K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D.

Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Fluid Streams Affecting Weather

An original lesson by Melissa Arroyo, Kyle Clark, P.J. Maccio, Carey
Potter-Whiting, Stephanie Robinson, Diana Sayers

Focus on Inquiry
The student will complete a series of stations in order to explain how jet streams and ocean currents
influence local weather.

Lesson Content Overview

Students will rotate through six stations in order to gain background knowledge about jet streams and
ocean currents. The students will also answer questions at each station to elaborate their understanding
of jet streams and ocean currents and how they affect local weather. After the stations are completed, the
teacher will lead a whole group discussion to connect the student’s learning to the big ideas of the lesson.
Duration Setting Grouping PTI Inquiry Subskills
5 days Classroom 3-4 students 1.3, 2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.9, 6.1,
6.2, 7.1, 7.2

Inquiry Level of
Lesson Technology
Estimated Time Subskills Student Brief Description
Components Used
Used Engagement
1.3, 2.1, Students will watch a volunteer and
3.1, 3.6, the teacher demonstrate how the
5-10 4.3, 5.2, Fan/hair
Engage Day 1 5.3, 5.4,
3 airflow of a concentrated air source
min dryer
6.1, 6.2, affects the velocity of a paper/balsa
7.1, 7.2 airplane.
3.3, 3.6, Students will explore how global
Computer,
3.7, 4.2, patterns such as jet stream and ocean
Explore 90 min Day 1-4 5.2, 5.3,
i-Pad, 3
currents influence local weather
5.4, 5.9 Laptop
through investigations at 6 stations.
3.3, 3.6, Computer, Students will explain how global
3.7, 4.2,
Explain 90 min Day 1-4 5.2, 5.3,
i-Pad, 3 patterns such as jet stream and ocean
5.4, 5.9 Laptop currents influence local weather.
Students will broaden their knowledge
through a whole group discussion
Expand/Elaborate 15 min. Day 5 5.2, 5.3 None 3
applying their learning from the
stations.
Students will apply their knowledge
Evaluate 20 min. Day 5 7.1, 7.2 None 2 from their learning journey to a formal
evaluation.
Level of Student Engagement
1 Low Listen to lecture, observe the teacher, individual reading, teacher demonstration, teacher-centered instruction
2 Moderate Raise questions, lecture with discussion, record data, make predictions, technology interaction with assistance
3 High Hands-on activity or inquiry; critique others, draw conclusions, make connections, problem-solve, student-centered

Next Generation Science Standards – Inquiry

NGSS Practice 1: Identify Inquiry Questions
NGSS Practice 2: Design Scientific Investigations
NGSS Practice 3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
NGSS Practice 4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data
NGSS Practice 5: Explain Results and Draw Conclusions
NGSS Practice 6: Constructing explanations
NGSS Practice 7: Communicate Scientific Procedures and Explanations
Next Generation Science Standards – Earth Science
MS-ESS2-6.: Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth
cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
Florida Science Standards – Nature of Science
SC.6.N.1.1 Define a problem from the sixth grade curriculum, use appropriate reference materials to support
scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific investigation of various types, such as systematic
observations or experiments, identify variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and
graphics, analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.
Florida Science Standards – Earth Science
SC.6.E.7.3 Describe how global patterns such as the jet stream and ocean currents influence local weather in
measurable terms such as temperature, air pressure, wind direction and speed, and humidity and precipitation.
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Materials and Advance Preparation

Materials List
Class set:
 Blackline Master 1: Student WS
 Blackline Master 2: Student Assessment
 Blackline Master 3: Station Stations Questions

Student materials:
 Pen or pencil
 Red and blue colored pencils or crayons
 2 Globes
 Scotch tape
 Blue string/yarn
 Arrows (from blackline master)
 Colored arrows in blue and red (arrows from blackline master)
 Paper airplane or cardboard plane
 Hair dryer/small electric fan

Blackline Masters
1. Blackline Master 1 Student WS for Stations
2. Blackline Master 2 Student Assessment
3. Blackline Master 3 Student Station Questions

Advance Preparation
1. Prepare the stations #1-6
2. Group students into 3-4 students per group
3. Place a group at each of the stations from 1-5. Leave station 6 open as it builds off of station 5.

