Lesson: Currents

Warm Ups, etc:

Currents

Patterns (cause & effect)

Lecture Notes: #content

- Causes

1) Global wind patterns push surface of water, generally warm water is moving near equator and towards poles, cold water currents are found near the poles and move towards the equator

2) Coriolis Effect: rotation of the earth causes a circling of water as it moves: clockwise in northern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere

**Activity/Demo- polar maps on rotating stand, pairs work to demonstrate how the rotation of the earth causes curved motion of surface currents

3) Continental Deflection: Currents will bounce off of land and change direction (Ex. OBX of NC and the effect on Gulf Stream)

- Effects

1) West Coast vs. East Coast - western sides of continents tend to have cooler, more moderated climates than those warmed by currents along the east coast

2) Direct Influence- a current can impact climate if it moves directly at a location (ex. Palm trees in Ireland, Penguins on the Galapagos)

Density Currents

Objectives and Vocabulary: #content

1. Warm water moves along surface away from equator
2. As water cools it becomes more dense
3. Dense water sinks to the seafloor
4. Cold water moves along seafloor back towards equator
5. Currents collide and rise to surface “UPWELLINGS”

- nutrient rich water

- good fishing grounds

Activities, Assignments, Etc.

Presentation: Currents

Handout: Surface Currents/Density Currents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuOX23yXhZ8

Presentation/Diagrams - Shoreline Currents

Rip Current Video