Density and Thermohaline Laboratory Lesson

Grade Level: 10-12

Number of Students: 24

Subject: Marine Biology

Lesson Goals
Central Focus of Lesson:
Students will conduct a laboratory based on the properties of water to justify the major factors that affect ocean currents.
Standard(s) Addressed:
HS-ESS2-5 Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.3 Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking
measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text
21st Century Skills: collaboration- Students collaborate with peers and experts during scientific discourse and appropriately defend
arguments using scientific reasoning, logic, and modeling.
21st Century Skills: information literacy- Students are able to determine verifiability of evidence presented in print and electronic
resources to evaluate scientific claims

Lesson Objectives and Demands

Content Objectives:
Students will be able to identify two factors that affect ocean currents.
Students will be able to define salinity.
Students will be able to identify the effects of salinity and temperature on currents.
Students will collect data and use it to support their conclusion questions.
Students will follow lab procedures and collect data in their science notebook.
Language Objectives:
Students will use key terms such as: density, salinity, temperature, thermohaline.
These terms will be used by students when discussing findings during laboratory and in answers to laboratory questions.
Key Vocabulary in Lesson:
Density, salinity, temperature, thermohaline

Lesson Considerations
Materials:
Plastic bottles, tornado tubes, Styrofoam cups, clear tubs, rocks, push pins, food coloring, hot water, cold water, salt, ice
Prior Academic Learning and Prerequisite Skills:
Students should know that surface ocean currents are driven by wind. This was covered in a previous lesson by having students read
through an article and doing a post-it note summary.
Misconceptions:
Students may believe that oceans have the same salinity everywhere, no matter the depth and/or temperature.
Lesson Plan Details
Lesson Introduction - Before:
Teacher will write pre-lab questions on board to help students
prepare for lab.
What are two major factors that affect the currents in the ocean?

Students will answer pre-lab questions in science notebook.

How do you think salt concentration impacts temperature of water?

How do you think salt concentration impacts the density of water?
How much of Earths water is located in the ocean?
What causes surface currents?
As students begin laboratory, teacher will look over each students
pre-lab questions, which will then be asked after the lab as well.
Learning Activities - During:
Teacher will begin handing out laboratory handouts to each
student.
Teacher will ask students to read procedure of each part of the lab
aloud to the class.
As each student reads procedure for each step, teacher will draw
procedure on board.

Students can raise hand to read a set of procedures aloud.

Student(s) will read through procedures, pausing frequently so
teacher can illustrate on board.

To assist students who may be at a lower reading level, teacher

draws procedures so student(s) can visualize the procedures of the
lab.
Once parts 1 through 3 are illustrated on board, teacher allows
students to work in groups of no more than three and they can
begin lab.

Students can begin lab and record data/observations in science

notebook.

Teacher will roam around classroom answering any questions

students may have during lab.
Teacher will also ask questions to create more critical thinking of
students while conducting lab.
What do you notice about the flow of cold water? What do you see
when you put ice in salt water? What do you think the mixing of salt
and freshwater tells you about the ocean environment?
(What/When questions- lower level learners)
Why do you think the colder water sinks? Why do you think the
salt water sinks? (Why/How questions- high level learners)
As students are working through lab, teacher will gather class
attention and inform that class will regroup prior to part 4.
Upon completion of parts 1 through 3, teacher will lead a class
discussion and evaluate (and build upon if needed) the results that
students obtained from the lab.
For students who finish these steps early, teacher will pass out an
article about Deep Ocean currents and climate change. (will be
covered in more detail next lesson)
Part 1:
What did you notice happening between the hot and cold water?
How does this relate to seawater?
What did you notice happening between the salty and non-salty
water bottles?
Part 2:

Students can share their findings with the class.

Lower level students may gather ideas of how temperature and

salinity affect currents from class discussion and use the
discussion to help them answer lab questions.

What did you notice about the red and blue food coloring (water)
when you pulled out the push pins?
Which way did the red go? The blue?
Part 3:
Which type of water did you predict would the ice melt faster in?
Which type did the ice melt faster in?
Prior to starting part 4 of lab, teacher will have students clean up
lab area.

Students must clean all bottles, salt, tornado tubes and any other
lab materials prior to starting part 4 of lab.

Teacher will then have students grab a Chromebook to complete

part 4 of laboratory.
Teacher will help any students who have questions pertaining to
information they are reading through.

Students can work with table partner to answer questions for part 4
based off given websites.

Teacher will show youtube clip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdgUyLTUYkg
Where does water increase in temperature?
Where does the cooled water go?
Closure - After:
Teacher will close activity with class discussion regarding general
ideas that students should have learned.
What causes the global circulation of ocean water?
What causes salinity changes in the ocean?
What does thermohaline mean?
What are two major factors that affect the currents in the ocean?

How do you think salt concentration impacts temperature of water?

How do you think salt concentration impacts the density of water?
How much of Earths water is located in the ocean?

Exit slips 321

3 things you learned
2 things you still have a question about
1 thing you want me to know
Extension:
Estuary video with questions.
Salmon River estuary website
http://restorethesalmon.com/?page_id=1053
Talk about Salmon River Estuary research help with WOU
Tie in tides (covered preciously) and salinity (covered in lab) to the mixing of saltwater and freshwater in an estuary.

Assessment Strategy #1:

Alignment with Objectives:

This informal assessment informs the teacher of the fact based
objectives such as identifying the two major factors affecting
ocean currents.

Open ended questions to enable critical thinking while speaking

and assess knowledge and understanding.

Evidence of Student Understanding:

By asking open ended questions during the lab, students must be
able to think critically and describe what they are seeing and how
their observations tie in to the larger scale ocean currents.
Student Feedback:

Assessment Strategy #2:

Performance assessment in science notebooks where students

answer questions pertaining to each procedure/task of the lab

This informal assessment allows the teacher to determine if

students are analyzing the data correctly and are tying the smallscale current lab to the large-scale currents of the ocean. If
correct understanding is not being established, teacher can ask
lower-tiered question to get the student on the right track.
Alignment with Objectives:
This assessment allows the teacher to analyze student
understanding of the factual evidence such as the effects of
temperature and salinity on currents. It also allows the teacher to
analyze students abilities to follow complex procedures.
Evidence of Student Understanding:
Students can show a well-developed understanding of the major
concepts by correctly using academic language in their
responses to lab questions. Also, ability to relate data to other
unit objectives such as how climate change affects ocean
currents.

Student Feedback:
Positive feedback is most important for this assessment. If
misunderstanding is presented in student answer(s), teacher can
ask questions on paper and have students rethink their
reasoning. Also, positive written feedback for proper
understanding will be given to reinforce student learning.
Utilizing Knowledge about Students to Plan and Implement Effective Instruction
Building on Personal/Cultural/Community Assets:
Students should be able to distinguish how surface currents can be driven by wind (covered previously), while deep ocean currents
are driven by salinity and temperature. Also, community connection is achieved by speaking to climate change warming water,
including local rivers which is causing a threat to the salmon population.
Grouping Strategies:
Students will not be able to work in groups larger than three. There are enough materials available and larger groups may allow for
students to not participate fully.
Planned Supports:
Planned supports include: visual representations of procedures prior to start of lab, visuals can also be done by higher cognitive level
students to support leadership, different tiered questions during laboratory (what/when for lower level, why/how for high level), group
discussion after part 3 of lab allows students to express their representation of the lab data and also allows for lower level students to
gain a better understanding if needed of specific parts.