Over a four year period we offered teacher professional development on a new ocean and climate topic each year, accompanied by related lectures delivered by scientists on their cutting edge research. The focus of Exploring Connections between the Global Oceans and the Inland Southwest series was to illustrate the importance of the ocean to our region’s weather and climate, as well as to explore how inland populations affect the global oceans. 

Module 4, The Physical Basis of Weather: Part 1, was related to the course’s central concept of “Ocean/Weather and Climate Connection”. The ocean controls weather and climate by absorbing, storing, and moving heat, carbon, and water. The Earth’s ocean, atmosphere and climate have changed over time.