Ocean and atmospheric circulation is a big unit. It can be a challenge to cover all the information you need about ocean circulation patterns, the Coriolis Effect, and so on. Much less, make it engaging for students. These eight atmosphere and ocean currents activities will add some fun to your ocean and air unit and will help students retain the information! 

 

#1 Ocean Currents Read aloud

Children’s books aren’t just for little kids (in fact, I use them all the time in marine science). You’d be shocked by how engaged middle schoolers can be reading 10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle. This picture book does a great job of introducing the concept of currents and ocean circulation patterns. It talks about how scientists learned more about these concepts after a cargo ship accident that dumped rubber ducks into the ocean.

#2 Guided Notes for Your Ocean Unit Study

I love using guided notes, especially when introducing a topic. Guided notes help students get down the basics in an organized way so they can refer back to their notes later as needed. Have students research the information to fill out their notes or use them alongside your lessons. My ready-to-go unit on ocean circulation patterns includes a lesson with guided notes and an assessment! 

 

#3 Ocean Current Activity with Ducks

Bring back those rubber ducks! If you have access to a large Pacific-centered map, you can grab some toy rubber ducks and have students plot the locations they were found on a map. Then, students guess which currents brought them to that location. This lesson is really hands-on and will challenge students’ critical thinking skills. This resource will help you introduce the background information needed for this project.

#4 Coriolis Effect Experiment

Demonstrate the Coriolis Effect by using a rotating turntable, a ball, and a marker. Spin the turntable and allow students to observe how the ball’s path curves due to the rotation of the Earth. Those live-action illustrations go a long way in helping our students retain the information they need!

 

#5 Ocean Current Activity with Maps

One of my favorite ocean current activities is this collaborative art project. Create small groups of students, give them a current to focus on, and have them create their own map of the ocean currents in an artistic way. Then, put them all together to make one giant map. This would be a great way to wrap up an ocean unit study.

 

#6 Hurricane Project Based Learning

Do you teach about hurricanes? I’ve tried lots of hurricane projects over the years, but this hurricane PBL is my favorite. Add this to your ocean unit study to show how natural disasters come about due to warm water and air circulation. Use it during hurricane season for real-life application and have students track approaching storms and create a PSA to help communities prepare.

#7 Ocean Circulation Pattern with NASA

NASA’s Perpetual Ocean is an incredible resource that helps us visualize the ocean’s currents. I recommend projecting this for students when talking about ocean circulation patterns. It’s a great way for students to visualize the concept.

 

#8 Model Ocean Current Activity

This final ocean current activity is one of my favorites. To do this with students, create a tabletop model with a shallow container of water, food coloring, and a heat source. By heating one side of the container, you can demonstrate how warm water rises and cold water sinks, simulating ocean currents.

 

Give these activities a try during your ocean and atmospheric unit!