EDC Earth Science Activity: Patterns in Surface Currents

This activity is designed to help students understand that uneven heating of Earth by the Sun provides the energy that drives the ocean currents. Movement of air in the atmosphere and water in the oceans redistribute heat from the equator toward the poles.  Students learn about energy and matter, cause and effect, and patterns. They are asked to analyze and interpret data and construct explanations (NGSS: ESS.C.2, ESS.D.1, ESS.D.2).

Data Learning Objective
The student will read and make meaning from a variety of data visualizations, and relate the data to real events and physical processes.

Real World Applications
The two maps in this activity represent average sea temperatures during a period of a month and were created using data from the NASA DICCE Climate Data Portal. Being able to make meaning from data visualizations such as these maps is an important skill in our daily lives (for ex. understanding weather report maps), in addition to a necessary skill for students who will go on to study or have careers in STEM.

Learn more about the EDC Earth Science curriculum and find additional sample activities.