What Are the Causes of Tides and Tide Pools?

What are the causes of tides and tide pools?

The answer starts with the Moon, and this science comic makes the whole thing click on one engaging visual page.

This comic breaks down lunar tides in a way that actually makes sense to middle schoolers. Students explore the gravitational relationship among the Earth, Sun, and Moon, discovering how their positions drive the daily tidal cycles that shape coastlines, ecosystems, and life in the ocean. It’s the kind of foundational understanding that makes everything else- spring tides, neap tides, and the bizarre physics of why oceans bulge on both sides of the Earth- so much easier to grasp later.

And speaking of what’s at stake: tide pools are one of the most direct, visible consequences of tidal cycles. Those incredible ecosystems- barnacles, sea stars, anemones clinging to rocks as water rushes in and out- only exist because of the predictable rhythm of lunar tides. Understanding what tide pools are starts with understanding why tides happen at all, and that’s exactly what this comic builds.

This is the first comic in a three-part tides series, offered at a steep discount while the series is completed. Get it now and receive the next two comics FREE when they release — covering spring and neap tides, plus why the oceans bulge on both sides of the Earth.

This resource includes:

• Full-color comic
• Grayscale comic (easy on the printer)
• Black-line comic (great for coloring)
• Guided notes
• Bonus word search (perfect for early finishers)
• Easel activity versions (digital ready!)

Aligned to 6th-grade science TEKS 6.9B. Perfect for middle school classrooms, homeschool families, struggling readers, and ELL/ESL students who need a visual entry point into earth science.

If you have learners who are reluctant to read or always say they are bored with reading, this comic will save the day!