Unit 4: Ocean Physics FULL BUNDLE Waves • Tides • Currents • Sailing

Big Unit Question: How do waves, tides, and currents shape the ocean environment and influence global navigation?

Bring the physics of the ocean to life with this complete Unit 4: Ocean Physics bundle designed for high school Marine Science, Oceanography, or Earth Science courses. This engaging unit helps students investigate how waves, tides, and ocean currents move energy through the ocean and shape our planet.

Students explore the science behind ocean motion, coastal processes, navigation, and marine ecosystems through a mix of interactive lessons, data analysis activities, labs, mapping exercises, and hands-on engineering challenges.

This bundle is designed to be engaging, NGSS-aligned, and easy for teachers to implement, combining PowerPoint lessons, guided notes, worksheets, labs, and projects that encourage real scientific thinking.

What's Included in This FULL BUNDLE:

Core Lessons:

Lesson 4.1 – Ocean Waves

Students investigate the physics of ocean waves and how energy moves through water.

Topics include:

• Anatomy of a wave
  
• Wave speed and wave motion
  
• Wind-generated waves
  
• Breakers and swells
  
• Rogue waves
  
• Tsunamis and seismic waves
  
  

Lesson 4.2 – Ocean Tides

Students explore how the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun drive tides.

Topics include:

• High and low tides
  
• Diurnal and semi-diurnal tides
  
• Spring and neap tides
  
• Tidal ranges
  
• Tidal bores
  
• Intertidal ecosystems and adaptations
  

Lesson 4.3 – Ocean Currents

Students investigate the global circulation of ocean water and its connection to climate.

Topics include:

• Surface currents vs deep currents
  
• Gyres
  
• The Coriolis Effect
  
• Thermohaline circulation
  
• Upwelling
  
• The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
  

Each lesson includes:

• PowerPoint / Google Slides lesson
• Fill-in-the-blank guided notes
• Student worksheet with answer key
• Google quiz

Bonus Lesson 4.4 – Sailing and Ocean Physics

Students learn how waves, tides, and currents influence navigation and sailing.

Topics include:

• Parts of a sailboat
  
• Wind and sail physics
  
• Ocean forces on vessels
  
• How sailors use currents and winds for navigation
  
  

Hands-On STEM Project Build a Sailboat Engineering Project:

Students design and build a functional sailboat prototype while applying concepts from ocean physics.

Students will:

• Design a floating vessel
  
• Construct a sail system
  
• Test movement using wind or water currents
  
• Evaluate boat stability and speed
  

Includes:

• Project instructions
  
• Student design worksheet
  
• Engineering analysis questions
  
• Project rubric
  
• Example models
  

Labs & Activities:

• Ocean Waves Seiche Lab

Students model a standing wave (seiche) to understand resonance and

oscillation in ocean basins.

• Ocean Tides Graphing Activity

Students analyze real tidal data and graph spring and neap tides to

understand tidal range.

• Intro to Waves WebQuest

Students explore interactive simulations and scientific resources to

investigate how waves form and move.

• The Impossible Video Phenomena Questions

Students analyze real-world extreme ocean events and explain the

physics behind unusual wave behavior.

• The Wave That Shook the World – Tsunami Mapping Activity

Students analyze a real tsunami event and investigate:

Earthquake location

Tsunami travel paths

Coastal impact zones

• On the Edge: Tide Pools Article Questions

Students read about intertidal ecosystems and analyze how organisms

adapt to changing tidal conditions.

• Ocean Currents Mapping & Navigation Activities Using Currents to "Sail Around the World"

Students use global ocean current maps to plan a sailing route across the

world's oceans.

Map interpretation
Ocean circulation analysis
Navigation strategy

• Lost at Sea: Ocean Currents Rescue Mission

Students become Coast Guard rescue analysts investigating a missing

ship. Using latitude and longitude data, students must:

Plot drift paths
Compare ocean current routes
Identify which island the crew may have reached

Students will develop skills in:

• Scientific data analysis
  
• Graphing and interpreting data
  
• Map reading and geographic reasoning
  
• Ocean system modeling
  
• Engineering design
  
• Critical thinking and problem solving
  

NGSS Alignment

This unit supports the following Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):

HS-ESS2-2
Analyze geoscience data to make claims about Earth system interactions.

HS-ESS2-5
Plan and conduct investigations of water properties and surface processes.

HS-ESS2-6

Develop models describing the cycling of matter and energy in Earth systems.

Science Practices:

• Analyzing and interpreting data
  
• Developing and using models
  
• Constructing explanations
  

Perfect For

• High School Marine Science
  
• Oceanography
  
• Earth Science
  
• Environmental Science
  
• NGSS-aligned ocean systems units
  

This bundle is designed to be visually engaging, scientifically rigorous, and easy for teachers to implement, helping students understand how ocean physics connects to climate, ecosystems, and real-world navigation.