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Education: Student Outcomes

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Ocean Motion: Ocean Surface Currents (OSCAR)

Grade levels: 5-8, 9-12
Themes: climate, ocean circulation
Tool: http://oceanmotion.org/html/resources/oscar.htm

This data visualizer gives access to the following global ocean surface current behaviors between 1992 and 2008: current speed, current direction, current convergence, and current vorticity as well as the anomaly values for each.
 
Student Outcomes 
After using this tool, students should be able to:
Describe how changes in the ocean's circulation can produce large changes in climate. (C: 9-12)
Explain how climate variations can induce changes in the global ocean circulation. (C: 9-12)
Explain the effect of density on ocean circulation. (O: 5-8)

Key:  C = climate / O = ocean circulation / T = 21st century technology / W = water cycle