OCEANS CURRENTS AND METEOROLOGY
QUEBEC – MIDDLE SCHOOL
Ocean Currents and Meteorology
Lesson Overview
This activity helps Grades 6-8 students to understand how ocean currents affect
climate. Using statistics, they will compare Quebec and France which, although
situated at similar latitudes, have very different climates. Why? Quebec is
influenced by the Labrador current, while France is influenced by the Gulf
Stream.
Grade Level
Grades 5 and 6 (3rd cycle – elementary level), Grades 1 and 2 Secondary level
(1st cycle – secondary level)
Time Required
One period of approximately 90 minutes
Curriculum Connection
Domain of the Social Universe: Geography
 Competency 1: Read the organization of a territory
 Elements of the competency: Understand how humans impact on the
territory. Establish relationships between various geographic scales. Use
map-related terminology.
 Competency 3: Learn to become a citizen of the world
 Elements of the competency: Demonstrate the global character of a
geographic reality.
Link to Canadian National Geographic Standards
Essential Element #1 (Grades 6-8): The World in Spatial Terms
 Distribution of major human and physical features at country and global
scales
 Map types
Essential Element #2 (Grades 6-8): Places and Regions
 Physical and human characteristics of places and regions in Canada and
the world
 Factors that influence people’s perception of places and regions
Essential Element #3 (Grades 6-8): Physical Systems
 Physical processes shape patterns in the physical environment
 Wind patterns and ocean currents
 Types of precipitation
 Implications of the hydrologic cycle
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OCEANS CURRENTS AND METEOROLOGY
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QUEBEC – MIDDLE SCHOOL
Causes and patterns of extreme natural events
Essential Element #6 (Grades 6-8): Environment and Society
 Impact of natural and technological hazards/disasters on the human and
physical environment
 Limits and opportunities of the physical environment for human activities
Geographic Skill #1 (Grades 6-8): Asking Geographic Questions
 Plan how to answer geographic questions
Geographic Skill #2 (Grades 6-8): Acquiring geographic information
 Use maps to collect and/or compile geographic information
Geographic Skill #4 (Grades 6-8): Analyzing Geographic Information
 Interpret information obtained from maps
 Interpret information obtained from a variety of sources
Geographic Skill #1 (Grades 6-8): Answering Geographic Questions
 Develop and present combinations of geographic information to answer
geographic questions
Curriculum Connection
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Learning outcome: Understand geographic relationships, using a map of
the world
Skills - Use geographic tools
- Interpret different forms of representations
- Interpret graphs
- Use accurate geographic terms
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required
 The Atlas of Canada: Map of Canada (The world)
 Useful websites to help students learn more about ocean currents
http://www.heritage.nf.ca/environment/ocean.html
http://www.cnes.fr/html/_98_3112_3147_3463_3464_.php
http://www.wonderquest.com/GulfStream.htm
and the following page of links:
http://www.bigelow.org/vendeeglobe/Gulf%20Stream.htm
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OCEANS CURRENTS AND METEOROLOGY
QUEBEC – MIDDLE SCHOOL
Main Objective
To explain how the ocean currents influence the physical environment (climate)
in Quebec and in France.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
 Identify the ocean currents that affect Quebec and France
 Know the specific characteristics of each of the climates in the two regions
studied
The Lesson
Conclusion
Lesson Development
Introduction
Teacher Activity
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Student Activity
Ask students to study the oceans on a map of the
world.
Invite students to tell what they know about
oceans.
Ask students to form groups of two.
 Study the map.
 Revise previous knowledge of
oceans.
 Find a fellow student to work
with.
Divide the teams into two working groups, with
one group working on Activity Sheet A and the
other on Activity Sheet B.
Hand out the Activity Sheets and ask students to
complete the required tasks.
Allow some time to do the work. Then have
students share what they have discovered about
each of the regions studied.
List the characteristics of the Labrador current and
the Gulf Steam.
 Follow instructions.
 With partner, read carefully the
questions on the Activity Sheet.
 Become aware of the important
differences between the Quebec
climate and that of France,
despite the fact that both are
situated at similar latitudes.
 Verify if their knowledge on the
subject was correct, when
answering the last question.
Reformulate the initial question: “Do oceans and
their currents influence climate?”
 Answer question, based on
newly-acquired knowledge.
Lesson Extension
Invite students to find out more about ocean currents, Then, they could create a
large poster in class on which to insert the information.
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OCEANS CURRENTS AND METEOROLOGY
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Assessment of Student Learning
During the following period, hand students sheets showing non-identified climate
graphs. Ask students to identify the climate graph of Quebec City and that of
Paris and to justify their answers. Then, ask students to name the two ocean
currents studied and to describe the characteristics of each one.
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QUEBEC – MIDDLE SCHOOL
OCEANS CURRENTS AND METEOROLOGY
Student Activity Sheet A
Quebec
1. Using the map of Canada (the world), between which degrees of latitude is
Quebec City situated?
______________________________________________________________
_________________
2. Which oceans border the province of Quebec?
______________________________________________________________
_________________
3. Based on the following climatic statistics for Quebec City, draw a climate
graph.
Quebec
AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE
(OC)
AVERAGE
PRECIPITATION
(mm)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
-12.8
-11.1
-4.6
3.3
11.2
16.5
19.2
17.9
12.5
6.2
-.07
9.1
89.8
70.6
90.3
81.2
106.1
114.2
127.8
116.7
125.5
101.7
102.0
104.4
Source: Environment Canada
Climate graph:
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OCEANS CURRENTS AND METEOROLOGY
QUEBEC – MIDDLE SCHOOL
4. Study the climate graph and write a paragraph to describe the climate of
Quebec City.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5. What factors influence the Quebec climate?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
6. Write down what you know about the Labrador current (location, direction,
hot/cold, etc.).
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
7. Do oceans and ocean currents influence climate?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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QUEBEC – MIDDLE SCHOOL
OCEANS CURRENTS AND METEOROLOGY
Student Activity Sheet B:
France
1. Using the map of Canada (the world), between which degrees of latitude is
Paris situated?
______________________________________________________________
2. Which ocean borders France?
______________________________________________________________
3. Based on the following climatic statistics for Paris, draw a climate graph.
Paris
AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE
(OC))
AVERAGE
PRECIPITATION
(mm)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
4.1
5.2
7.8
10.6
14.3
17.4
17.4
19.2
19.2
12.7
7.7
5.0
55.0
45.4
52.2
44.5
62.0
53.2
58.3
46.0
52.9
54.9
57.0
55.1
Source: Météo-France
Climate graph:
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OCEANS CURRENTS AND METEOROLOGY
QUEBEC – MIDDLE SCHOOL
4. Study the climate graph and write a paragraph to describe the climate of
Paris.
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5. What factors influence the Paris climate?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
6. Write down what you know about the Gulf Stream (location, direction,
hot/cold, etc.).
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
7. Do oceans and ocean currents influence climate?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
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