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A multi-class period activity on the physical principals underlying ocean circulation was designed that utilizes real world data and inquiry pedagogies for use in an undergraduate, introductory oceanography course. Goals for the activity were for students to practice the scientific method, carry out an experiment of their own design, read and interpret real oceanographic data, and use their data, observations and relationships gleaned from these small-scale demonstrations, experiments, and activities to build an understanding of large-scale ocean circulation while practicing multiple inquiry process skills. Student outcomes related to both process skills and content knowledge improve as a result of the activity’s implementation, as indicated by a 14-percentage point increase in student scores on the same ocean circulation homework assigned in years before and after the new activity was created. During the COVID pandemic of 2020 this learning activity was taught in a hybrid classroom in which students could attend in-person or virtually; modifications to facilitate the successful use of the activity in this hybrid learning environment are described.