Ocean Waves Station 1

(pg. 426-431)

S6E3 d. Explain the causes of waves, currents, and tides

Activity 1: Read pages 426-427, discuss the information with your group, and complete the Direct Reading Activity Sheet.

Activity 2: Draw and label the parts of a wave. (page 427)- Crest, Trough, Wavelength, and Wave height. Create the labeled diagram on the back of your Direct Reading Activity Sheet.

Activity 3: Place water in a shallow pan. Gently blow across the top of the water. Record your observations. Describe what happened when the wind moved faster across the surface of the water. How is this similar to how ocean surface waves are generated?

Activity 4: Place 4 marbles in a straight line. Roll a 5th marble against the end of the row. Write your observations. Record what happened when you rolled the fifth marble against the end of the row. How is the energy that moved through the marbles like energy moving through water?

Activity 5: Answer the following questions on note cards at your station-

  1. What causessurface waves?
  2. What causes underwater/deep ocean waves?
  3. Compare and Contrast surface waves and underwater waves

Activity 6: Create a beach in a pan. Put sand on one end of a 9x13 pan, fill the remaining area with water. Use a craft stick to push the water back and forth across the beach. Observe the effects of erosion. Describe how waves cause weathering and erosion.

Station 2 Currents

S6E3 d. Explain the causes of waves, currents, and tides

**Answer all the station questions on your Activity Sheet**

  1. Using your textbook and the reading at your table station, complete the Currents activity sheet in your station folder- You can use the sticky notes at your table station to create notes for the questions
  2. Complete the Currents and Climate Activity Sheet
  3. Annotate the Ocean Currents Reading
  4. After you collaboratively complete the Currents Activity Sheet, Complete the Currents Minilab
  5. Make sure you are working collaboratively- Thinking, On Task, and Working (T.O.W.)

Tides Station 3

S6E3 d. Explain the causes of waves, currents, and tides.

**Answer all the station questions on your Activity Sheet**

Activity 1: Define Tides

Activity 2: What causes Tides? How does the moon affect Earth’s particles?

Activity 3: The golf ball in the bag represents the moon. If the moon had the mass of a golf ball, the sun would have the mass of approximately 110 school buses. Why do you think the moon exerts more influence over tides on Earth than the sun does?

Activity 4: How many high tides and low tides occur in a 24 hour period?

Activity 5: Define and Create a diagram/illustration of a Spring Tide. (Label positions of the sun, earth, and moon)

Activity 6: Define Create a diagram/illustration of a Neap Tide. (Label the positions of the sun, earth, and moon)

Activity 7: Complete the Tides Reading and answer questions (1, 2, and 4) on the note cards at your table station

Station 4 (Currents, Waves, and Tides)

S6E3 d. Explain the causes of waves, currents, and tides

  1. Go to (Login: First Name.Last Name Password:Lunch Number )
  1. Complete the Currents, Waves, and Tides Introduction Activities
  1. Go to (Login: tappms Password: brainpop)
  2. Search for Ocean Currents Video
  3. Watch the Ocean Currents Video
  1. What are currents?
  2. What causes surface currents?
  3. What causes deep currents?
  1. Search for the Tides Video
  1. Watch the Tides Video
  2. What are tides?
  3. What causes tides?
  1. Search for the Tsunami
  1. Watch Tsunami Video
  2. What is a Tsunami (underwater/deep ocean wave)?
  3. What causes underwater/deep ocean waves (Tsunamis)?
  1. Go to
  2. Click on Science Topic
  1. Type Waves into the Search box
  2. Select the Waves and Current Video
  3. Watch the Video
  4. What causes Waves?
  5. After watching the Video; Take the quiz at the end. Record your Score:______
  1. After you complete the Waves and Currents Activity
  2. Search for Tides/Waves
  1. Watch the Tides Video; Take the graded quiz at the end. Record your Score:______
  2. Watch Waves Video; Take the graded quiz at the end. Record your Score: ______
  3. Watch Currents Video: Take the graded quiz at the end. Record your Score:______