Students will conduct an experiment on ocean currents by changing variables like temperature and salinity of water. They will take photos as they observe the water layers form. Using StoryJumper, students will create online books explaining their experiments and how ocean currents form due to density differences from salinity and temperature. Books will be posted online for peers to view and provide feedback through discussion questions and Venn diagrams comparing experiments.

1. Motion in the
Ocean
By: Nancy Adair

2. Student Learning Goals
1. Describe how density causes
currents in the ocean.
2. Describe how salinity in the ocean
varies.
3. Describe how salinity and
temperature in the ocean cause
ocean currents.
4. Describe physical and chemical
properties of ocean water.

3. Timeline of Class Activities:
Day 1: View video of ocean currents from Bill Nye.
Day 2: Class discussions online interactive map of ocean currents. Student groups will pose questions and responses
to how and why these currents change from warm to cold. Students will examine why the currents cure on the
earth’s surface. View video on density and how a golf ball can float in ocean waters.
Day 3: Introduction to StroryJumper and how to upload photos and operate on the website. Students will practice
uploading a photo and posting a sample book to the class wiki.
Day 4: Student groups will begin working on creating their experiments, taking photos, and writing their detailed lab
descriptions.
Days 5-8: Students will create their StoryJumper books in groups. Post them to the class wiki. View other
classmates books and create their venn diagrams comparing and contrasting ideas.
Days 9-10: Student groups will post answers to the salinity and density questions to the class wiki. Post responses and
comments to two other classmates posts.
Final teacher evaluations will take place to ensure students have grasped the concepts of: density, salinity, and
ocean currents. The teacher will have conferences with groups regarding their cooperation, effort, and peer grading
rubrics.

4. Prior to this lesson:
1. The students would have viewed the following videos, and
understand where ocean currents are. The students know the
definition of salinity. Students can also describe the physical
and chemical properties of water molecules.
Ocean Currents video Bill Nye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbTxGexbfKw
Ocean Currents SDPTV Online Interactive
http://sdpb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.
earthsys.globalsurf/examine-global-surface-currents/’
Ocean Currents slideshow NOAA
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.
gov/edu/learning/8_ocean_currents/ocean_currents.html#slide

5. Motion in the Ocean Summary
Students will view an experiment on adding salt water, cold water, and hot
water to fresh water. Based on that experiment they will recreate an
experiment changing two variables into 600ml of salt water.
The students will be creating ocean currents on a small scale and taking
photos of each phase of their experiment.
The students will take their detailed lab description of how to do their
experiment, and create an online book using StoryJumper.com
The book the students create will define how ocean currents happen based on
salinity and temperature of ocean waters.
Students will post books to the class wiki. They will make a venn diagram
comparing other books, and respond to questions.

6. Standards Addressed:
SD State Standards:
8.E.1.4. Students are able to examine the chemical and physical properties of the ocean to determine causes and effects of currents and waves.
Examples: density, temperature, salinity
1. Creativity and innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and
processes using technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
2. Communication and collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including
at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media.c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of
other cultures.
d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

7. Student Groups
Students will be paired with a partner with an opposite
ability level. For example the highest achieving student
will be grouped with the lowest achieving student. These
groups will allow the natural leaders to take charge to
guide the lessons, yet the lower achieving students will be
aiding in the problem solving process of developing an
experiment. Student classroom trust has already been
developed so the lower achieving students are more apt
to take risks with a partner and participate in the decision
making process.

8. First, In Class Teacher Led Demonstration
This demonstration explains water density.
The teacher could show this video to the class--or do it as a
class experiment.
Water Density Demonstration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp7-xYG1D6s&feature=youtu.be

9. Creating a new experiment
Student pairs will view the online experiment about density in ocean waters.
Water Density:
Red, blue, yellow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpuD5ay_Il8
Then, the groups will create a new experiment using only one of the variables
from the online experiment. So, the students will have to create a new
experiment with two new variables. In their experiments they will either
change the salinity of water added, the temperature of water added, or
temperature and salinity variables together changed.
Based on the following Motion in the Ocean Rubric, the groups will create a
StoryJumper book describing their experiment. Their book will describe how
temperature and salinity cause ocean currents.

