Today’s Walking Classroom podcast focuses on currents and tides. A tide is when a body of water rises or falls, and they are created by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on the oceans. A current is when a body of water moves in a certain direction and they are created when different temperatures of water move across one another. It is important to pay careful attention to currents and tides when swimming or playing in oceans or rivers.
Character Value: Treating nature with respect
Click for Standards Alignment
Common Core
L–Language | SL–Speaking and Listening | RI–Reading: Informational | RL–Reading: Literature | W–Writing | RH–6-8 Literacy in History/Social Studies | RST–6-8 Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects Elementary School:RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, SL.3.1, SL.3.4
RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3, SL.4.1, SL.4.4
RI.5.1, RI.5.2, RI.5.3, SL.5.1, SL.5.4
Middle School:
RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.3, SL.6.1, SL.6.4
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3, SL.7.1, SL.7.4
RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, SL.8.1, SL.8.4
RST.6-8.4
Next Generation Science Standards
PS–Physical Science | LS–Life Science | ESS–Earth and Space Science | ETS–Engineering, Technology and the Application of Science Elementary School: 4-ESS2-1, 5-ESS2-1Middle School: MS-ESS2-4, MS-ESS2-5, MS-ESS2-6
Supplemental Resource Links and Downloads
Quiz: (Make sure you're already logged into your Gmail account, then click to copy this Google form to your Google Drive. Quiz keys are here.)
Currents and Tides Google Quiz
Slide Deck:
Currents and Tides Slide Deck
Discusses the great Pacific garbage patch.
Explains the Bay of Fundy, which houses the largest difference between high and low tides in the world, incorporating film footage.
Explains how currents keep the ocean moving.
Demonstrate knowledge of currents and tides by finding the hidden words.
See the changes the tide brings in a series of still images from Cabrillo National Monument.
Explore ocean currents in this interactive activity from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Learn about weather, climate, tides, and changing sea levels in this multi-day activity from the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences and North Carolina Sentinel Site Cooperative.
Map the patterns of the major ocean currents and learn about the influences of wind, water temperature, landmasses, and water density on currents in this Teacher Vision activity.
See More Podcasts in Subject Area: Science
See More Themed Groupings that Contain this Podcast: Geology, Marine Life