Oceanography Questions

Image Credit: Pics4Learning

I frame our science learning in terms of questions—learning goals, laboratory research questions, daily warm-up questions, one-on-one student conversations, etc. Questions stimulate thinking and conversation; the more questions, the better. I am famously known for never giving students "the right answer," but always asking them that one additional question. Of course, my favorite question is, "Why?"  :)

Throughout the school year, I will share some of the questions we ponder as we engage in the process of science. Here is a sampling of some of the "big idea" questions that I pose during our study of physical oceanography:

Water Cycle

• How is water distributed on planet Earth?
• How does water cycle through the Earth system?

Ocean Structure and Composition

• What are the structures and physical characteristics of Earth's oceans?
• How far does each ocean zone extend?
• What are the temperatures like in each ocean zone?
• How does color change as you descend deeper in the ocean?
• How far below the surface does light penetrate?
• How does pressure change with ocean depth?
• How do scientists create maps of the ocean floor?
• What is the composition of ocean water?
• What is the average salinity of the world's oceans?
• What are the factors that cause changes in salinity?
• How do scientists measure salinity?
• What factors affect the density of ocean water?

Ocean Circulation

• How does density affect ocean circulation?
• How and why does ocean water circulate?
• How do scientists measure ocean circulation?
• What types of ocean waves occur?
• What are the causes of different types of ocean waves?
• How do tsunami waves form?
• How do scientists track tsunami waves and inform the public?
• How do tidal waves work?

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For more information about effective questioning:

Ivan Hannel, Insufficient Questioning, Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 91, No. 3, November 2009, pp. 65-69. In this article, author Ivan Hannel discusses how highly effective questioning can keep students interested and improve their learning.