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CXENL09ALR5X_BL12_CV.indd 3 First Pass 12/9/09 10:36:12 AM

 Photo Credits: Cover: Jeff Hunter/Getty Images; 2 (l) Richard T. Nowitz/Corbis, (r)
Tom Kleindinst/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; 4 Richard T. Nowitz/Corbis;
5 AP Images/Sonya Senkowsky; 7 Pierre Vauthey/Corbis Sygma; 8 Royalty-Free/Corbis;
9 (t) NOAA/Science Photo Library, (bl) Andrew J. Martinez/Photo Researchers, Inc., (br)
Andrew J. Martinez/Photo Researchers, Inc.; 11 (t) Mark A. Johnson/Corbis, (b) Yves
Herman/Reuters/Corbis; 12 Stephen Wilkes/Getty Images; 13 (t) NASA/APWW, (b) Kim
Kulish/Corbis; 15 Andrew J. Martinez/Photo Researchers, Inc.; 16 Mark A. Johnson/
Corbis; 17 (l) Pat O’Hara/Corbis, (r) Marli Miller/Visuals Unlimited; 18 Mark A. Johnson/
Corbis; 19 (t) Hubert Stadler/Corbis, (b) Michael Pole/Corbis; 20 Luis M. Alvarez/AP
Photo; 21 (b) Alamy Images, (t) Marli Miller/Visuals Unlimited; 22 (t) Amos Nachoum/
Corbis, (b) The Granger Collection, New York; 23 Science VU/Visuals Unlimited.

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CXENL09ALR5X_BL12_CV.indd 4 12/30/09 6:14:28 PM

 :Vgi]É h
DXZVch

Copyright © by Harcourt, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
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ISBN 978-0-15-362064-5
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Visit The Learning Site!

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 1 L]Vi6gZ
VOCABULARY
salinity
i]ZDXZVch
A^`Z4
water pressure
continental shelf
continental slope
abyssal plain

The amount of salt in water is Water pressure is the weight

called salinity. The Dead Sea, of water. Water pressure
shown here, has very high increases as you go deeper
salinity. underwater. The small cup was
crushed by water pressure.

2
 Xdci^cZciVah]Za[

Xdci^cZciVahadeZ

VWnhhVaeaV^ch

The part of the ocean floor that drops gently from the land is the
continental shelf. The part of the ocean floor that drops steeply
is the continental slope. Abyssal plains are the large areas of the
ocean floor.

3
 READING FOCUS SKILL
B6>C>9:66C99:I6>AH
The main idea is what the text is mostly about. Details
are pieces of information about the main idea.
Look for information about the conditions and features of
the ocean and then note details about each condition
or feature.

DXZVcLViZg
Ocean water is salty. The salt in ocean water comes from
minerals on land. The amount of salt in water is called salinity.
The salinity of the ocean does not change much from place to
place. A lake between Israel and Jordan, called the Dead Sea,
is ten times as salty as ocean water. The Dead Sea has high
salinity because more water evaporates from it than flows into
it. As the water evaporates, salt is left behind.


I]Z9ZVYHZV

4
 I]ZhjWbZgh^WaZ6ak^c]Vhi]^X`lVaah
i]ViegdiZXi^i[gdblViZgegZhhjgZ#

Temperature in the ocean varies from place to place.

Temperature is higher at the surface because the sun warms
the water. But most of the ocean water is deep. About 90
percent of the ocean has very cold temperatures.
The deep ocean is also very dark. The water absorbs and
scatters light. As you move deeper, it becomes darker. At some
point you can see no light at all.
Water pressure is the weight of water. The deeper you go,
the greater the water pressure. This is because more and more
water pushes down. The pressure becomes so great that it can
collapse submarine walls. Scientists use submersibles to study
the deep ocean. Submersibles are small submarines with thick
walls. The thick walls keep the water pressure from collapsing
the sides of the submersible.

What condition does not change much from the

suface of the ocean to the deep ocean?
5

CXENL07ARD512_LLR.indd 5 First Pass 12/8/09 11:01:43 AM

 I]ZDXZVc;addg
The ocean floor has many features that are like land features.
It has mountains, valleys, and volcanoes.
The ocean floor drops gently away from the land. This part
of the ocean floor is the continental shelf. Then the ocean
floor drops steeply. This part is the continental slope. The
continental slope has deep canyons cut into it. They were
formed by rivers flowing into the ocean. The continental
rise is at the base of the continental slope. Sediment from
rivers moved into the ocean and piled up there to form the
continental rise.
Large areas of the ocean floor are called the abyssal plains.
In some areas, deep trenches cut into these plains. In other
places, mountains rise up. Islands in oceans are actually the
tops of underwater mountains.

