Nike Shoes Wash Up

Summary

Students will read about a shipping accident that spilled thousands of Nike shoes into the ocean and how they were tracked around beaches of the world. They will chart the results and predict how ocean currents move.

Materials

• reading "Nike Shoes Wash Up" (attached)
• a blank unlined paper per student
• student sheet (attached)
• colored pencils or markers
• current map for overhead (attached)

Instructional Procedures

1. Hook: Ask students if they have ever found something interesting on a beach and to describe it. Ask them where they think it came from.
2. Handout the reading selection and have the students read it. They do not need to finish it to continue to the next part.
3. Provide colored pencils and paper to students so they can create a title page for the article. It should be illustrated with pictures from the reading. It will be the cover sheet for the students work.
4. Review how latitude and longitude are used to describe locations on Earth.
5. Read the introduction on the student sheet and the procedures students will use to map coordinate points.
6. Allow time for the students to work on their maps and predict the direction currents are flowing in the No. Pacific ocean.
7. Make an overhead of the current map showing the location of the shoes or have students look at a map of currents in a textbook. If they incorrectly drew in the currents, have them correct their work.
8. Allow time for the students to finish the analysis questions.

Assessment Plan

Scoring Guide:

1. Title page reflects understanding of reading selection…………….4
2. Points accurately plotted on map…………………………………….4
3. Currents reasonably drawn or corrected…………………………….4
4. Analysis questions correctly answered………………………………4

Bibliography

Lesson Design by Jordan School District Teachers and Staff.