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"The ocean has a huge influence on our weather and climate!" Teek and Tom activate “beach mode” and return to the ocean to explore how it impacts coastal temperatures and weather systems — like thunderstorms — even a thousand miles away. Tom explains how water absorbs energy, like heat, differently than land and air and how everything is interconnected! (Episode transcript - English)
The following lesson plans — developed for students at the fourth through sixth grade levels — supplement this episode of Teek and Tom. The lessons allow students to build knowledge of and skills associated with important Earth science concepts. Through the exploration and investigation of NOAA data, visualizations, and content, the lessons support the videos in telling a cohesive story of key Earth systems, and how those systems impact each other.
Each lesson is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, national standards for math, national standards for English and language arts, as well as the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies Standards. These standards reinforce the interdisciplinary nature of ocean, weather, and climate studies, and support the teaching of these topics. The lessons engage students in content that is locally relevant and use the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) to provide a structure for students to connect science ideas with their own experiences and apply their learning to new contexts.
Explore each lesson plan or download the entire Educator’s Guide to learn how Teek and Tom can enhance your students’ learning!
Students demonstrate how water absorbs energy differently than land and air, then examine real-world examples of the ocean’s effect on land temperatures.
Students investigate the relative amounts of salt and freshwater on Earth and do a simple water evaporation experiment associated with Earth's water cycle.
