In this lesson, students investigate the relationship between precipitation, surface temperature and vegetation for four geographic locations. Students will download graphs of each of the three system components (vegetative index, surface... (View More) temperature and precipitation) for a specific latitude and longitude point during the period of January 2002-June 2004. After downloading data for three other locations, students will work with a total of 12 graphs to compare and analyze the data. They will then predict the climate zone and identify the climate type for each location. This lesson uses student- and citizen science-friendly microsets of authentic NASA Earth system science data from the MY NASA DATA project. It also includes related links, extensions, an online glossary and a list of related AP Environmental Science topics. (View Less)

In this activity, students will research weather proverbs, analyze the scientific validity of three weather proverbs and present their reasoning in an essay. As an extension, students may survey 15 senior citizens to determine most frequently heard... (View More) weather proverbs and the proverbs they feel were most scientifically valid, then create histograms charting this information. Students may also compare their Student Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) observation record of clouds with their findings regarding the validity of the weather proverb, "The higher the clouds, the better the weather," to determine if the days high clouds were observed were days of fair weather. (View Less)

Students explore how mathematical descriptions of the physical environment can be fine-tuned through testing using data. In this activity, student teams obtain satellite data measuring the Earth's albedo, and then input this data into a... (View More) spreadsheet-based radiation balance model, GEEBITT. They validate their results against published the published albedo value of the Earth, and conduct similar comparisons Mercury, Venus and Mars. The resource includes an Excel spreadsheet tutorial, an investigation, student data sheets and a teacher's guide. Students apply their understanding to the real life problem of urban heat islands and deforestation. The activity links builds on student outcomes from activities A and B: "Finding a Mathematical Description of a Physical Relationship," and "Making a Simple Mathematical Model." This is Activity C in module 3, Using Mathematical Models to Investigate Planetary Habitability, of the resource, Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate? The course aims to help students to develop an understanding of our environment as a system of human and natural processes that result in changes that occur over various space and time scales. (View Less)

Students observe cloud type and coverage and weather conditions over a five-day period and correlate these observations. Students make and test predictions using these observations. This is a learning activity associated with the Atmosphere chapter... (View More) of the GLOBE Teacher Guide, and is supported by field protocols for study of the atmosphere. (View Less)

In this problem-based learning (PBL) activity, students take on the role of a student research scientist and explore the role of solar energy in determining climate, focusing on the urban heat island effect. Students conduct research and compare... (View More) temperatures between two cities, and determine the factors that are responsible for the difference exhibited between them. The lesson is supported by teacher notes, answer key, glossary and an appendix with information about using PBL in the classroom. This is the third of three activities in Investigating the Climate System: Energy, a Balancing Act, and serves as an authentic assessment for all three modules. (View Less)

Students create a physical model illustrating soil water balance using drinking glasses to represent the soil column, and explain how the model can be used to interpret data and form predictions. Using data from the GLOBE Data Server, they calculate... (View More) the potential evapotranspiration, average monthly temperatures and precipitation for their model. This is a learning activity associated with the GLOBE hydrology investigations and is supported by the Hydrology chapter of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. (View Less)

The effects of volcanoes on both the environment and people are the focus of this investigation. Students are introduced to the term "buffer" and are tasked with creating a possible buffer zone around Mount St. Helens. Students begin by assigning 32... (View More) pre-written statements related to volcanoes into categories of cause, effect and human responses. The chart, along with true-color and false-color LandSat images from 1980 and 1999, are used to study the eruption of Mount St. Helens to determine that possible buffer zone. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. As the first investigation in this module entitled, "Volcanoes- Local Hazard, Global Issue," the teacher's guide will begin with a two-page module overview and list of all standards addressed. This is Investigation 1 of three found in the Grades 5-8 Module 1 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the three investigations in Module 1, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

The difficulties in predicting landfall of a hurricane are modeled In this kinesthetic activity. Students predict the trajectory of a ball rolled to their partner. They conduct several trials, predicting the path of the ball, observing the actual... (View More) path, and recording their results. The student worksheet includes questions that connect the activity to the observations and data that meteorologists consider when predicting the path of a hurricane. The resource is part of the teacher's guide accompanying the video, NASA SCI Files: The Case of the Phenomenal Weather. Lesson objectives supported by the video, additional resources, teaching tips and an answer sheet are included in the teacher's guide. (View Less)

In this inquiry investigation, students discover how a given amount of light changes in intensity when the area it shines on changes, and that change in light and heat occurs when the Earth is tilted towards or away from the Sun. Supplies required... (View More) for the lessons include clipboards, thermometers, graph paper, and flashlights. This is the tenth of 10 inquiry investigations in Threads of Inquiry: Observing the World Around Us. Each lesson includes teacher background information, a narrative that models and describes the inquiry process applied in the lesson, and a hands-on inquiry investigation. Literacy extensions and a non-linguistic pre- and post-assessment are also included. (View Less)

In this inquiry investigation, students discover how a given amount of light changes in intensity when the area it shines on changes, and that change in light and heat occurs when the Earth is tilted towards or away from the Sun. Supplies required... (View More) for the lessons include clipboards, thermometers, graph paper, and flashlights. This is the tenth of 10 inquiry investigations in Threads of Inquiry: Observing the World Around Us. Each lesson includes teacher background information, a narrative that models and describes the inquiry process applied in the lesson, and a hands-on inquiry investigation. Literacy extensions and a non-linguistic pre- and post-assessment are also included. (View Less)