Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's Gettin' Hot In Here, So Transfer Energy

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Pupils study the means by which energy is transferred from the sun through the Earth's atmosphere. They examine radiation, conduction, and convection. They complete a lab to determine how the different transfers affect the atmosphere and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biomimicry: Working Together, Cooperative Design

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore the concept of biomimicry. In this cooperative design activity, students consider how cooperation is connected to nature and then collaborate to create their own cooperative designs for the future.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine Food Webs

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners examine how food webs illustrate the ways in which organisms depend on each other for energy and nutrients, and make food webs showing the feeding relationships among organisms encountered in the Gal??pagos coastal waters.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cold Fronts

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers determine its' direction of movement, and list at least five weather conditions associated with the specific front, given animations of several atmospheric variables during a cold front passage. They list at least three...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Acid Rain

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use real-time weather maps to determine the likelihood of acid rainfall in a region. Students apply their understanding of interaction between weather systems, land and air pollution, to address acid rain and the effects on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Atmospheric Cells

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students recognize that the sun is the source of energy driving atmosphere cells. They relate the motion of the atmospheric cells to mantle convection cells. Students recognize that the function of atmospheric cells is to move heat from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World Wide Winds

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students recognize that global winds move in specific directions in specific latitudes and describe that in a written form. They relate the motion of the wind belts to historical navigation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Winds Go Spinning Around

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers simulate the Coriolis Effect to comprehend why winds in the Westerlies are prone to cyclonic and anti-cyclonic motion. They arrive at an explanation of processes that drive world wind patterns
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Galapagos - Discover the Diversity

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Pretend you are exploring a newly discovered species of fish in the Galapagos. Your budding marine biologists access FishBase Database's list of marine/brackish fishes and choose one to research. The link through this website does not...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regions of the US: Gulf Stream, States and Their Capitals

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders identify one way of dividing the US into geographical regions and then consider alternate ways of doing the same. They locate each of the fifty states and their capitals on a map. They research the Gulf Stream region.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shifting Coastlines

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Learners study North Carolina's changing coastline during the Paleoindian and Archaic periods and determine the positions of the coastline at different times and decide what types of archaeological information has been lost due to rising...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air Masses

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine the physical characteristics of several types of air masses to discover how air masses can be identified and defined by their temperature and moisture content.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fallout!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers plot the locations of fallout from two disasters that polluted much of the world's air. They plot the ash fallout from the 1980 Mt. St. Helen's eruption to see what the wind patterns in the United States look like overall....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle and Global Warming

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students study the flow of water in the environment.  In this water cycle lesson students evaluate the consequences of changes in the water cycle using data. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Graphin' And Glyphin' Utah Weather

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the concepts of looking at sets of data. The focus of the study is upon the local weather of Utah. They study the weather found in the city and in the country and make comparisons based upon geographical location.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Warm up to the Gulf Stream

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students find out the temperature difference between the Gulf Stream and the surrounding water. They locate the Gulf Stream on the infrared image of the eastern seaboard of the US.
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.
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
Students 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.
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.