10. New Experiment
Students will create an experiment with new variables using the following outline.
1.600ml room temperature water with 2T salt added.
2. Variable one:
3. Variable two:
4. Variable three:
The most dense variable should be yellow, second most dense blue, and least dense red.
Based on the variables you choose, predict WHY your density levels vary.
After conducting your experiment, did you find your hypothesis was right? Why or why not?
DESCRIBE HOW the water moved INTO the existing water as you slowly poured it in. Using
descriptive words and diagrams, show how the water moved.

11. Motion in the Ocean Rubric
In the video the teacher used three different variables:
1. Cold Salt Water (yellow)
2. Cold Fresh Water (blue)
3. Hot Fresh Water (red)
You and your partner are to recreate the same style of experiment but you may only use one of the
existing variables above. Using any combination of fresh water, salt water, hot or cold water create a
different way to achieve the same results of: yellow, blue, red layers within the “ocean.” Your initial
600ml must have 2T of salt in it. (In the experiment the initial 600ml was fresh water) You will take
photos of your experiment at each stage. Using your photo’s you will create a book in StoryJumper.
com to explain and describe how density and currents occur in the ocean.
Email the link of your book to: Nancy.Adair@k12.sd.us
Post a link to your book to the class wiki:
https://wss6science.wikispaces.com/

12. Using StoryJumper.com create a book about ocean
currents and salinity density. Your book should
contain: a title, complete sentences, and be
descriptive of your experiment.
/10points
1. Detailed step by step lab instructions on how to
complete the experiment you and your partner
created.
*This should appear like a recipe of how to do your
experiment.
/10points
2. Using the photos you took at each stage of your
experiment, insert them into separate pages of
StoryJumper. Each photo needs a description of what
happened in your experiment.
/30points
3.The conclusion part of your story should have two
parts: to explain HOW and WHY ocean currents
happen based on temperature.
/20pints
4.The second part of your conclusion is explaining
HOW and WHY ocean salinity differs.
/20points
5.Your partner will also be grading your participation
and cooperation.
/10points
My partner listened to my
ideas.
/3points
My partner worked
cooperatively with me.
/3points
My partner worked with
me to complete this
assignment.
/4points
Individual projects will be graded by the
teacher using this rubric.

13. Using StoryJumper.com create a book about ocean
currents and salinity density. Your book should
contain: a title, complete sentences, and be
descriptive of your experiment.
How did your partner contribute:
/10points
1. Detailed step by step lab instructions on how to
complete the experiment you and your partner
created.
*This should appear like a recipe of how to do your
experiment.
How did your partner contribute:
/10points
2. Using the photos you took at each stage of your
experiment, insert them into separate pages of
StoryJumper. Each photo needs a description of what
happened in your experiment.
How did your partner contribute:
/30points
3.The conclusion part of your story should have two
parts: to explain HOW and WHY ocean currents
happen
How did your partner contribute:
/20pints
4.The second part of your conclusion is explaining
HOW and WHY ocean salinity differs.
How did your partner contribute:
/20points
I was on task and
cooperated with my
partner.
/3points
I listened to my partner
and we discussed ideas
together.
/3points
I did my share 50% of
this assignment.
/4points
Each group will receive a grade from peer
evaluations. The rubric on the left will be
used to grade your partner, you must give
specific examples of what he/she did to
help. The bottom rubric will be used to
grade yourself. I will tabulate the two
rubrics for a group score based on your
cooperation and effort.

14. Viewing other
storybooks
The partners will view two different online storybooks created
by classmates from the class wiki.
The partners will create a venn diagram of how their project is
different from their peers.
On the class wiki the students will individually post a response
to the following questions.
1. How did the chemical properties of ocean water change in
your experiment?
2.How did the physical properties of ocean water change in
your experiment?
Each student will need to post a comment to at least two other
classmates comments.

15. Websites and Resources for Teachers
Ocean Currents video Bill Nye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbTxGexbfKw
Ocean Currents SDPTV Online Interactive
http://sdpb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.globalsurf/examine-
global-surface-currents/’
Water Density Demonstration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp7-xYG1D6s&feature=youtu.be
Ocean Currents slideshow NOAA
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/learning/8_ocean_currents/ocean_currents.html#slide
Class wiki
https://wss6science.wikispaces.com/

16. Websites and Resources Students will Use
Computer with access to internet
Digital Cameras and connection cords for computers
www.StoryJumper.com
Online experiment example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpuD5ay_Il8
Classroom Wiki
https://wss6science.wikispaces.com/