This book belongs to:
Ms. Ashmead
Mississippi State Objective:
4c. Describe the causes and effects of heat transfer as it relates to the circulation of ocean currents, atmospheric movement, and global wind patterns (e.g., trade winds and the jet stream). Provide examples of how these global patterns can affect local weather.

Bell Ringer
1. Remember your assigned letter and find the desk that matches your letter.
2. Leave your belongings at your desk and form a line by the globe.
3. Pick up a piece of chalk and follow Ms. Ashmead’s instructions.
4. Write what you have just learned in the 3 rd box on page 1 of your book.

Equator

W
Global Wind Patterns
N
E
S

Global Wind Patterns
• Trade Winds flow through the tropics .
They steer tropical storms in the ocean.
• Westerlies move air masses and fronts .

Group Activity!
Pretend that the “Yellow
Crime Tape” at your desk is the equator and the bubbles represent wind.
1. Trade winds blow toward the equator.
2. Westerlies blow away from the equator.
3. Polar winds blow toward the equator.

Jet Stream and Local Weather
• Jet Streams are fast flowing and narrow atmospheric currents.
• A Jet Stream can significantly impact our climate .
– The Dust Bowl in the 1930’s was a long drought caused by a weak Jet Stream.

• Dust bowl video/jet stream weatherman

Group Observations:
• Without opening the bottle, look at the patterns that can form when you move the bottle. What do you see?
Discuss your observations with your group. Write down your observations.

Ocean Surface Currents
• Surface currents affect water to a depth of several hundred meters .
• Following Earth’s major wind patterns, surface currents move in circular patterns in the five major oceans .

Global Heat Transfer
• Surface currents affect climate by moving cold and warm water around the globe.
• A surface current warms or cools the air above it.
• Winds pick up moisture as they move surface currents .

Group Observations!
• Pretend that the fan represents wind and the blue streamers represent ocean current. With your group answer the following questions after you have turned the fan on:
1) Does the current move by the wind?
2) If so, does the current move in the same direction as the wind?
3) If the wind changes direction[turn the fan to a different direction] what happens to the current?

Gulf Stream and Climate
• The Gulf Stream is the largest and most powerful current in the North Atlantic
Ocean and is moved by Westerlies .
• The Gulf Stream ( 30 km wide and 300 m deep) carries 100 times more water than the Mississippi River.
• The Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift cause coastal areas to have temperate climates (little change in temperatures).

Gulf Stream

Match the Ocean Surface Currents
North Atlantic Drift
North Equatorial Current
Gulf Stream
Canary Current
1.______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
4. ______________________________________

Match the Ocean Surface Currents
North
America
1. Gulf Stream
2. North Atlantic Drift
3. Canary Current
4. North Equatorial Current
Europe
Africa

Class Discussion!
• In your group, discuss which winds Christopher
Columbus used to sail to the New World in 1492.
What winds did his ship use to sail back?

Exit Ticket: Explain three things that you have learned in this class in the past two days.
1. 2. 3.