Where is the continental rise and what materials

form the continental rise?


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Xdci^cZciVah]Za[

Xdci^cZciVahadeZ

VWnhhVaeaV^ch
6
8]Vc\Zhidi]ZDXZVc
The ocean is always changing. Islands in the ocean form and
then disappear. Off the coast of Iceland, a volcano erupted
underwater in 1963. It began building up layers of lava. After
six months the volcano reached the surface. It formed an
island, Surtsey. Once the volcano stopped erupting, Surtsey
began to get smaller. The island has sunk a little and the waves
are wearing away its rock.
The island of Bora Bora is also
disappearing. The island is slowly
sinking. The ocean is wearing
away the rock. Someday, the only
reminder of Bora Bora will be the
coral reef that surrounds the island.

How can islands form

in the ocean?



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[gdbjcYZglViZgkdaXVc^X
Zgjei^dch#

Review
8dbeaZiZi]^hbV^c^YZVhiViZbZci#
1. is the downward push of water that
increases as depth increases.

8dbeaZiZi]ZhZYZiV^ahiViZbZcih#
2. The is the gentle, sloping part of the
ocean floor.
3. Mountains and trenches are found on the ocean’s
.
7
 2 =dl9dZh
VOCABULARY
wave
DXZVcLViZg
current
tide BdkZ4

A wave is the up-and-down movement of water. Waves carry

energy across the ocean.

8
 A current is a stream of water that flows through
the ocean. Large currents, like the ones shown in
the picture, carry water great distances.

A tide is the rise and fall in the water level of the ocean.

9
 READING FOCUS SKILL
8DBE6G:6C98DCIG6HI
You compare and contrast when you look for ways
ideas in the text are alike and different. Compare means
to find the way things are similar. Contrast is to find the
way things are different.
Compare and contrast how ocean water moves.

LVkZh
Have you ever seen ocean waves? The water looks as if it is
moving across the ocean in ridges. But it is not. A wave is the
up-and-down movement of water.
Air blowing across water makes waves. Energy from the
moving air moves the water. A wave carries energy across the
ocean. But the water in a wave moves in a circle. As a wave
moves forward, only the energy moves forward. The water
stays in the same place.

Wave Movement

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lVkZhadlhYdlcVcYi]Zide[Vaah[dlVgY#

10
 
7gZV`^c\lVkZh

When water becomes shallow, waves slow down. The

bottom of the wave slows more than the top. This causes the
wave to fall over, or break. Breaking waves are what you see
when the water crashes onto the beach.
A storm surge is a mound of water pushed to shore by a
hurricane. A storm surge can cause a lot of destruction.
An earthquake or volcanic eruption can make a tsunami. A
tsunami is a long, fast-moving wave that can cause a lot of
destruction when it reaches land.

Compare and contrast a storm surge and a tsunami.


IhjcVb^YVbV\Z

11
 8jggZcih
Did you know that the sun causes the ocean to move? The
sun’s energy heats air around the equator. This air then moves
toward the poles. As it moves, the air pushes the water. This
causes a current. A current is a stream of water that flows like
a river through the ocean.
Surface currents are large currents. The Gulf Stream is a
surface current that moves across the Atlantic Ocean.
The ocean also has small currents. A longshore current
moves along the shore. Swimmers may get into the water in
one spot along the shore. Later they find themselves farther
down the shore. They have been moved by a longshore
current.
A rip current carries water away from the beach. A rip
current is dangerous for swimmers, because it moves very
quickly away from shore.


I]Z\Ve^ci]ZlViZgh]dlhi]Zg^eXjggZci#

12
 I]ZhViZaa^iZe]did



h]dlhi]ZaVg\ZVgZV
^cl]^X]Vc:aC^Šd
[dgbZY#

Currents can also flow deep in the ocean. In the Pacific

Ocean near South America, winds blow warm surface water
away from the land. Deep ocean currents then carry cooler
water up to the surface.
Winds can affect these currents. If the winds change
direction, the warm surface water stays where it is. Then deep,
cold currents do not move to the surface. This causes a change
in the weather called El Niño.
El Niño changes the weather because warm water evaporates
faster than cool water. This causes more clouds and more rain.
The wind also pushes the warm water to the west. The El Niño
weather pattern brings more rain to coastal areas.

