When New England was hit by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, there was not a satellite monitoring tropical storms that far north; the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) was operating in a band between the 35-degree latitudes. The Global... (View More) Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission will change that. GPM will build upon TRMM's capacity by examining a larger swath of Earth with instruments that are more advanced and more sensitive. This video introduces the GPM satellite, its instruments and their capabilities. (View Less)

Students are introduced to the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite mission and its role in studying the water cycle. This webquest provides links to eight websites, allowing middle school students to explore the water cycle and its... (View More) impacts on Earth's weather and climate. Through online videos and articles, students follow a water molecule through the cycle, discover the connection between the water cycle and global water/heat distribution, examine the role of solar energy, and assess the importance of fresh water. (View Less)

Arctic warming produces biological winners (whales) and losers (polar bears). This article explains why they are impacted differently and includes supplemental images. This lesson is part of the Climate Kids website, a NASA education resource... (View More) featuring articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change. (View Less)

This online game allows participants to maneuver solar panels and a wind turbine in order to provide electricity to light five homes. Background information on sources of electricity- fossil fuels, solar energy and wind energy- is also presented.... (View More) This lesson is part of the Climate Kids website, a NASA education resource featuring articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change. (View Less)

This article examines the ocean's role in heat absorption and carbon dioxide absorption. The consequences of changes in those, as well as in ocean water salinity, are discussed. The article is part of the Climate Kids website, a NASA education... (View More) resource featuring articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change. (View Less)

Students will explore how energy from the sun is absorbed, reflected and radiated back into space by Earth. By completing three short labs investigating the effects of surface color, type of material, or cloud cover on temperature change, students... (View More) will begin to consider how various surfaces might affect Earth's overall temperature. Earth's energy budget will then be explored through a video, simulation activity, and an interactive animation. This lesson uses the 5E instructional model. All background information, student worksheets and images/photographs/data are included in these downloadable sections: Teacher’s Guide, Student Capture Sheet, PowerPoint Presentation and three lab sheets. (View Less)

These e-training resources from the GLOBE Program consist of three modules for teachers and one for scientists: Introduction to GLOBE; Introduction to GLOBE for Scientists; Introduction to the Atmosphere Investigation Area, and Clouds Protocols. The... (View More) modules can be used as a review for current GLOBE teachers; additional training material for GLOBE trainers to use before, during, or after GLOBE trainings; and an introduction to GLOBE for Scientists. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)

This textbook chapter describes the role photosynthesis, food webs, and fossil fuels in the movement of energy through the biosphere. The resource includes a student investigation, links to current news articles, and an essay-based unit assessment.... (View More) A teacher's guide supports classroom use. This is chapter 9, the last chapter, in the unit, Energy Flow, exploring the transfer of energy between the atmosphere, oceans, land, and living things over short and long timescales. The resource is part of Global System Science (GSS), an interdisciplinary course for high school students that emphasizes how scientists from a wide variety of fields work together to understand significant problems of global impact. (View Less)

This textbook chapter describes how the Earth is unevenly heated by the Sun, and the role this plays in determining the Earth’s seasons, global winds, and weather events such as storms and tornados. The resource includes a demonstration model of... (View More) the uneven heating of the Earth's surface and links to current news articles, and a suite of pre- and post-unit assessments. A teacher's guide supports classroom use. This is the seventh chapter in the unit, Energy Flow, exploring the transfer of energy through the atmosphere, oceans, land, and living things over short and long timescales. The resource is part of Global System Science (GSS), an interdisciplinary course for high school students that emphasizes how scientists from a wide variety of fields work together to understand significant problems of global impact. (View Less)