Lesson Information
Learning Objectives
1. The student will be able to collect data, analyze data, collaborate and discuss their findings,
compare their findings to one another, make a claim, provide evidence and justification to support
their claim, and apply their findings to unknowns.
2. The student will be able to describe how global patterns such as the jet stream and ocean
currents influence local weather.

Prior Knowledge Needed by the Students

 Items may require the student to apply knowledge described in the NGSSS from lower grades.
This benchmark requires prerequisite knowledge from SC3.E.6.1 (Demonstrate that radiant
energy from the Sun can heat objects and when the Sun is not present, heat may be lost)
 Students should understand the concepts of temperature, air pressure, humidity, and convection
in fluids.

Background Information
 Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow, meandering air currents found in the upper atmosphere or
troposphere of some planets, including Earth. The main focus of this lesson is the influence of a
jet stream on Earth's weather. Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow, meandering air currents
found in the upper atmosphere or troposphere of some planets, including Earth. The Polar jet
stream travels in a circular pattern around the North Pole while the Gulf Stream originates near
the Equator in the Gulf of Mexico and travels north up the East coast of the United States then
across the Atlantic Ocean to the North Atlantic Ocean. These jet streams help produce ocean
currents. An ocean current is any continuously directed movement of ocean water that flows in
one of the Earth's oceans. The currents are generated from any forces acting upon the water like,
Earth's rotation, the wind and convection.
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Lesson Procedure
Engage
1. Students will watch a student volunteer and the teacher demonstrate how the airflow of a
concentrated air source affects the velocity of a paper or balsa airplane.
a. Student volunteer holds a concentrated air source (hair dryer or a small hand-held fan
turned on high) facing the teacher.
b. Have the students hypothesize how far the plane will travel when thrown in the direction
of the fan. Average the answers. Possible student answer is: 2 meters.
c. The teacher will throw the plane towards the fan.
d. Record the distance to the nearest cm.
e. Ask the students to hypothesize how far the plane will travel when thrown in the direction
away from the fan. Average the answers. Possible student answer is: Less than a
meter.
f. Record the distance to the nearest cm.
g. If time permits- the teacher may wish to repeat the experiment three times to emphasize
how repetition increases validity.
2. Students will discuss with their shoulder partner the differences between the two flights.
a. What was the original hypothesis (average) for the flight towards the fan? Possible
student answer is: 2 meters; check the average from the board
b. What was the original hypothesis (average) for the flight away from the fan? Possible
student answer is: Less than a meter; check the average from the board
c. Was there a difference in the answers? Possible student answer is: 2 meters – 1
meter (subtract the smaller number form the larger number).
d. Which flight actually went further – the one thrown towards the fan’s air direction or the
one thrown with the fan’s air direction? Possible student answer is: The flight in the
direction away from the fan should be the one that went the furthest distance.
e. What do you think was the reason for the difference? Possible student answer is: The
concentrated air (tailwind) helped to push the plane further. A misconception
might be the force of thrust, or other extraneous variable is the cause.
f. What do you think the concentrated air source represents? A fast moving current of
air. ie The (upper air; polar) jet stream.

Explore/Explain
1. Students will describe how global patterns, such as jet stream and ocean currents, influence local
weather through investigations at 6 stations.
a. Station 1: Jet Stream Picture
i. Based on the given diagram, students will make observations and answer the
following questions on their recording sheet:
1. What do you think you are looking at in this picture? Possible student
response is: A map with numbers, arrows, and a darker shaded
area, or jet stream.
2. What do you think the numbers represent? Wind speed in knots.
3. What do you think the arrows represent? Wind direction moving from
west to east.
4. What do you think the shaded area on the map represents? Jet stream.
5. What do you think would happen if an airplane flew through the shaded
area? Possible student response is: The plan will move faster when
moving in the direction of the arrows (east) and slower when going
against the arrows (west).

b. Station 2: Jet Stream Around the Globe

i. Students will take the blue string (one student on each side) and move hands up
and down to see how it reacts. Students should recognize that the jet stream
works in this manner, with constant peaks and troughs.
ii. Wrap the blue string around the globe so that the string goes directly through the
United States. Create one wave that goes through the United States. Create
four more waves all around the globe and connect the two ends of the string with
tape.
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

iii. Take the arrows at the station and place them on the polar jet stream in the
direction it is flowing. West to East
iv. Then the students will answer the following questions on their recording sheet:
1. What do the arrows represent? The arrows represent the direction the
polar jet stream is moving.
2. Which direction do the arrows flow? Students may say left to right.
Remind them it is west to east.
3. How are the temperatures above the jet stream different from below the
jet stream? The jet stream would have cooler temperatures above
and warmer temperatures below because of the arctic region.
4. Predict what would happen if the jet stream reversed directions?
Different parts of the world would experience a changing in their
local weather.