Contrast a longshore current and a rip current.

I]ZgV^ch[gdb:aC^Šd
XVcXVjhZVadid[
YVbV\Z#
13

CXENL07ARD512_LLR.indd 13 First Pass 12/9/09 6:36:42 PM

 I^YZh
The level of the ocean rises and falls each day. This rise and
fall of the water level is a tide.
Tides are caused by the force of gravity from the sun and
moon. They pull on Earth’s oceans. The pull from the moon
affects tides more because the moon is closer to Earth.
The pull of the moon on Earth causes two bulges of water to
form. One bulge is on the side of Earth facing the moon. The
other bulge is on the opposite side of Earth. The level of the
ocean is highest at these bulges. This causes a high tide.

I^YZhVgZ]^\]Zgl]Zci]ZhjcVcYbddc
a^cZje#I]^h^hVheg^c\i^YZ#

Bddc

Sun
CZVei^YZ

Bddc
Sun

Heg^c\i^YZ

14
 A low tide occurs between the two bulges. This is when the
level of the ocean is lowest. Each day a beach will usually have
two high tides and two low tides.

Compare and contrast high tides and low tides.

6WZVX]Vi]^\]i^YZ

Review
8dbeaZiZi]ZhZXdbeVgZVcYXdcigVhihiViZbZcih#
1. A wave pushes forward while water stays in
almost the same place.
2. A current moves away from the shore while
a longshore current moves along the shore.
3. A tide occurs when a beach is either closest
to or farthest from the moon.
4. can be caused by earthquakes while storm
surges are caused by hurricanes.

15
 3 L]Vi;dgXZh
VOCABULARY
shore H]VeZ
headland
tide pool
jetty H]dgZa^cZh4

The area where the ocean and the land meet is called the shore.
A headland is a point of land left behind after soft rock wears
away.

16
A tide pool is a temporary
pool of ocean water. A tide
pool is formed when water
is trapped after the tide goes
out.
A jetty is a rocky structure
that sticks out into the ocean.
This structure blocks currents
from carrying away sand.
17
 READING FOCUS SKILL
B6>C>9:66C99:I6>AH
The main idea is what the text is mostly about. Details
are pieces of information about the main idea.
Look for information about what forces shape shorelines
and details about each force.

H]dgZ
Have you ever been to the shore? Some shores are covered
with sand. Other shores are rocky. The shore is the area where
the ocean and the land meet.
At shores covered with sand, the water can carry the sand
away. At rocky shores, the water can wear down the rock.
Some shores had both hard rock and soft rock. After the soft
rock has worn away, hard rock is left behind. A headland is a
point of land formed this way.

6hVcYnh]dgZVcYild]ZVYaVcYh

18
 HZVVgX]

Waves slowly wear away rock that forms a headland. Over

time, the waves can form caves. Sometimes the waves wear all
the way through the rock. This forms a hole called a sea arch.
Some shores have areas that are under water at high tide
but exposed at low tide. Tide pools form when small pools of
water are trapped at low tide. Animals can get trapped in tide
pools.
Estuaries are places where a river flows into an ocean. These
areas have many kinds of plant and animal life. Estuaries are
homes to many kinds of fish.

What causes tide pools

to form?

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19
 =jbVc6Xi^k^i^Zh6[[ZXii]ZH]dgZ
Sand is washed away from beaches every day by waves
and currents. This sand may be deposited at other places.
Longshore currents often move sand. This movement causes
difficulties for people. It makes some beaches smaller while
others grow larger. The sand also fills in channels that boats
move through.
One way people fix this problem is by removing sand
from a channel and putting it on a beach. They do this with
pumps, bulldozers, and other large equipment. This is called
beach restoration. Beach restoration is very expensive. It can
cost millions of dollars. It is also not a permanent fix to the
problem. More sand must be added to the beach every few
years.

