This article discusses the challenges facing a species of lemur in Madagascar. Due to atypical rain patterns resulting from climate change, the survival rate of the offspring of these lemurs is decreasing. The Climate Kids website is a NASA... (View More) education resource featuring articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change. (View Less)

Through a series of questions and answers, readers are introduced to the basic fundamentals of the carbon cycle and the importance of carbon as a greenhouse gas. This lesson is part of the Climate Kids website, a NASA education resource featuring... (View More) articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change. (View Less)

After making observations of their natural surroundings, students uncover the intricate relationships between the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere. This introductory lesson uses the 5E instructional model. All background information,... (View More) student worksheets and images/photographs are included in these downloadable sections: Teacher's Guide, Student Capture Sheet and PowerPoint Presentation. (View Less)

Water is essential to Earth’s living system, the biosphere. In this lesson, students determine the types of living things within an outdoor study site, use a taxonomic key to determine the predominant land cover type of their site, then predict... (View More) the amount of water present. This lesson uses the 5E instructional model. The data collection is based on protocols from the GLOBE program. This activity uses the 5E instructional model and is part of the "Survivor Earth" series of one-hour lessons. (View Less)

This interactive is a graphical introduction to geospatial images from NASA Earth science satellites and encourages exploration of the interconnected nature of Earth’s system by students and the public alike. Explore 25 different Earth images and... (View More) learn key features behind each data set, learn more about the satellite mission that collected the data, and find links to related NASA resources, including multimedia and data. See supplemental links for a link to a poster version of the interactive. The backside of the poster includes information on how and why NASA maps the world, a student section with tools and resources for them to explore and create their own maps, and more. (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 makes the case for preserving desert old growth forests, and endangered species. The captive breeding program for the black-footed ferret is presented as a case study. Students learn about conservation practices they can do,... (View More) such as adopting a species or garden. The chapter includes an authentic unit assessment where students produce an essay on a biodiversity topic. The resource includes a link to current news articles and a teacher's guide. This is the eighth and last chapter in the unit, Losing Biodiversity, examining the endangerment and extinction of entire species of plants and animals throughout the world due to human actions. 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)

In this field-based investigation, students survey vegetation and small animal diversity in a study plot. They calculate the biomass of different organisms, and create a habitat action plan based on their data. A student data sheet is included. This... (View More) activity is supported by a textbook chapter, "Seeking Biodiversity," part of the unit Losing Biodiversity, in Global Systems 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)

The importance of rainforests to Earth's biodiversity, climate and production of rainforest products is discussed in this textbook chapter. Includes an interview with an Amazonian rainforest scientist, a discussion of the competing perspectives of... (View More) different interest groups, and a summary of rainforest issues related to deforestation and logging. Students examine a time series of images of Rodonia, Brazil, and investigate the changes in land cover. There is an associated investigation, where students use image-processing tools to interpret a satellite image of the rainforest in Rodonia, Brazil. This is chapter 5 in the unit, A New World View, which introduces global systems science, emphasizing the concepts of environmental diversity, Earth as a system, and sustainability. The resource includes a textbook chapter, integrated hands-on and inquiry activities, links to current news articles, and a suite of pre- and post-unit assessments. A teacher's guide supports classroom use. The resource is part of Global Systems 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 presents several biodiversity case studies, including a study of prairie soil, the 1930's Dustbowl, and the importance of soil conservation practices. The resource includes a link to current news articles and a teacher's guide.... (View More) This is the fifth chapter in the unit, Losing Biodiversity, examining the endangerment and extinction of entire species of plants and animals throughout the world due to human actions. 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)