Lesson Plan

Objective

Students will learn about surface currents and deep oceanic currents, along with the coriolis effect and how oceanic circulation affects our environment and oceanic movement

Topics Covered

• Deep ocean and surface circulations

• Coriolis Effect

• Ocean Currents and Climates

Vocabulary

• conveyer belt circulation

• density-driven ocean currents

• downdwelling

• equatorial currents

• equatorial countercurrents

• gyre

• monsoons

• subpolar gyres

• thermohaline circulation

• upwelling

Lab Content

Thermohaline Circulation Ocean Circulation

Materials:

• Water

• salt

• beakers

• test tubes

• food dye

• pipettes

Directions

1. Students will grab a test tube and fall in line in order to receive hot water (colored red)

2. Students will then put cold water on top of the hot water to demonstrate the differences in densities between the two!