This real-time interactive map visualizes a range of parameters including fires, air pollution, wind speed and direction, ocean currents, ocean waves, and water temperature.
Teaching Tips
Positives
Through the use of animation, it gives a perfect idea of the path that the winds are currently taking on Earth's surface and the intensity of the winds is expressed through a gradient of color.
The lesson could be related to any of the parameters presented in this map.
Additional Prerequisites
A range of parameters can be selected by clicking on the word "Earth” in the bottom left. The control panel shows the date, time, and current values of the various parameters that are set.
The altitude (height) parameter is expressed by the atmospheric pressure. By setting this value, you can monitor the activity of the winds in the different layers of the atmosphere.
You can also select eight types of projections to display the data. The orthogonal projection (O) is set by default. Other common projections are equirectangular (E) and Atlantis (A).
In order to see the ocean currents on Earth Wind Map, we need to set the Mode to "ocean" in the control panel.
By clicking on a specific point on the globe, a grey panel will appear in the bottom left corner, showing the corresponding parameters at the clicked point on the map, marked by a green circle.
Differentiation
Teachers can divide the class into groups and each group can be challenged to read and analyze a different parameter presented on the map.
Students can zoom in on the map to analyze a specific region.
This map can be difficult to manipulate. Teachers may need to support students by walking them through the different parameters as a class before letting them explore more with a group or independently.
Other interactive maps include this world map about restoration potential and this US map covering many different environmental factors.
Scientist Notes
The resource animates Earth's wind, ocean currents, waves, particulates, temperature, and other parameters. It can be overlayed and students can visualize to see the real-time changes from the graduated colors (scale). Recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS2: Earth's Systems
HS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Geography
D2.Geo.3.9-12 Use geographic data to analyze variations in the spatial patterns of cultural and environmental characteristics at multiple scales.
