ESSC Lesson Plan Presentation
Amanda Riser & Aimee Mandle
Standard: E.ES.07.13 Describe how the warming of the earth by the sun produces
winds and ocean currents
Grade level: 7th
Lesson Title: How the Warming of the Earth by the Sun Produces Winds and Ocean
Currents
Learning Goals/Outcomes:
 Students will understand the role that the sun plays in producing wind and ocean
currents
 Students will understand that ocean currents are influenced by changes in water
density which is affected by temperature.
 Students will understand that both air and liquid water are fluids.
Content Standard:
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Heat moves in predictable ways, flowing from warmer objects to cooler ones,
until both reach the same temperature.
Heating of the earth’s surface and atmosphere by the sun drives convection
within the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds and ocean currents.
Heat can be transferred through materials by the collision of atoms or across
space by radiation. If the material is fluid, currents will be set up in it that aid
transfer heat
Lesson Overview:
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After completion of the lesson, students will be familiar with convection heating
and how it produces winds and ocean currents using the heat the earth absorbs
from the sun. Students will also be able to demonstrate convection heating using
both water and air.
List of Materials:
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Movable classroom for both activities
Activity number one: Water Currents
o For the instructor:
 Food coloring
 Ice cube tray
 Fish bowl or small glass container
 Tap Water
 foam cup
o For the students
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Ice cube tray with one colored ice cube
Fish bowl filled with water at room temperature(will be already set
up for the students by the instructor)
 Blank sheet of notebook paper and writing utensil to record
observations
 Foam cup
Activity number two: Air as a fluid
o For the instructor and students
 Baking soda
 Vinegar
 500 ml beaker
 Small votive candle
 Matches (to be handled only by the instructor)
 Strip of poster board about 12’’ by 3’’
Engage the Learner
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Questions for engagement
o How important is the sun? What effects do you think the sun has on the
earth? How does it do this?
Introduction into experiment
o We know that the sun has an effect on creating wind currents and ocean
currents, so now we want everyone to try out an experiment to see how
ocean currents occur.
Explore

There will be two activities demonstrating that:
o both air and water are fluids
o Convection
o How the “flow” of air and water can influence heat distribution
o Activity one group class into three groups.
Activity # 1: Water Currents
Purpose: To demonstrate that ocean currents are influenced by changes in water
density which is affected by temperature.
1. Fill a fish bowl, aquarium, or other glass container to the rim with room
temperature water. Let it stand for about a minute so that the water will have a
chance to settle before you start.
2. Place the colored ice cube into the water very gently and observe for 1 minute
or more. Record your observations. Do not disturb the tank until after the ice
cube has completely melted. Observe again and record your observations.
3. Have students describe their findings and explain why this happened.
4. Empty the fish bowl or glass container and then refill it with fresh water at room
temperature.
5. Run hot water until the temperature is at least 110°F (43°C). Fill a test tube or
small cup half full with this water. Add 5-7 drops of food coloring until the color is
very dark. Very gently pour this colored hot water into the tank. Observe for a
minute or more. Record your observations.
6. Have students describe their findings and explain why this happened.
Activity # 2: Air is a Fluid
Purpose: To demonstrate that both air and liquid water are fluids.
1. Discuss the physical properties of a fluid with students. Be sure to include the
idea that fluids can be poured. Ask students if they think air is a fluid. Ask how
it could be demonstrated.
2. Fold the poster board or cardboard lengthwise.
3. Place the candle on a plate and light the candle.
4. Put about a tablespoon of baking soda in the glass jar or beaker.
5. Pour about 1/4 cup of vinegar in the jar or beaker. (The vinegar and baking
soda will react immediately filling the jar with carbon dioxide gas.)
6. When the fizzing subsides, hold the poster board “funnel” at an angle so that
one end is near the candle flame and the other end is slightly higher.
7. “Pour” the gas in the beaker or jar down the funnel. The flame will go out in a
second or two
Explain:
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Power Point presentation (have students follow along with their fill in the blank
sheet)
o Power point Presentation
o Effects of the Sun on Land and Water
 Solar radiation heats up the land and water at different rates,
depend on the substances specific heat.
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Specific heat is the amount of heat that must be absorbed or
lost for 1g of that substance to change temperature by 1º C
o How wind occurs
 Water has a higher specific heat than land, therefore it takes
longer to heat up than land. This also means that water keeps
its temperature well.
o How ocean currents occur
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Due to uneven heating from indirect sunlight at the poles,
water is very cold.
Cold, salty water is very dense and sinks to the bottom of the
ocean floor.
Warm water will move in from the equator to replace where
the cold water once was.
Once that water cools, it sinks and creates the cycle of a
current.
Ocean currents travel in circular patterns that carry cold
water from the poles and warm water from the tropics.
When these two currents meet, cold water sinks and pushes
warm water to the surface.
The warm water becomes a surface current and flows to the
poles.
At the poles, the surface water will cool and eventually sink,
where is will then begin to flow back to the equator where
the cycle will start over again.
Elaborate:
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Ask class questions relating the powerpoint to the experiment.
o Who can explain what happened in the experiment and how it
relates to what we just learned about how the sun affects the ocean
currents? What if you took away the sun? What would happen to
the ocean currents?
o Go over fill in the blank sheet
Evaluate:
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Review of material learned in lesson
Collect observation charts for experiments and observe the discussion from
elaborate.
References
Activities:
http://www.mos.org/oceans/motion/density.html
http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_1_2_7t.htm
Power Point Information:
http://www.visitandlearn.co.uk/TopicalFactfiles/SeaatWork/OceanCurrents/tabid/88/Defa
ult.aspx
http://www.sciencebyjones.com/specific_heat1.htm
Pictures:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/skytellers/seasons/images/fig2.jpg
http://earth.usc.edu/~stott/Catalina/Oceans.html