How Are Earth's Ocean and Climate Connected?
Provided by: NASA Kids|Published on: December 8, 2025
Grades: 4, 5, 6, 7
Type: Articles/Websites
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: NASA Kids
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this article from NASA Kids, students will learn how Earth’s ocean and atmosphere work together to regulate global temperatures and influence climate patterns.
- Students will understand that the ocean absorbs heat, moves energy around the planet through currents, and plays a key role in Earth’s changing climate.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This article provides clear explanations and visuals that help students grasp how ocean circulation affects Earth’s climate.
- NASA’s kid-friendly format supports comprehension of complex Earth systems concepts in an accessible way.
Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with basic ideas such as evaporation, temperature, and the concept that Earth has interconnected systems. Students should also be familiar with the greenhouse effect.
- Teachers may want to preview terms like circulation, absorption, and atmosphere to support understanding.
- A line in this article provides students with the link to a game and encourages them to play it. If students are reading independently, teachers may want to tell students that there will be a dedicated time for the game after all students have read the article.
Differentiation & Implementation
- To use this resource in an ELA classroom, students can practice annotation by finding key sentences or images to identify how the ocean and atmosphere interact and adding annotations to express questions or connections.
- Teachers may extend learning and make math connections by asking students to analyze this data on ocean warming over time.
- Teachers can use this resource to make connections to Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water.
This resource from NASA Kids helps students explore the connection between the Earth's oceans and climate through clear explanations and engaging visuals. It introduces key concepts like ocean currents, heat distribution, and the water cycle in an age-appropriate way. While it does not include original data, it’s created by a trusted source and is a great way to spark classroom conversations about how ocean systems influence weather patterns and long-term climate change.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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