Download Effects of Earth`s Surface Features on Climate

Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 72246
Effects of Earth's Surface Features on Climate
In this lesson, students will investigate the ability of water to retain it's temperature, and explain how the proximity of an area to an ocean or lake
will contribute to the climate of an area. Students will measure the temperature of three beakers; one empty, one with water, and one with sand to
determine how quickly their temperatures will change over specific time period.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection,
Speakers/Headphones, Adobe Acrobat Reader,
Computer Media Player
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s) 30 Minute(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Climate, weather, properties of water, specific heat, oceans effect on climate
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Earth Systems
ATTACHMENTS
Prior Knowledge Assessment.docx
Lab Sheet.docx
Graph Paper.pdf
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
1. Students will be able to describe how proximity to a lake or ocean effects the climate of a geographic area.
2. Students will brainstorm to come up with an experimental design to answer how large bodies of water effect climate.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Vocabulary:
Weather, climate, proximity, precipitation, heat capacity
Prior Knowledge Content
Properties of water (water has a high heat capacity, and will retain its temperature)
SC.6.E.7.2: Investigate and apply how the cycling of water between the atmosphere and hydrosphere has an effect on weather patterns and climate.
SC.6.E.7.3: Describe how global patterns such as the jet stream and ocean currents influence local weather in measurable terms such as temperature, air pressure,
wind direction and speed, and humidity and precipitation.
SC.6.E.7.6: Differentiate between weather and climate.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
page 1 of 3 1. What is climate? (Measurement of the average temperature and precipitation of a region over a long period of time.)
2. What factors influence an areas climate? (Proximity of the region to the equator, and proximity of the region to a large body of water.)
3. What type of climate do we have? (I live in northwest Florida, but you would use the climate for your area. It's hot and rainy in the summer, and cool winters.)
4. Why do you think we have the climate that we do? (We're relatively close to the equator, resulting in warm temperatures. Also, we are located close to Pensacola
Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico, helping to retain heat and lead to rain.)
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
1. Teacher will ask students to write what they know about climate for three minutes.
2. At the end of three minutes, students will discuss what they already know to the student next to them.
3. Discuss as a class what students wrote, addressing misconceptions. An example is that weather and climate are the same. (Climatic conditions are measured over
very long periods of time, weather is measured daily.)
4. After students select and explain their responses, have students discuss their answers with another student, allowing them to change any answers if necessary.
Collect student responses to view current student knowledge. (Prior Knowledge Assessment)
5. Teacher will show the following videos to students. Skip ads if necessary.
How do the Oceans Effect Our Climate?
After watching the video, ask "How do oceans influence weather during the day?" (Air on land is warmer than air over the water, therefore, land air will
rise, and the cooler air over the water will replace it, causes ocean breezes, cooling the land.)
The Ocean:Driving Force for Earth's Weather
After watching the video, ask the following questions:
What drives currents at the ocean's surface? (winds)
What causes winds? (Differential heating from the sun. The sun's heat is more direct at the equator, therefore, it's warmer at the equator than the
poles.)
How do currents influence temperatures? (The Gulf Stream is a warm current that will bring warm water to Europe, making it warmer than it
otherwise would be.)
In what other ways do we see the ocean's influence on climate? (In the Gulf of Mexico, the water gets very warm in the summer months, and
contribute to the formation of hurricanes.
Transition from "Teaching Phase" to "Guided Practice:"
Upon viewing the videos and asking and answering the questions, the teacher will ask, "How can we provide evidence for the fact that large bodies of water, such as
lakes and oceans effect an areas climate?" (Students will brainstorm to come up with an experimental design to answer how large bodies of water affect climate.)
Note: If their design is possible to complete in your classroom, feel free to allow them to carry out their experiment. Be sure that they know they need to make a data
table and answer the analysis questions provided on the lab sheet. Otherwise they may use the lab that is provided.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
1. Teacher will address the following vocabulary with the class: weather, climate, proximity, precipitation, and specific heat to ensure familiarity with these words.
2. Teacher will instruct students how to set up their lab, and go over the directions for the lab.
3. Make sure all student groups are correct in their lab setup before allowing them to collect data. Review procedures with your students.
4. Students collect data and answer the analysis questions.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
1. Students will complete the lab. Be sure to check that all lab groups have the correct setup before they begin collecting data.
2. After students collect their data, they should be able to answer the analysis questions and complete their graphs. Answers to the analysis questions are located on
the lab sheet.
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
1. After grading the lab reports, go over the answers with the students to close out the lesson. See answers in parentheses on the lab sheet. Use the attached rubric
to grade the lab reports.
2. Revisit the guiding questions of the lesson to ensure that students learned what was intended.
3. You may want to add the following questions to the guiding questions:
How do large bodies of water such as a lake or ocean effect the climate of an area? (In the summer it keeps an area cooler, in the winter, it keeps an area
warmer.)
Why is an area cooler in the summer due to the ocean? (Air temperature is warmer over land and will rise; the cooler ocean air will replace the air that
has risen, making those land areas cooler.)
How do you think the size of the body of water effects the temperature of the area? (The larger the body of water, the longer it will take to heat, and the
longer it will take to cool. Temperatures will take longer to change than an area of a similar latitude with a smaller body of water.)
Summative Assessment
The teacher will facilitate the lab activity. Use the attached Lab sheet and graph paper (Choose the graph with three lines per inch).
Use this attached rubric to assess student progress.
Formative Assessment
1. Teacher will ask students to write what they know about climate for three minutes.
2. At the end of three minutes, students will discuss what they already know to the student next to them.
3. Discuss as a class what students wrote, addressing misconceptions. An example is that weather and climate are the same. (Climatic conditions are measured over
very long periods of time, weather is measured daily.)
(Prior Knowledge Assessment)
Feedback to Students
Teacher will have volunteers discuss what they wrote after the three minutes. Teacher will determine the common knowledge of students.
Some discussion topics could include:
Climate measures the weather over long periods of time.
Weather determines what we will wear each day or what outdoor activities we can do.
page 2 of 3 Weather can change very quickly, especially in Florida.
Different areas of the world experience different weather and climate.
Areas near the equator are much warmer than areas near the poles because it gets more direct sunlight.
Misconceptions students may have:
Climate can change as quickly as weather.
Changes in weather that occurred over a few years designates a climate change.
Weather and climate are the same.
Teacher will collect student prior knowledge assessment and review the answers with the students.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Students may collect data for one beaker rather than all three.
Students may collect data for shorter periods of time, or longer periods of time.
Students that finish early may act as "teachers" for the groups that need extra help.
Have higher level students design and carry out their own experiment, rather than using the attached lab.
Extensions:
Students may measure the temperature of varying amounts of water to see if how the volume of water effects how quickly it will heat or cool. You may vary the length
of time. Possible volumes include 1000 mL, 1/2 gallon, 1 gallon, 5 gallons of water.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, Speakers/Headphones, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Computer Media Player
Special Materials Needed:
Lab Materials:
Beakers
sand
water
thermometers
heat source (light bulb/heat lamp, sun)
clock or timer with a second hand.
Further Recommendations:
You may only need or want to show one of the videos.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Krystal Falkler
Name of Author/Source: Krystal Falkler
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Escambia
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
Description
Summarize the conditions that contribute to the climate of a geographic area, including the relationships to lakes and
oceans.
SC.912.E.7.4:
Remarks/Examples:
Describe how latitude, altitude, topography, prevailing winds, proximity to large bodies of water, vegetation and
ocean currents determine the climate of a geographic area.
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