th
Learners examine the Earth science topic of oceanography. The tutorial consists of definitions and pictures on atmosphere and ocean currents.
Lesson Plan
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Ocean Currents Change Our Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students learn about the factors that drive ocean currents by measuring the density of ocean water and tap water.
Handout
NASA

Nasa: Ocean Motion: Wind Driven Surface Currents: Upwelling and Downwelling

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains what upwelling and downwelling of ocean currents are, and the impact of Ekman transport and the Coriolis effect on current movement as well as where they occur. The effects of upwelling and downwelling on water temperature and...
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Great Ocean Conveyor Belt: Part I

For Students 9th - 10th
This image from GRID-Arendal depicts the major circulation pattern of the ocean, illustrating interactions between temperature, salinity, and depth. Includes a background reading handout and several discussion questions.
Website
NOAA

Noaa: The Ocean's Role in Weather and Climate

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of resources - interactive activities and teacher tutorials - on the impact the ocean has on weather and climate.
Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Lab 5: It's All Connected: Global Circulation

For Teachers 9th - 10th
An investigation that is part of a series of lab lessons that expose students to Earth Systems through research, data, and visualizations. During this lab, students will focus on the pathways of wind and water to and from their location...
Lesson Plan
Climate Literacy

Clean: Ocean Currents and Sea Surface Temperature

For Teachers 9th - 10th
To discover the link between ocean temperatures and currents as related to our concern for current climate change.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Surface Ocean Currents

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how wind patterns and other factors cause ocean surface currents.
Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Weather and Climate

For Students 9th - 10th
In this amazingly comprehensive interactive tutorial you will learn how factors such as ocean currents, topography, and air currents affect weather patterns. You will also learn the similarities and differences between weather and climate.
Handout
NASA

Nasa Earth Observatory: Ocean and Climate Fact Sheet

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about Earth's oceans and the effects that climate have had on the rising temperatures over the past one hundred years. Discover how the Earth's ocean and atmosphere are interlocked so that when one changes, the other is affected.
Handout
PBS

Nh Pbs: Nature Works: Ocean Zones

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Discover more about the underocean environment at this site that surveys animals, environmental factors such as light and temperature, currents, animals, plants, and the like.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Mn Step: Sinking Water: Glaciers, Ocean Currents and Weather Patterns

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
A lesson where students learn how warm water is less dense than cold water, and what this means for global climate change as ice from the polar regions melts. Students will do experiments in buoyancy and water density when hot or cold,...
Website
Texas A&M University

Ocean World: Bringing the Ocean to the Classroom

For Students 9th - 10th
Online resource for students and teachers to see information on icebergs, fisheries, coral reefs, waves, currents and more. Provides teachers with learning activities. Has its own ask-an-expert site (Ask Dr. Bob), and provides real-time...
Article
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Global Warming Won't Halt Ocean Current

For Students 9th - 10th
From ABC News in Science, Larry O'Hanlon's article discusses climate change in the face of several climate models and poses both the good and the bad news associated with global warming.
Website
NOAA

Noaa: Tropical Atmosphere Ocean Project

For Students 9th - 10th
This site introduces you to one of the most ambitious projects now studying the influence of the ocean on climate. Links are available to related sites and to sources of real-time data.
Online Course
Cosmo Learning

Cosmo Learning: The Atmosphere, the Ocean, and Environmental Change

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of video lectures from a course that explores the physical processes the control Earth's atmosphere, ocean, and climate that is taught at Yale University. The course covers topics like clouds, rain, severe storms, regional...