Ocean Literacy

OCEAN LITERACY: ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES AND FUAMENTAL CONCEPTS

EACH ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLE IS SUPPORTED BY FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS COMPARABLE TO THOSE UNDERLYING THE NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS (NSES).

CONSULT THE OVERVIEW MATRIX (OPPOSITE) TO INTEGRATE OCEAN LITERACY INTO YOUR CURRICULUM.

a The ocean is the dominant physical feature on our planet

Earth—covering approximately 70% of the planet's surface.

There is one ocean with many ocean basins, such as the

North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic,

Indian and Arctic.

b An ocean basin's size, shape and features (islands, trenches,

mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys) vary due to the movement

of Earth's lithospheric plates. Earth's highest peaks, deepest

valleys and flattest vast plains are all in the ocean.

c Throughout the ocean there is one interconnected circulation

system powered by wind, tides, the force of the Earth's

rotation (Coriolis effect), the Sun, and water density

differences. The shape of ocean basins and adjacent land

masses influence the path of circulation.

The Earth has one big ocean

with many features.

a The ocean controls weather and climate by dominating

the Earth's energy, water and carbon systems.

b The ocean absorbs much of the solar radiation reaching

Earth. The ocean loses heat by evaporation. This heat loss

drives atmospheric circulation when, after it is released into

the atmosphere as water vapor, it condenses and forms rain.

Condensation of water evaporated from warm seas provides

the energy for hurricanes and cyclones.

c The El Niño Southern Oscillation causes important changes

in global weather patterns because it changes the way heat

is released to the atmosphere in the Pacific.

d Sea level is the average height of the ocean relative to the

land, taking into account the differences caused by tides.

Sea level changes as plate tectonics cause the volume of

ocean basins and the height of the land to change. It changes

as ice caps on land melt or grow. It also changes as sea water

expands and contracts when ocean water warms and cools.

1 The ocean and life in the ocean

2 shape the features of the Earth.

a Many earth materials and geochemical cycles originate in

the ocean. Many of the sedimentary rocks now exposed

on land were formed in the ocean. Ocean life laid down

the vast volume of siliceous and carbonate rocks.

b Sea level changes over time have expanded and contracted

continental shelves, created and destroyed inland seas, and

shaped the surface of land.

c Erosion—the wearing away of rock, soil and other biotic

and abiotic earth materials—occurs in coastal areas as wind,

waves, and currents in rivers and the ocean move sediments.

d Sand consists of tiny bits of animals, plants, rocks and

minerals. Most beach sand is eroded from land sources and

The ocean is a major influence

on weather and climate. 3

d Most rain that falls on land originally evaporated from

the tropical ocean.

e The