Ms. McGee and Ms. Graham 6th grade Earth and Space EARTH: An Ocean Planet Ms. McGee and Ms. Graham 6th grade Earth and Space

Bell-ringer: (7 minutes) Directions: Write and answer each question in COMPLETE sentences in your science notebook. List Earth’s 5 oceans. What do you think the ocean floor looks like? How deep is the deepest part of the ocean?

Earth: An Ocean Planet What we think of as the ocean is actually 5 different oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern. But they make up one big body of water. Today, the ocean covers nearly three-quarters of the Earth. http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/weather-and-climate/ocean-floor.htm

What are the names of the different zones of the ocean?

The Epipelagic Zone Epipelagic Zone- The “sunlight zone: of the ocean, ranging from the surface to a depth of 200 meters. (about 500 ft) Facts: This is the brightest and warmest of the zones. Plants and algae (AL-jee) can grow here, and it is home to a huge variety of animals. It's the shallowest of the zones, but is more crowded with creatures than the other zones. The epipelagic zone isdivided into the neritic epipelagic zone, which liesover the continental shelf, and the oceanic epipelagiczone, which is the upper layer of water in the part ofthe open ocean that is not over the continental shelf. 

The Mesopelagic Zone The ocean’s twilight zone which extends 200 to 1000 meters (500 to 3,000 ft) below the surface. Dimmer and colder as the water gets deeper. Plants and algae can't survive here, and the animals in this zone are specially adapted to living in darkness. Many have big eyes to help them see. And some are bioluminescent (BY-oh-loo-min-ES-ent), which means they can make light with their bodies. They may use the light to attract prey or send signals to mates.

The Bathypelagic Zone The ocean’s “midnight zone”, extending from 1000 to 4000 meters (3-25k ft)below the surface. Brrrr, you wouldn't want to visit the midnight zone. Temperatures are close to freezing The water is pitch-black Food is scarce Fewer animals live here 90 % of the water in the ocean is in this zone.

The Abyssopelagic Zone The region of the ocean from 4000 to 6000 meters (15-20k ft) below the surface. Its name derives from the Greek belief that the ocean had no bottom. Temperature ranges from 10° to 4°C (50° to 39°F). 

Also referred to as “the trenches” The Hadal Zone Also referred to as “the trenches” The DEEPEST parts of the ocean, including everything below 6000 meters. (20k feet) This zone does not spread across the ocean floor but exists only in the deepest ocean trenches. Because no light reaches this part of the ocean, it is impossible for plants to thrive but there are still hardy creatures that call these depths home.

The Continental shelf Extends out about 80 km (50 miles) from shore with depths about 200 meters.

The Continental Slope The continental slope is a STEEP drop which connects the continental shelf to the ocean floor.

The Continental Rise The buildup of sediment before the vast deep sea-floor is called the continental rise.

The Abyssal Plain At the end of the continental rise is the abyssal plain, or the deep-sea floor. Found between 3000 and 6000 meters. Abyssal plains cover more than 50% of the Earth’s surface.

Trenches Trenches are v-shaped valleys and are the deepest points on Earth. They go as deep as 8,000-1000 meters. (5-6 miles)

Guyot A guyot /ɡiːˈjoʊ/, also known as a tablemount, is an isolated underwater volcanic mountain (seamount), with a flat top over 200 metres (660 feet) below the surface of the sea. The diameters of these flat summits can exceed 10 km (6.2 mi).

Sea Rift A Sea Rift is a spreading center between two tectonic plates.

Shoreline the line along which a large body of water meets the land.