Convection Currents Station Lab - MS

This modular, student-led activity will keep your middle school students engaged while exploring convection currents and their role in Earth’s climate systems. With everything included, you’ll save a ton of prep time while empowering students to direct their own learning.

In this interactive lab, students will develop and use a model to explain how unequal heating and Earth’s rotation cause atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns that determine regional climates. Designed for flexibility, it’s ideal for both in-class and virtual learning.

Texas Teachers: This resource aligns with the 2017 TEKS (not updated for the 2021 TEKS).

Differentiated, Modular, and Student-Centered

Each lab features eight differentiated activities plus a bonus challenge station for early finishers. Students work independently or collaboratively, while teachers facilitate instead of direct.

All signage, resources, and task cards are included. The Explore It! station may require a few simple materials you already have in your classroom.

The Stations

Input Stations – Learn the Concepts

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or digital drag-and-drop activity in PowerPoint/Google Slides

• Read It! – Differentiated passages (English & Spanish) with vocabulary and comprehension questions

• Research It! – Website-based task with facts, visuals, and guided questions

• Watch It! – Short video with reflection prompts

Output Stations – Show Understanding

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts/manipulatives

• Illustrate It! – Sketches or diagrams showing convection current models

• Write It! – Open-ended short-answer responses

• Assess It! – Task cards + a vocabulary-in-context writing activity

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Extension activities such as crosswords, games, and mini-projects for early finishers and advanced learners

Virtual & In-Class Flexibility

This station lab is fully compatible with Google Slides and PowerPoint, making it simple to implement in both digital and traditional classrooms.

Why Teachers Love It:

• Differentiated for a wide range of learners

• Multimodal design to keep students engaged

• Flexible for print or digital learning

• Minimal prep required

This resource is also part of the Convection Currents 5E Lesson Plan, which expands into editable presentations, interactive notebooks, student-choice projects, assessments, and more.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.