OCEAN LAYERS

TURN AND TALK

• What is a current?
• What are 2 things that cause currents?

FAN AND PICK

• How do you think it works in the real ocean?

KEY CONCEPT

Untitled Slide

SALINITY

HIGH SALINITY=LOTS

Mystery of the fresh water in the ocean. Some early explorers were sailing across the ocean from Spain to South America. During the whole time of their sailing trip, the water around their boat had been cold and salty. Then, they noticed something strange. One day, the water on the surface of the ocean was warm and fresh, not cold and salty. They were still so far from land that all they could see around them was the ocean. Discuss what you think was going on.

OCEAN MODEL

Today you will observe what happens when different amounts of salinity and different temperatures come together in the ocean.

Green= cold, high salinity water (lots of salt)

Red= cold, fresh water (no salt)

Make your predictions:
Will it move up, down, or sideways?
Draw your prediction on page 9

DIRECTIONS

• Clip cups to the corners
• Poke a hole in the cup so the water comes out.
• Observe how the water moves.
• Draw your results on page 9.