About this resource
- Appropriate grades
- 7
- Subjects
- science (meteorology, oceanography)
- Provider
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
Legal
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The purpose of this lesson is to understand that El Niño is caused by changes in the atmospheric and ocean content. In earlier grades students learn about the atmosphere, weather and oceans in a descriptive sense. This lesson will demonstrate how the atmosphere and oceans affect one another. Students will also learn how a small change in sea surface height can have a large impact on weather, in particular this is part of the cause of El Niño. El Niño is a mass of warm water that moves eastward as trade winds relax. The warm water brings torrential rains to parts of the world that are not prepared for such weather.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science (2005)
Grade 7
- Goal 3: The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of the atmosphere.
- Objective 3.05: Examine evidence that atmospheric properties can be studied to predict atmospheric conditions and weather hazards:
- Humidity.
- Temperature.
- Wind speed and direction.
- Air pressure.
- Precipitation.
- Tornados.
- Hurricanes.
- Floods.
- Storms.
- Objective 3.05: Examine evidence that atmospheric properties can be studied to predict atmospheric conditions and weather hazards:
Grade 8
- Goal 3: The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of the hydrosphere.
- Objective 3.03: Evaluate evidence that Earth's oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:
- Estuaries.
- Marine ecosystems.
- Upwelling.
- Behavior of gases in the marine environment.
- Value and sustainability of marine resources.
- Deep ocean technology and understandings gained.
- Objective 3.03: Evaluate evidence that Earth's oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:
