Subject: Marine Biology, Oceanography
Lesson Topic: Ocean Currents
Author: Valerie Southgate
Grade Level: 7-12
Summary of Activity/Lesson: Inquiry based activity that allows students to observe cold
water currents on a small scale using colored ice cubes.
Activity:
Instructor will need to make 2 different colored ice cubes (just use food coloring). Make
enough so that each student/group will have one of each color. Also each student/group
will need to have a plastic bin that allows students to both see the activity from the top
and the sides.
Copy and paste the information below for the student worksheet. Follow up the activity
with a discussion of what the students observed and the scientific principles behind their
activity.
ICE CUBE RACES
Procedure:
1) Fill plastic box with room temperature water from the tap.
2) Get two different colored ice cubes.
3) Place one cube of ice in the water at opposite ends of the bin.
4) Observe what happens by looking from the top and the side of the bin.
5) DON’T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF YOUR EXPERIMENT!!
Analysis: Answer the following on your own paper in your own words in complete
sentences.
What does the bin filled with tap water represent?
What do the ice cubes at the ends of the bin represent?
Draw 2 diagrams; one from the side and one from the top using arrows that show the
movement of each colored ice cubes. Use colored pencils to differentiate between the
cubes.
Write a paragraph describing what you observed and why you believe it happened?
What are the major factors affecting ocean currents were not represented in your
experiment?
How could you change your experiment to include some of these factors?
Disclaimer: These lesson plans were compiled, edited, written, and/or prepared by Erin
Spruill, UNCW Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program (CORMP). CORMP is
a NOAA grant funded program, located at the UNCW Center for Marine Science,
Wilmington, NC. Feel free to update or adapt the existing lesson plans to fit your needs.
We ask that you credit the authors and editors of these activities. In addition, please
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