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Worksheet
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K12 Reader

Convection Currents

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
After reading a brief article on the connection between convection currents and winds, kids use information in the text to respond to a series of comprehension questions.
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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PPT
Curated OER

Heat Energy - Energy Transfer

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Here's a great selection of slides for a class being introduced to heat transfer. Types of materials that are good conductors or insulators are covered and the diagrams that accompany the information should make understanding more...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Secrets of the Ocean Realm - In the School "Mountain in the Sea"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students learn how cold and warm water behave in the marine environment due to convection currents. Students also conduct an experiment to demonstrate the formation of a convection current.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars reinforce their knowledge of plate tectonics from what they have already learned on the subject. In this science lesson, students watch a small clip from the movie "Ice Age" which engages the young scholars to participate...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Convection in a Pan

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Learners explore convection. In this lesson on heat and energy, students investigate how heat moves in convection currents. They use their finding to better understand how convection currents effect the movement of tectonic plates.
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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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Worksheet
Curated OER

Oceanography Worksheet #1

For Students 6th - 9th
If you are teaching physical oceanography to middle school earth scientists, here is a terrific multiple choice worksheet. Learners look at a diagram of a landscape created by glacial sediment deposition and the resulting ocean floor....
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Unit Plan
Teach Engineering

Solar Water: Heat it Up!

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Young engineers are instructed to design and build their own solar water heaters. Then, they calculate the efficiency and cost and compare them to commercially available models. This is a full unit for pupils to apply their knowledge.
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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
Teach Engineering

How Hot is Hot?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Elementary schoolers identify the three methods of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. The instructional activity is mostly lecture-based. When the teacher has finished the presentation, groups of pupils get into teams...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Heating and Convection Contributes to Natural Disasters

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students study the basics of heating and cooling and how it pertains to the earth.  For this global lesson students read the Magic Tree House book then create a chart of their findings.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Atmospheric Processes -- Convection

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students work together to discover how temperature changes can affect the density of water and air. They make predictions on what they believe is going to occur. They answer questions to complete the lesson plan.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's the Connection Between Convection and Inversion?

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders observe a simulation demonstrating the difference between convection and inversion. They explain where and when convection and inversion layers occur and how each impacts air quality, and by connection, human health.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tides and Currents

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research and describe how currents are formed. In groups, they relate specific terms to the formation of currents and locate different currents on a world map. They also examine tides, how they are formed and how they are...
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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
Science Matters

Energy and Winds

For Teachers 6th Standards
In the study of wind energy, scholars build a small windmill and observe how it transfers wind into mechanical energy. Learners will make connections to the previous lesson with concepts such as the creation of wind through convection.