Bethany

McIlwain
Lesson 1

Daily Topic: Oceans: Currents and Waves Science Lesson

Louisiana GLEs:
SI.2 Identify problems, factors, and questions that must be considered in a scientific investigation (SI-M-A1)
SI.3 Use a variety of sources to answer questions (SI-M-A1)
SI.6 Select and use appropriate equipment, technology, tools, and metric system units of measurement to make observations (SI-M-
A3)
SI.10 Express data in a variety of ways by constructing illustrations, graphs, charts, tables, concept maps, and oral and written
explanations as appropriate (SI-E-A5) (SI-E-B4)
SI.12 Use data and information gathered to develop an explanation of experimental results (SI-M-A4)

Objectives:
The students will be able to:
1. Make observations concerning ocean currents and waves.
2. Record observations on individual observation sheets.
3. Describe how currents are formed.
4. Describe the motion of waves.
5. Organize and analyze their findings.
6. Work cooperatively with others.
7. Share and discuss their findings multiple ways; they will discuss verbally and by creating a foldable to share results.

Materials:

Stress Ball
Computer and projector to watch brainpop ocean currents video:
https://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/oceancurrents/
Clear plastic bowls, 8 oz (1 per group)
Foam cups (1 per group)

Red food coloring

Unifix cubes (1 cube per group)
Plastic pail
Plastic straw
Ice
Warm water
Container of cold water
Sharpened pencil
Individual Observation Sheets
Computer to create foldable
Printer

Procedure

TLW gather on the rug.
TTW activate students prior knowledge by passing the stress ball around to her students. When the student catches the stress ball
they will tell one thing they remember learning about oceans.
TTW play brainpop video about ocean currents: https://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/oceancurrents/
TTW ask students a few questions after the video:

What are some things that you can tell me about currents?

What are gyres?

What is the Coriolis effect? What does it do?

What is the gulf stream? What does it do to global temperatures?

What is the global conveyor belt? How does the global conveyor belt work?
TTW introduce the experiment for the day and explain instructions:

Students will be observing how currents and waves work.
TLW be divided into groups by table groups.
Each group will receive:
Individual observation sheets
1 clear plastic bowl filled with warm water
1 foam cup filled with ice cold water

 A bottle of red food coloring

1 plastic straw
1 unifix cube.
TLW will follow the following procedure:
1. Put names on individual observation sheets and have pencils ready to record observations.
2. Place two drops of red food coloring into foam cup filled with ice cold water and stir until food coloring is
mixed in completely.
3. Pour red ice cold water into the clear plastic bowl filled with warm water.
4. Observe the motion of cold water added to warm water and record observations of this motion onto
individual observation sheets.
5. Take the plastic straw and blow directly onto the water. This will simulate waves.
6. Observe the motion of the colored cold water when waves are produced and record these observations on the
individual observation sheet.
7. Place the unifix cube into the water and use the plastic straw to make more waves. Be careful to only blow
onto the water and not onto the cube. This should create more waves and will cause the unifix cube to move.
8. Observe the motion of the cube when the waves are produced and record this observation on the individual
observation sheet.
9. Clean up the experiment
a. Pour all water into the sink
b. Wipe out the clear plastic bowls and stack them by the sink
c. Throw away the plastic straws
d. Throw away the foam cups
e. Dry off unifix cubes and place them back into their box.
10. Finish answering questions on individual practice sheet.
TLW use answers and information from individual observation sheet to create a foldable to show results.
1. Title page: Illustration and Title of the experiment
2. Insert page: Summary of the experiment
3. Inside left panel: Observations
4. Inside middle panel: Interpretation of results
5. Inside right panel: Inquiring further
6. Back page: Summary of what you learned from the experiment about currents and waves.

 TLW print out and hand in final foldable as an assessment of students learning from the experiment.

Accommodations

Students who are ELL and special needs will be supported through the group work. Students will be grouped with students of all levels so that
lower level and ELL students will be able to benefit from learning from their peers and hearing them read and explain things. ELL students and
students with learning disabilities and other special needs will be given extra time to finish their assignments and will be permitted extra
guidance. Students who are gifted will benefit from the groups as well because students gain a deeper understanding of material when they are
explaining concepts to others. Gifted students will also be challenged as they must critically interpret their data and assist their classmates in
inquiring further.

Investigating Currents and Waves

Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY
4
Student followed
correct, complete,
instructions to make a model detailed
of a current and waves.
Student observed the
movement of water when
cold water was added to
warm water.
Student observed how waves
affect the movement of
currents and floating gram
cubes.
Student recorded
observations and described
the motion of the cold water
and the effect it creates.
Student transferred all data
from observation sheet onto
the foldable to present
his/her findings.

correct, complete,
detailed

correct, complete,
detailed

correct, complete,
detailed

correct, complete,
detailed

3
partially
correct,
complete,
detailed
partially
correct,
complete,
detailed
partially
correct,
complete,
detailed
partially
correct,
complete,
detailed
partially
correct,
complete,
detailed

2
partially correct,
partially complete,
lacks some detail

1
incorrect or
incomplete, needs
assistance

partially correct,
partially complete,
lacks some detail

incorrect or
incomplete, needs
assistance

partially correct,
partially complete,
lacks some detail

incorrect or
incomplete, needs
assistance

partially correct,
partially complete,
lacks some detail

incorrect or
incomplete, needs
assistance

partially correct,
partially complete,
lacks some detail

incorrect or
incomplete, needs
assistance