Interactive Models

Ocean Circulation Patterns: Garbage Patches Story Map

Overview

Using various visualizations (i.e., images, charts, and graphs), students will explore ocean circulation patterns as they relate to the world's ocean garbage patches using NASA ocean currents data. Students will investigate the forces that contribute to ocean circulation patterns, and how debris, especially plastics, travel from land to garbage patches. Students will also analyze regional plastic production and waste management data to describe how humans have contributed to ocean plastic pollution. This story map is intended to be used with students who have access to a computing device in a 1:1 or 1:2 setting.

Materials Required

Resources Needed Per Student:

Student Data Sheet
Computer/Tablet
Internet Access
Link to Ocean Circulation Patterns Story Map

Directions

Using an internet accessible device, students open the link to the Ocean Circulation Patterns Story Map to begin their exploration of this phenomenon.
Distribute the Ocean Circulation Patterns Story Map Student Sheet. Have students navigate on their own through the Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate tabs of the story map to answer the questions and complete the activities on their student sheet.

Teacher Note

Ocean currents are masses of water in motion that circulate the water and all that’s in it. Driven by wind and other forces, currents on the ocean surface cover our planet. Some span hundreds to thousands of miles across vast ocean basins in well-defined flows. Others are confined to particular regions and form slow-moving, circular pools. Seen from space, the circulating waters offer a study in both chaos and order.

To learn more, visit:

The Ocean Circulation Phenomena page for background information

Teachers who are interested in receiving the answer key, please complete the Teacher Key Request and Verification Form. We verify that requestors are teachers prior to sending access to the answer keys as we’ve had many students try to pass as teachers to gain access.

Supported NGSS Performance Expectations

5-ESS2-1: Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
MS-ESS2-1: Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
MS-ESS2-4: Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the Sun and the force of gravity.
MS-ESS3-4: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
MS-PS1-3: Gather and make sense of information to describe that synthetic materials come from natural resources and impact society.
HS-ESS3-6: Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

Learning Objectives

Students will analyze and compare multiple variables of the Earth System as they analyze ocean circulation patterns.
Students will investigate the relationship between ocean circulation patterns and garbage patches.
Students will investigate the forces that contribute to ocean circulation patterns.
Students will model their understanding of the Earth System interactions that contribute plastics on land to ocean garbage patches.

Essential Questions

What are garbage patches and how are they formed?
What forces within the Earth System contribute to ocean circulation patterns?
What conditions within the Earth System allow plastic on land to be transported to ocean garbage patches?