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Lesson Plan
NOAA

A Laboratory Simulation of Ocean Surface Currents

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Stimulate interest in ocean currents with a simulation. The first installment of a five-part middle school series teaches future oceanographers about the forces that interact to cause ocean currents. A simulation shows how wind and the...
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Activity
Discovery Education

Motion in the Ocean

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
How do temperature changes affect ocean currents? Scholars explore convection currents by demonstrating the flow of water in a baking dish. They use ice, heat, and food coloring to see currents. Then, they draw conclusions about their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plate Tectonics Day 4 Earth's Interior Structure and Convection Currents

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students introduced to the interior structure of the Earth. They explore how the Earth's interior is broken down according to both it's physical properties and it's chemical composition. Students explore how convection currents within...
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Unit Plan
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Curated OER

Plate Tectonics: Second Grade Lesson Plans and Activities

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Second graders explore convection currents and how they relate to the movement of tectonic plates. Then, young geologists reconstruct Pangaea with a worksheet and pinpoint plate boundaries on a map using locations of earthquakes and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Convection and Wind

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Learners use water, beakers, hot plates, paper dots, and goggles to participate in a hands on activity where they see how a convection current creates wind. In this convection current lesson plan, students participate in a hands on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density and Convection Currents

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students listen as the teacher explains convection currents in the ocean. They experiment with finding a smoking match in the classroom with their eyes closed. Students discuss what might effect their ability to pinpoint the smoke...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Example of Convection

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Compare the density of different salt solutions and then observe currents that are caused by the difference. Set up a demonstration of dynamic equilibrium. The intent with these activities is to begin building understanding of density...
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Lesson Plan
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Baylor College

Moving Air

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
In lab groups, young scientists place aluminum cans with a bubble-solution cap into different temperatures of water to see what size of bubble dome forms. As part of an atmosphere unit in preparation for learning about convection...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating Convection Currents

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine how differences in the temperature and salinity of the water help create ocean currents. They perform an experiment which shows how temperature affects the circulation of ocean water.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Turning the Air Upside Down

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students analyze how engineers study temperature inversions and convection currents to understand why pollution levels may be higher in some areas than others. They participate in an experiment that allows them to build simple models to...
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Lesson Plan
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Bonneville

Where Does Energy Go?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Convection currents aren't just a bunch of hot air. The second of five lessons in the Solar Updraft Towers unit focuses on energy transfer and convection currents. Young scientists watch six demonstrations that illustrate how warm air...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Snake Spiral

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this convection currents worksheet, learners draw, cut and decorate a spiral snake on a sheet of paper. Students attach a piece of thread to its head and hang it over a hot radiator and watch the snake spin as the warm air rises.
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Lab Resource
Colorado State University

What Is a "Convection Cell"?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Round and round in circles it goes! A hands-on activity has learners recreate a model of a convection cell. They watch as the difference in density of their materials creates a current.
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Activity
Curated OER

Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 4th - 10th Standards
Help young scientists piece together the theory of plate tectonics with this comprehensive collection of materials. Whether your are looking for worksheets, hands-on activities, or assessments, this resource has everything a science...
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PPT
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Curated OER

This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Discuss Earth's tectonic plates at middle school level with an informative presentation. Packed with maps, satellite images, diagrams, and photographs, the slideshow connects with any curriculum focused on plate tectonics. It...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Just How DO Those Plates Move?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students experiment with water, temperature and paper to explore how convection currents occur and how they are used to explain the movement of the Earth's plates.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather Watchers

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study basic meteorology concepts. They build a simple barometer to measure air pressure. They explore the concepts of relative humidity, air convection currents and temperature inversions and to discover their connection to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

CONVECTION

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students experiment to produce a visual convection current in the classroom and compare it to the images taken of convection cells in the Sun. They analyze the source of the Sun's energy and this type of energy transport.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquake Formation

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explore earthquakes. In this natural disaster and engineer career education lesson, students identify features of the earth's surface that increase the likelihood of an earthquake. Students use visual aids to locate the earth's...
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Assessment
Science Matters

Post-Assessment Energy

For Teachers 6th Standards
After nine lessons and activities about energy, here is the final assessment. The 20-questions include multiple choice, multiple choice with justification, short answer, answer analysis, and labeling diagrams to challenge learners.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Magma Also Rises

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Convection is thoroughly demonstrated using a model of Earth's mantle. Detailed background information is provided for the teacher, as well as a list of materials. Although a colorful and detailed worksheet is available for the class,...
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Lesson Plan
Rochester Institute of Technology

Heat Transfer

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Use an exciting role play activity to teach young chemists about the importance of heat transfer in maintaining homeostasis. They assume the role of a dog sled owner who has been abandoned and must fend for themselves with only a few...
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Lesson Plan
NorthEast Ohio Geoscience Education Outreach

Investigation of Plate Boundaries

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Demonstrate the movement of lithospheric plates due to convection in Earth's mantle. Learners then model the movements that occur along plate boundaries using colored clay. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Drifting Continents

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students, through teacher-led demonstration, explore the idea of continental drift. They complete a worksheet involving the calculation of continental drift over time.