NASA
Nasa Earth Observatory: Global Maps: Sea Surface Temperature
This global map from NASA's Earth Observatory shows the sea surface temperature from July 2002 to October 2008. Learn the influences that sea surface temperature has on climate and weather.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Great Ocean Conveyor Belt: Part I
This image from GRID-Arendal depicts the major circulation pattern of the ocean, illustrating interactions between temperature, salinity, and depth. Includes a background reading handout and several discussion questions.
Encyclopedia of Earth
Encyclopedia of Earth: Global Warming Takes a Toll on Coral Reefs
Article describing damage caused to coral reefs in the Caribbean after an extended period of extreme heat in 2005 that raised the ocean temperature in that area. The potential, devastating consequences to humans of coral reef destruction...
Climate Literacy
Clean: Ocean Currents and Sea Surface Temperature
To discover the link between ocean temperatures and currents as related to our concern for current climate change.
NASA
Nasa: Ocean Motion: Wind Driven Surface Currents: Upwelling and Downwelling
Explains what upwelling and downwelling of ocean currents are, and the impact of Ekman transport and the Coriolis effect on current movement as well as where they occur. The effects of upwelling and downwelling on water temperature and...
NOAA
Noaa: National Weather Service: Jetstream: The Ocean
Online school for weather presents a complete guide to the ocean and its effect on our weather such as El Nino, hurricanes, floods, and droughts. Explores layers of the ocean, sea water, waves, tides, rip currents, and more. A review...
NASA
Nasa Earth Observatory: Ocean and Climate Fact Sheet
Read about Earth's oceans and the effects that climate have had on the rising temperatures over the past one hundred years. Discover how the Earth's ocean and atmosphere are interlocked so that when one changes, the other is affected.
Rice University
Rice University: Museums Teaching Planet Earth: What Is the Hydrosphere?
Focus is on the hydrosphere and contains the definition as well as characteristics of the ocean and the effect of the ocean on climate.
NASA
Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Global Climate Change: Sea Level Viewer
This viewer allows you to see ocean heat storage from space. These images indicate sea surface heights. Learn more about El Nino and La Nina and how they have profound effects on world climate.
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Ocean Currents
Students map the patterns of the major ocean currents, and learn about the influences of wind, water temperature, landmasses, and water density on currents.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Ocean Currents: Modeling 'Global Conveyor Belt' in Your Kitchen
Ocean currents have a profound effect on the climates of the continents, especially those regions bordering on the ocean. The Gulf Stream makes northwest Europe much more temperate than any other region at the same latitude, and the...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: What's Wrong With Global Climate Change?
Students will identify factors that affect the solubility of a salt and test one of the factors (temperature). They will apply their experience to ocean salinity, the effects of temperature on the composition of ocean water, and what...
Other
Earth Science: Earth's Surface and Heat [Pdf]
This textbook chapter looks at the role of temperature in sustaining life on Earth and on weather and climate. It discusses the Earth's movements and the seasons, the circulation of the oceans, wind and weather, and the water cycle....
Scholastic
Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Earth's Oceans
Oceans contain 97% of the water on the Earth and are home to a huge number of living creatures. View an informative slideshow of the ocean and its inhabitants and then test yourself on what you learned.
Curated OER
Etc: Maps Etc: Mean Average Temperatures in North America, 1906
A map from 1906 of North America showing the mean annual isotherms of the region given in degrees Fahrenheit. "The climate of North America naturally varies greatly, depending on latitude, the general atmospheric circulation or direction...
NOAA
Noaa: Cpc: Weekly Enso Update
Weekly updates on data collected and analyzed by the Climate Prediction Center. Includes sea surface temperature, subsurface tropical Pacific analyses and much more. Extensive site: check it out!