I]ZWjaaYdoZg^hldg`^c\
idgZhidgZi]ZWZVX]#

20
 Because replacing sand on a
beach is expensive, people have
developed ways to stop the loss
of sand from beaches.
One way is to build jetties.
These are wall-like structures
that stick out into the ocean.
They are usually made of large
rocks. Jetties block currents and
keep sand on the beaches. But a
problem with jetties is that they
keep sand from being carried to
other beaches. 

I]^h_Ziin]ZaehegZkZci
Coral reefs near coasts XjggZcih[gdbZgdY^c\
i]ZhVcYVii]ZWZVX]#
naturally absorb a wave’s energy
before it reaches the shore. This helps protect the shore.
People build artificial reefs with many different objects. Most
reefs are built to provide homes for fish and other sea life.
Protecting the beaches is an added benefit of artificial reefs.

What is the main reason why people build

artificial reefs?



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VgZbVYZd[bVcn
Y^[[ZgZcidW_ZXih#

21
 BnhiZg^Zhd[i]ZDXZVch
The oceans are so deep and wide that people cannot easily
explore them. But for many years people have wanted to learn
more about the oceans.
Scientists have developed many ways to explore the
ocean. Diving suits, diving bells, and submarines have helped
scientists study the deep sea. Scientists have even developed
remote-controlled vehicles. These have attached cameras that
let them explore areas too deep for humans to explore.

9^k^c\hj^ihVcYY^k^c\
WZaah]VkZ]ZaeZY
eZdeaZZmeadgZi]Z
YZZedXZVc#

22
 Explorers have discovered many
interesting things during deep-sea
exploration. Hydrothermal vents
are cracks in the ocean floor. They
release hot water and minerals
into the ocean. Large worms have
been found living near these vents.
These worms are up to 3 meters
(10 feet) long!
Scientists continue to explore
the oceans. More exploration will
help scientists understand many of
the ocean’s mysteries.

What keeps people from

simply swimming deep
under water to study the =nYgdi]ZgbVa
ocean? kZcihVgZXgVX`h
^ci]ZdXZVc[addg#

Review
8dbeaZiZi]^hbV^c^YZVhiViZbZci#
1. erode sand from beaches and deposit it
along the shore, in channels, or on the ocean floor.

8dbeaZiZi]ZhZYZiV^ahiViZbZcih#
2. A keeps one beach from losing its sand but
prevents sand from being deposited at other beaches.
3. A is formed when soft rock is worn away and
hard rock forms a point of land.
4. Worms have been found living near
in the ocean floor.

23
 GLOSSARY
abyssal plain (uhsBISsuhl PLAYN) a large area of the
ocean floor.
continental shelf (kahntsuhnsENTsuhl SHELF) the part of
the ocean floor that drops gently from the land.
continental slope (kahntsuhnsENTsuhl SLOHP) the part
of the ocean floor that slopes steeply.
current (KURsuhnt) a stream of water that flows like a
river through the ocean.
headland (HEDsluhnd) a point of land at the shore
where hard rock is left behind and other materials are
washed away.
jetty (JETsee) a wall-like structure that sticks out into the
ocean to prevent sand from being carried away.
salinity (suhsLINsuhstee) the amount of salt in water.
shore (SHAWR) the area where the ocean and the land
meet.
tide (TYD) the rise and fall of the water level of the
ocean.
tide pool (TYD POOL) a temporary pool of ocean water
that gets trapped between rocks when the tide goes
out.
water pressure (WAHTser PREssher) the downward push
of water.
wave (WAYV) the up-and-down movement of surface
water.

24
Think About the Reading
1. What can you do to help you remember what you have
learned in this book?
2. What questions do you have after reading this book? How
can you find the answers to your questions?

Hands-On Activity
Build an island using sand in a rectangular pan filled with water.
Take a straw and blow across the water to make waves.
1. What happens to the island as the waves reach it?
2. Explain how this activity models how some islands
disappear over time.

School-Home Connection
Explain to a family member what you have learned about Earth’s
oceans. Ask the family member to describe any experiences he or
she has had in or near Earth’s oceans.
 GRADE 5
Book 12
WORD COUNT
1388
GENRE
Expository NonÞction
LEVEL
See TG or go Online

Harcourt Leveled
Readers Online Database
www.eharcourtschool.com

ISBN-13: 978-0-15-362064-5
ISBN-10: 0-15-362064-1
>

j]Y+6.%3'Z[W
CXENL09ALR5X_BL12_CV.indd 2 12/29/09 5:31:05 PM