Lesson Plan: Coriolis Force, Coriolis Effect, and the Impact of Coriolis Effect on Climate

by TROP ICSU

As a high school or undergraduate Physics or Earth Sciences teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to help you in teaching about Coriolis Force, the Coriolis Effect, and how the Coriolis Effect influences climate (trade winds and upwelling).

This lesson plan allows students to understand the Coriolis Force, and the effect of the Coriolis Force on weather and climate. The videos and activity explain how the Coriolis effect determines the direction of trade winds and upwelling in the oceans.

Coriolis Effect

Questions

Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:

  • 1. What is the Coriolis Effect?
  • 2. How does the Coriolis Effect affect the direction of motion in the northern hemisphere?
  • 3. How does the Coriolis Effect affect the direction of motion in the southern hemisphere?
  • 4. How does the Coriolis Effect influence the direction of trade winds on Earth?
  • 5. What is upwelling? How does the Coriolis Effect affect upwelling in the oceans?

Upwelling

About Lesson Plan

Grade Level High School, Undergraduate
Discipline Physics, Earth Sciences
Topic(s) in Discipline • Physics : Coriolis Force and Coriolis Effect,
• Earth Sciences: Coriolis Force, Coriolis Effect, Trade Winds, Upwelling
Climate Topic Climate and the Atmosphere, Climate and the Hydrosphere
Location Global,
Languages English
Access Online , Offline
Approximate Time Required 40-50 min

Contents

Micro-lecture (video)

(~8 min)

 A micro-lecture (video) that introduces the Coriolis Effect.

Go to the Video
Classroom/ Laboratory activity

(10 – 15 min)

 A hands-on classroom/laboratory activity to explain the Coriolis Effect.

Go to the Activity
Micro-lecture (video)

(~6 min)

 A micro-lecture (video) that introduces the topic of upwelling in the oceans, and how the direction of motion of water is influenced by the Coriolis Effect.

 

Go to the video
Micro-lecture (video)

(~6 min)

 A micro-lecture (video) that introduces the topic of trade winds, and how the direction of these winds is influenced by the Coriolis Effect.

Go to the video
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
1.Introduce the topic through a micro-lecture (video)
  • • Introduce the topic of Coriolis Force and Coriolis Effect.
  • • Play the micro-lecture (video) “Coriolis Effect”, by Prof. Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland (content developed for the TROP ICSU project at Science Media Center, IISER Pune), to provide students an overview of the Coriolis Effect.
  • • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsfY1MTKjKY.
2. Conduct a classroom/laboratory activity
  • • Next, conduct a hands-on classroom/laboratory activity, “Coriolis Effect Activity”, created by Laura Reiser Wetzel, Eckerd College, to help students gain a better understanding of the Coriolis Effect.
  • • In this activity, students use a simple paper-based model to answer questions and discuss the Coriolis Effect.
  • • Download the files for this activity (instructor notes, student handout, and answer key) from https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activities/181248.html
  • • Distribute copies of the student handout, and facilitate discussions on all the questions in the instructor notes.
3. Play a micro-lecture (video)
  • • Play the micro-lecture (video) “Upwelling”, by Prof. Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland (content developed for the TROP ICSU project at Science Media Center, IISER Pune), to provide students an overview of the impact of the Coriolis Effect on upwelling in the oceans.
  • • Discuss the effect of upwelling on the climate of various regions in the world.
  • • Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucURSdSTZGU
4. Play a micro-lecture (video)
  • • Play the micro-lecture (video) “Trade Winds”, by Prof. Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland (content developed for the TROP ICSU project at Science Media Center, IISER Pune), to provide students an overview of the impact of the Coriolis Effect on upwelling in the oceans.
  • •  Discuss the effect of the direction of trade winds on the climate of various regions in the world.
  • • Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucURSdSTZGU
 

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