March Earth Science Lesson Plans
Date
3/3, 3/4
Tues/Wed
Objectives




3/5, 3/6
Thurs/Fri




Explain the relationship between
ocean currents, weather, and
climate
Discuss the primary sources of
salt in ocean water
Explore the factors that affect
the density of ocean water
Compare and contrast the three
main zones of the open ocean.
Explain the relationship between
ocean currents, weather, and
climate
Discuss the primary sources of
salt in ocean water
Explore the factors that affect
the density of ocean water
Compare and contrast the three
main zones of the open ocean.
Activities






Standards
Volcanoes Test (45 mins)
Oceanography Worksheet/Discussion (30 mins)- 14.1 and
14.2 Reading Worksheet- Intro to oceanography
Discuss worksheet
MSCS 4: BM 1
MSCS 4: BM 4
Demo- Introduction to salinity and its affect on density (15
mins)-What is density?, Student prediction- sink or float
(golf ball in water)
PowerPoint Presentation- Notes and discussion (20 mins)
What is salinity?
Lab- Experimenting with salinity and temperature and their
effects on density (40 mins)- Food coloring, layers of water,
etc. Lab Follow-up Questions


MSCS 4: BM 1
MSCS 4: BM 4
Review lesson from last class- how does temperature and
salinity effect the density of ocean water?
Ocean Circulation Discussion/Notes- Surface Circulation:
Gyres, Coriolis Effect, Ocean Currents and Climate- transfer
of heat, Upwelling, Deep-Ocean Circulation: Density
Currents- temp and salinity
Global Winds and Ocean Circulation ActivityUnderstanding the Coriolis Effect, Ocean gyres


MSCS 4: BM 1
MSCS 4: BM 4
Review salinity and density, coriolis effect, gyres, etc. (10
mins)
Notes/Discussion (30 mins)- Review ocean currents,


MSCS 4: BM 1
MSCS 4: BM 4
HW: Salinity/Temp Lab Worksheet Questions
3/9, 3/10
Mon/Tues


Explain the relationship between
ocean currents, weather, and
climate
Explain how surface currents
develop



3/11, 3/12
Wed/Thurs

Explain the relationship between
ocean currents, weather, and
climate
MSCS= Montana Science Content Standard


BM= Benchmark

Compare and contrast weather
patterns characteristics of El
Nino and La Nina events


upwelling, etc.
El Nino and La Nina discussion/notes- How does it work,
Diagram and explain in words, Effects of these events
El Nino Lab Activity (35 mins)- Sea surface temperatures,
sea surface topography, wind data- analyze real data do
understand El Nino events
HW: 16.2 Worksheet
3/16, 3/17
Mon/Tues


3/18, 3/19
Wed/Thurs


3/20, 3/23
Fri/Mon


Explain the relationship between
ocean currents, weather, and
climate
Discuss the forces that produce
tides
Explain the relationship between
ocean currents, weather, and
climate
Discuss the forces that produce
tides

Explain the relationship between
ocean currents, weather, and
climate
Unit Assessment- Oceanography








Notes/Discussion (30 mins)- Waves- energy,
characteristics, motion, Tides- why we have them, how do
they work, high tides vs. low tides
Timing the Tides Activity (45 mins)- Collect and analyze
data
Oceanography WebQuest (50 mins)
Quiz Review (20 mins)- Topics, hand out review, go over
questions
Test next class

MSCS 4: BM 4

MSCS 4: BM 4
Oceanography Test- (40 mins)
Density, salinity, temperature, Ocean Currents, El Nino, La
Nina, Waves, Tides
17.1 Meteorology reading and worksheet (20 mins)Notes/Discussion (15 mins)
Meteorology- what is it? Layers of the atmosphere, etc.
MSCS 4: BM 4
HW: 17.1 Worksheet
3/24, 3/25
Tues/Wed



Examine the importance of the
structure and composition of the
atmosphere as influencing
factors on Earth’s weather and
climate
Compare and contrast weather
and climate
Explain why seasonal changes
occur
MSCS= Montana Science Content Standard





Atmospheric Pressure Demo
Notes/Discussion- PPT (30 mins)- Weather vs. Climate,
Atmosphere- Composition, Height and Structure- pressure
vs. altitude, layers of the atmosphere
Article discussion- atmospheric pressure and sports teams
Earth Sun Relationships- Seasons
Read 18.1- Water in the Atmosphere and complete
worksheet (20 mins)- Latent heat, water’s change of state,
humidity and dew point
BM= Benchmark

MSCS 4: BM 4
HW: 18.1 Worksheet
3/26, 3/27
Thurs/Fri



4/6, 4/7
Mon/Tues



4/8, 4/9
Wed/Thurs



4/10, 4/13
Fri/Mon



Compare and contrast the
abilities of cold air and warm air
to hold water vapor.
Describe the factors that affect
the relative humidity of air
Explain latent heat



18.1 Notes- Water in the Atmosphere (30 mins)- Water’s
change of state, Latent Heat- Evaporation, condensation,
sublimation, deposition, Humidity, Saturated, relative
humidity, dew point
Discuss 18.2 How do clouds form?, Air compression and
expansion, Processes that lift air
Outside Cloud Activity
Describe what happens to air
 Make a cloud lab (40 mins)- Show at the front of the
when it is compressed or
classroom while students make their own, Recipe for a
allowed to expand
cloud lab worksheet
List four mechanisms that cause
 18.3 Notes and Discuss
air to rise
 Set up Snow in a Bottle lab
Compare and contrast
movements of stable and
unstable air
Identify measureable weather Snow in a Bottle Lab
related variables commonly used  Begin Weather Cycler Activity
in forecasting
Identify the instruments and
technology used to collect
weather data
Describe the impacts of fronts,
air masses, and pressure systems
on local and regional weather
Identify measureable weather Finish Weather Cycler
related variables commonly used  Severe Weather
in forecasting
Identify the instruments and
technology used to collect
HW: Test next class- make a 3x5 note card
weather data
Describe the impacts of fronts,
air masses, and pressure systems
on local and regional weather
MSCS= Montana Science Content Standard
BM= Benchmark

MSCS 4: BM 4
MSCS 4: BM 4

MSCS 4: BM 4

MSCS 4: BM 4
4/14, 4/15
Tues/Wed

Describe the impacts of
fronts, air masses, and
pressure systems on local and
regional weather
MSCS= Montana Science Content Standard


Severe Weather
Review for Oceanography Test- make a note card
HW: Study for Test
BM= Benchmark

MSCS 4: BM 4