The Feeding Frenzy : Seasonal Upwelling (6-8)
Overview of the box
Concepts and Standards
Lessons:
1 Marine food webs &
energy flow
2 Primary production
& upwelling
3 Seasonal upwelling
Activities:
1 Upwelling as a seasonal event
2 Re-evaluating ocean pictures
4 An assessment:
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Online resources
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Lesson 3: Seasonal Upwelling

Seasonal Upwelling in the Ocean

This lesson consists of two activities in which students connect the phenomenon of upwelling to seasonal changes in surface temperatures, chlorophyll production, surface nutrients, and numbers of marine mammals and sea birds. Students discuss the changes that lead to upwelling and the changes that cause upwelling to stop in the winter.

Concepts and
learning outcomes

Students will understand that:

Coastal upwelling is a seasonal event.

  • The ocean surface changes seasonally.
  • Seasonal wind patterns drive surface ocean currents.
  • As photoperiods decrease and wind patterns change, seasonal upwelling dies down.

Coastal upwelling zones are rich marine resources.

  • Abundant marine life is visible at the surface during seasons of coastal upwelling.
  • Upwelling zones support successful reproduction of migratory and resident species.

In addition students review basic graphing skills.


Time requirements
Two to three 50-minute class periods


Background information for teachers


You may wish to talk about El Niño at the end of the class. If you are not familiar with this phenomenon you may wish to review it at the the NOAA El Niño site.


Activities


1. Upwelling as a seasonal event
2. Re-evaluating ocean pictures

Resources used

NOAA El Niño
http://www.teachingboxes.org/catalog.jsp?id=BRIDGE-888

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