El Niño is caused by a. human activity b. hurricanes c. weakened winds
During El Niño events, warmer winters occur a. in the north b. in the south c. globally
La Niña is the name for a. changes in air pressure in El Niño years b. a strong type of hurricane over the Atlantic c. the reverse effect to El Niño
Discussion/essay questions
El Niño is a natural phenomenon unrelated to global climate change. However, some scientists predict that El Niño events may become more extreme as temperatures continue to rise. Have you experienced weather changes where you live? What do they look like?
Transcript
El Niño is part of a natural weather pattern that begins in the Pacific Ocean. It happens when the west-travelling winds across the ocean grow weaker, causing surface waters to warm up in the east. This can affect ecosystems, storms, and temperatures around the world. During El Niño years, many northern places experience warmer winters. South American fishermen named the effect “El Niño,” or “the little boy,” after Jesus Christ, because they often observed changes in water temperature before Christmas. El Niño also has a reverse effect, called La Niña, which causes colder winters in the north and stronger hurricanes over the Atlantic. The full name that scientists use for the phenomenon is El Niño/Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. The Southern Oscillation is the change in air pressure connected to El Niño and La Niña. El Niño and La Niña events happen every two to seven years on average.
In 1992, a cargo ship on its way from Hong Kong to the United States lost a crate in the Pacific Ocean. That crate over 28,000 rubber ducks, most of which are still in the ocean today. At first, this was simply seen as a small financial loss. However, a few of these ducks made their way to the of Alaska, where they were found by scavengers. After this discovery, a team of oceanographers decided to track the ducks as they moved around the world. The oceanographers offered $100 rewards to anyone who found one of these ducks, so that they could make a map of the ducks’ . Rubber ducks began to appear in Japan and Australia. Some even travelled across the Arctic Ocean, ending up on the coasts of North America and Europe. The oceanographers used the they’d gathered from studying the ducks to confirm their predictions about the paths of major ocean currents. The story of the ducks was also used to raise awareness about the dangers of dumping in the ocean. Today, these rubber ducks are still being found on shores. They have even become highly valued collectibles – often being sold for up to $1000.
Comprehension questions
[wp_quiz id=”19431″]
Discussion/essay questions
The now-famous rubber ducks were originally found by scavengers looking for interesting items along the shore. Have you ever found anything interesting on a beach?
Transcript
In 1992, a cargo ship on its way from Hong Kong to the United States lost a crate in the Pacific Ocean. That crate contained over 28,000 rubber ducks, most of which are still in the ocean today. At first, this was simply seen as a small financial loss. However, a few of these ducks made their way to the coast of Alaska, where they were found by scavengers. After this discovery, a team of oceanographers decided to track the ducks as they moved around the world. The oceanographers offered $100 rewards to anyone who found one of these ducks, so that they could make a map of the ducks’ journey. Rubber ducks began to appear in Japan and Australia. Some even travelled across the Arctic Ocean, ending up on the coasts of North America and Europe. The oceanographers used the information they’d gathered from studying the ducks to confirm their predictions about the paths of major ocean currents. The story of the ducks was also used to raise awareness about the dangers of dumping plastic in the ocean. Today, these rubber ducks are still being found on shores. They have even become highly valued collectibles – often being sold for up to $1000.