c. Station 3: Jet Stream Comparison

i. The students will be looking at three screen shots/images from “The Weather
Channel” website. The three screen shots/images come from three different
days of the week.
ii. Then the students will answer the following questions on their recording sheet:
1. Look at all four images. What is similar in each of these pictures? Lines,
states, colors.
2. Look at all three images. What is different in each of these pictures?
Where the lines are dipping or located.
3. Which direction are the arrows pointing in all of the images? From west
to east.
4. Areas of low pressure are usually warm and humid weather areas. What
color represents the lowest pressure conditions? Purplish pink.
5. High pressure is followed by cool, dryer weather. What color represents
the highest pressure on the map? Green on map, red/burgundy on the
key.
6. Looking at Map C (Sunday), which area of the country would be having
the highest pressure? Southwest and Northeast.
7. The lines that travel through both Montana and Michigan, where do they
originate from? Northwest.
8. Where do the lines that travel along California and Florida originate
from? Southwest.
9. If the lines are representing the wind in a fast moving stream, which day
would be best to fly from Montana to Florida? Sunday Why? because
the wind is heading southeast.

d. Station 4: Ocean Currents Videos

i. Using computers, laptops, i-Pads, etc., the students will watch the videos located
on the NASA Aquarius Satellite website:
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=3829
ii. Students will need to read each of the captions underneath the videos before
watching them; the captions give important information about each video.
iii. After watching each of the 6 videos, the students will answer the following
questions on their recording sheet:
1. What relationships did you notice between the ocean current movement
and the wind movements? (video 1) Possible student response is:
They move in similar directions. Ocean currents move from warm
water areas (near equator), to the west and north to cooler water
areas (near the North Pole). Winds move from west to east and
south to north from warmer areas to cooler areas.
2. How can you distinguish between the warm ocean water and the cold
ocean water? (video 2) Possible student response is: The orange and
yellow are warmer waters and the white is cooler waters.
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

3. Can you recognize any patterns that occur in global winds? (video 4)
Possible student response is: The global winds move in similar
patterns of the jet stream.
4. How would the movement of ocean currents affect weather on land?
(video 1, 2, 5, and 6) Possible student response is: As ocean
currents move warmer water from the equator up to cooler areas it
will cause the surrounding areas to warm as well.
5. What do you hypothesize would happen if ocean currents reversed
direction? Possible student response is: If ocean currents reversed
direction, then global and local weather will dramatically change.
Warm would become cold and cold would become warm.

e. Station 5: Ocean Currents Map

i. Students will color the warm currents that come from the equatorial region RED
and the cold water currents from the Polar Regions BLUE.
ii. Based on the colored map, the students will answer the following questions on
their recording sheet:
1. What direction do the RED currents flow in the northern hemisphere
(Where the USA is located)? West to east.
2. What direction do the RED currents flow in the southern hemisphere?
East to west.
3. What effect do the RED currents have on the adjacent lands? Warming.
4. What effect do the BLUE currents have on adjacent lands? Cooling.
5. What effects would the ocean currents (both RED and BLUE) have on
the ocean water and the air above the water? Red will warm the
surrounding water and the air. Blue will cool the surrounding water
and air.

f. Station 6: Ocean Streams Around the Globe

i. Students are to locate the Atlantic Ocean on the globe.
ii. Using the ocean current map from the previous station (#5), they are to tape the
arrows in the correct order onto the globe starting at the equator.
iii. Then the students will answer the following questions on their recording sheet:
1. What do the red arrows represent? Warm ocean currents.
2. What do the blue arrows represent? Cool ocean currents.
3. How would the land next to the red arrows be affected by this current? It
would bring warmer temperatures.
4. How would the land next to the blue arrows be affected by this current? It
would bring cooler temperatures.
5. What heat movement drives these currents around the Atlantic Ocean?
Convection currents.

