ESS2.3 Day 1

​ESS2.3

By Brittany Williams

Construct an explanation for how atmospheric flow, geographic features, and ocean currents affect the climate of a region through heat transfer.

​EQ:
How do atmospheric flow, landforms, and ocean currents work together to influence the climate of a region through heat transfer?

​ Engage: the Tale of 3 Cities

 ​Use page 20 to take notes on the following with your partner: 

Analyze the Climate Data of San Francisco, Wichita, and Virginia Beach. 

Compare their average high temperatures and low temperatures.

Analyze their locations on the map. 

Use your prior knowledge of air & ocean movements. 

Be ready to explain why these 3 cities have different climates. 

Open Ended

Predict: These three cities are all the same line of latitude (distance from the equator).

1. How are their climates different?
2. What might be causing those differences?​

​Explore: 

On the next slide, you will read the information with your table group and fill in the G.O. on page 24.

​How did you do?

Multiple Choice

Warm water currents affect coastal areas near where they flow by doing what?

• creating greater rainfall along the coast

• creating unusually warm climates for the latitude

• creating unusually cool climates for the latitude

• making coastal climates cooler than the inland climate

​Explain: Let's read page 22.

​As you watch the video, watch for how atmospheric flow (air movement = wind) might affect climate.

Jot some notes down on page 25. 

How does it move?

Is it warm or cold?

Look specifically at the United States.
Which direction does it move in?

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​Group discussion:
How does atmospheric flow
(air movement) affect weather of a region?

​Global air currents affect precipitation. How they affect it varies with latitude (Figure below). Where air rises, it cools and there is precipitation. Where air sinks, it warms and causes evaporation.

These patterns are part of the global wind belts.

​With your table group answer the top part of page 23.

How does atmospheric flow (air movement) affect weather of a region?​

​Which way does global winds move across the U.S.?​
Fill in page 23.

Multiple Choice

Weather patterns are caused by:

• uneven heating of the Earth by the Sun

• heat from the Earth's core being mixed around

​We will watch the BrainPop "Ocean Currents" together.

 

Focus on our standard 

as you watch.

 

How does atmospheric flow and ocean currents affect climate.

​How does atmospheric flow (air movement) affect weather of a region?

​How did you do?
Is there anything still confusing?

​Elaborate: 

Alright who can answer our mystery question?

What is causing these differences in climate?