Earth Science · Weather & Climate
Ocean Currents: How Oceans Shape Regional Climate
Use long-term coastal climate evidence and ocean-circulation models to explain how ocean currents can redistribute thermal energy—and why currents are not the sole cause of climate.
Lesson plan
Ocean Currents: How Oceans Shape Regional Climate
A step-by-step guide to help you teach this lesson.
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Lesson overview
What students will learn
- Compare long-term temperature records from two fictional coastal locations at similar latitudes without confusing climate with daily weather.
- Use a model to show how wind-driven ocean currents transport warmer or cooler surface water and influence nearby regional climates.
Key science ideas
- Surface currents move water across ocean basins; prevailing winds and Earth's rotation strongly shape their pathways.
- Currents can bring relatively warmer or cooler water past a coastline. Heat exchange between ocean and air can influence nearby temperatures.
- A warm current is warmer relative to neighboring water; a cool current is cooler relative to neighboring water.
Lesson at a glance
- Grade 6
- 55 min
- ~12 min prep
- 5 materials
What’s included
- Lesson Plan
- Investigation
- Teacher Slides
- Printable Worksheet
- Teacher Answer Key
- Interactive Activity
- Vocabulary