Expand/Elaborate
 Students will broaden their knowledge through a whole group discussion applying their learning
from the stations. Students will answer the following questions:
o What did you notice was different above and below the jet stream? Air pressure and
temperature.
o What effect would that have on the air? Move the air, wind.
o What would cause the winds to move faster? Greater pressure difference above and
below the jet stream.
o What temperature does a jet stream bring? The temperature from the area it is coming
from.
o A polar jet stream would bring what kind of temperature? Colder.
o Infer what would happen in the area where the pressure differences meet. Change in
temperature, precipitation.
o If ocean currents are behaving like a giant conveyer belt transporting water, what would
the water from the equator bring up North? Warm, moist air.
o What effect would that have on the temperature and precipitation? Higher temperature,
more precipitation.
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

o A cold water current was off the coast, how would that effect the summer weather? Keep
it moderate and not too hot.
o Identify a current that would affect Florida temperature. Gulf stream
o What is the effect? Bringing warm weather and moisture.

Evaluate
FORMAL EVALUTION
1. Assessment

INFORMAL or OPTIONAL EVALUTIONS

1. Student questioning (see Explore Section)
2. Student/group handout

Supplementary Resources
Teachers
Interactive Science Florida Textbook

Students
Interactive Science Florida Textbook

CITATION OF SOURCES.

Photo Credits:

Jet Stream photo provided by Flickr. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/2889716417

Ocean Currents photo provided by Layers of Learning. Retrieved from https://layers-of-

learning.com/ocean-currents/

Jet Stream Wind photos (1,2, and 3) provided by Weather Channel. Retrieved
from http://www.nckcn.com/homepage/mhennes/jetstream.htm

Kyle Clark, Melissa Arroyo,

____ Yes, I cited all materials and resources used in this lesson.
P.J. Maccio, Carey Potter-Whiting, Stephanie Robinson, Diana Sayers,
Lesson author’s signatures
Blackline Master 1
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017
 K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Blackline Master 2
Fluid Streams Summative Assessment

1. Bands of high-speed global winds found about 10 kilometers above Earth’s surface that
influence weather patterns are called
a. Jet streams.
b. Polar easterlies.
c. Prevailing westerlies.
d. Trade winds.

2. Sharon is returning home to Miami, Florida from Seattle,

Washington. Her flight to Seattle from Miami took 7 hours. The
pilot has told Sharon the flight from Seattle to Miami will be about
5 hours. Why is Sharon’s flight home shorter than the flight to
Seattle?
1. Sharon’s plane is flying in the opposite direction as the
Gulf Stream which pushes the air mass toward the east
making her flight move faster.
2. Sharon’s plane is flying in the opposite direction as the
Jet Stream which pushes the air mass toward the east
making her flight move faster.
3. Sharon’s plane is flying in the same direction as the Gulf
Stream which pushes the air mass toward the east
making her flight move faster.
4. Sharon’s plane is flying in the same direction as the Jet
Stream which pushes the air mass toward the east
making her flight move faster.

Use the following picture to answer question 3-4. The dark area is the ocean and the lighter
areas of the map are the continents.

Image from:

s
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc= &source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwio6sqWpo
XPAhXDLSYKHQ6NCxoQjB0IBg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fptop.only.wip.la%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FFile%3AJet_Stream.jpg
&psig=AFQjCNGBWRTfgKQGuQaxBsfUdUtevWIBxg&ust=1473612616205722
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

3. The Gulf Stream is a warm current that joins with the North Atlantic Drift, another warm
current, as it moves across the North Atlantic Ocean. Predict how these warm ocean
currents affect the climate of City X, which is near the Arctic Circle.
a. The climate of City X is always hot and dry.
b. The currents result in a cold, severe climate in City X.
c. The climate at City X is unaffected because it’s close to the Arctic Circle.
d. City X has a warmer average temperature than a city at the same latitude in North
America.

4. Currents that start near the equator and moves towards the polar zones are
a. Cold water currents
b. Convection currents
c. Surface currents
d. Warm water currents

5. Currents that start near the poles and moves towards the equator are
a. Cold water currents
b. Convection currents
c. Surface currents
d. Warm water currents

6. There is a polar jet stream and a subtropical jet stream. The polar jet stream originates in
the norther territories of Canada and can dip into the mid-western states of the United
States. The weather in the United States often is influenced by the by the dips and peaks of
the movement of the jet streams. If the polar jet stream drops down from Canada to
Georgia what type of air mass is the polar jet stream bringing with it?
a. Cold dry air mass
b. Cold wet air mass
c. Warm dry air mass
d. Warm wet air mass
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Fluid Streams Summative Assessment KEY

1. a. Jet streams.
2. d. Sharon’s plane is flying in the same direction as the Jet Stream which pushes the air
mass toward the east making her flight move faster.
3. d. City X has a warmer average temperature than a city at the same latitude in North
America.
4. d. Warm water currents
5. a. Cold water currents
6. a. Cold dry air mass
 K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Blackline Master 3
Station 1: Jet Stream

Station 1: Jet Stream Picture

Station 1 – Student Questions

Make observations about the picture and answer the following questions:

1. Describe what you think you are looking at in this picture?

2. What do you think the numbers represent?
3. What do you think the arrows represent?
4. What do you think the shaded area on the map represents?
5. What do you think would happen if an airplane flew through the shaded area?
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Station 2: Jet Stream Globe Activity

Station 2: Student Directions

Hold the red string on one end, and have a friend hold another side. Move your hand up
and down to make bumps in the string, and see how it reacts. That’s the way the jet
stream works, with constant bumps and dips.

Now pick up the blue string and wrap it around the globe so that the string goes directly
though the United States. With the previous activity in mind create one wave that goes
through the United States. Create four more waves all around the globe and connect
the two ends of the string with tape.

Station 2: Student Questions

1. What do the arrows represent?

2. Which direction do the arrows flow?
3. How are the temperatures above the jet stream different from below the jet stream?
4. Predict what would happen if the jet stream reversed directions?
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Station 3: Jet Stream Comparison Activity

Tuesday

Friday

Sunday
Station 3: Jet Stream Comparison Pictures
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Station 3: Student Directions

In this station you will be looking at 3 screen shots from “The Weather Channel”
website.
These 3 images come from 3 different days of the week. Notice the changes between
the lines on the different days.

Station 3: Student Questions

1. Look at all 3 images. What is similar in each of these pictures?

2. Look at all 3 images. What is different in each of these pictures?
3. Which direction are the arrows pointing in all the images?
4. Areas of low pressure are usually warm and humid weather areas. What color
represents the lowest pressure conditions?
5. High pressure is followed by cool dryer weather. What color represents the highest
pressure on the map?
6. Looking at Map C, which area of the country would be having the highest pressure?
7. The lines that travel through both Montana and Michigan, where do they originate
from?
8. Where do the lines that travel along California and Florida originate from?
9. If the lines are representing the wind in a fast moving stream, which day would be
best to fly from Montana to Florida? Why?
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Station 4: Ocean Currents & Global Winds Activity

Station 4: Student Directions
1. Watch the videos located on the NASA Aquarius Satellite website.
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=3829

2. Make sure you are reading each of the captions underneath the videos before
watching them; the captions give important information about each video.

3. After watching each of the 6 videos answer the following questions:

Station 4: Student Questions

1. What relationships did you notice between the ocean current movement and the
wind movements? (video 1)

2. How can you distinguish between the warm ocean water and the cold ocean water?
(video 2)

3. Can you recognize any patterns that occur in global winds? (video 4)

4. How would the movement of ocean currents affect weather on land? (video 1, 2, 5
and 6)

5. What do you hypothesize would happen if ocean currents reversed direction?

K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Station 5: Coloring the Ocean Currents

Station 5: Student Directions
Coloring the Ocean Current. The map shows the global patterns of ocean currents.

1. Color the warm water currents that come from the equatorial regions RED.

2. Color the cold water currents from the polar regions BLUE.

Station 5: Student Questions

1. What direction do the RED currents flow in the northern hemisphere? (Where the
USA is located)

2. What direction do the RED currents flow in the southern hemisphere?

3. What effect do the RED currents have on the adjacent lands?

4. What effect do the BLUE currents have on adjacent lands?

5. What effects would the ocean currents (both RED and BLUE) have on the ocean
water and the air above the water?
K. Clark, M. Arroyo, P. Maccio, C. Potter-Whiting, S. Robinson, D. Sayers Last Updated on 9/16/2017

Station 6: Ocean Currents Globe

Station 6: Student Directions

Locate the Atlantic Ocean on the globe. Using your ocean current map from the
previous station, tape the arrows, in the correct order onto the globe starting at the
equator.

Station 6: Student Questions

1. What do the red arrows represent?

2. What do the blue arrows represent?

3. How would the land next to the red arrows be affected by this current?

4. How would the land next to the blue arrows be affected by this current?

5. What heat movement drives these currents around the Atlantic Ocean?