In this activity, students will create a basic bar graph using authentic NASA data downloaded by the instructor. Step-by-step instructions for use of the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) guide students through selecting a data set, importing... (View More) the data into a spreadsheet, creating graphs, and analyzing data plots. The lesson provides detailed procedures, related links and sample graphs, follow-up questions, extensions, and teacher notes. Designed for student use, MY NASA DATA LAS samples micro datasets from large scientific data archives, and provides structured investigations engaging students in exploration of real data to answer real world questions (View Less)

In this data analysis activity, students connect the idea of the tilt and orbit of the earth (changing of seasons) with monthly snow/ice data. The lesson includes step-by-step instructions for use of the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS),... (View More) guiding students through selection of a data set from a location of their choice, importing the data into a spreadsheet, creating graphs, and analyzing data plots. The lesson provides detailed procedures, related links and sample graphs, follow-up questions, extensions, and teacher notes. Designed for student use, MY NASA DATA LAS samples micro datasets from large scientific data archives, and provides structured investigations engaging students in exploration of real data to answer real world questions. (View Less)

This is a hands-on lab activity about the composition of salt. Learners will explain the general relationship between an element's Periodic Table Group Number and its tendency to gain or lose electron(s), and explain the difference between molecular... (View More) compounds and ionic compounds. They will then use household materials to build a model to demonstrate sodium chloride's cubic form and describe the nature of the electrostatic attraction that holds the structure of salt together. Background information, common preconceptions, a glossary and more is included. This activity is part of the Aquarius Hands-on Laboratory Activities. (View Less)

Using information from their own observations, students construct a sky scene with trees and buildings as reference points on the ground and cloud types ordered by altitude in the sky. Students will describe clouds and then correlate their... (View More) descriptions with the standard classifications of cloud types used by The GLOBE Program. Uses commonly-available or inexpensive materials (blank wall chart paper, cotton pillow batting, wax paper, white sheet, sheer white fabric, glue, markers or pencils, scissors, rulers). Includes a teacher implementation guide. This is the 2nd of 3 sets of learning activities that are companion activities to the Elementary GLOBE children's book, "Do You Know That Clouds Have Names?" GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)

Students learn to identify and communicate important patterns in a dataset by drawing a visualization, and begin to interpret those patterns. Resource includes a student data sheet and scoring rubric. This learning resource is part of the Atmosphere... (View More) chapter of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide, and is supported by the GLOBE Aerosol protocols. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)

Working in pairs or small groups, students use construction paper to simulate cloud cover. They estimate the percentage of cloud cover represented by torn pieces of paper on a contrasting background and assign a cloud cover classification to the... (View More) simulations created by their classmates. Students gain experience estimating cloud cover, evaluating the accuracy of estimates, and using fractions and percentages. This learning activity is from the Atmosphere chapter of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide, and is supported by the GLOBE Cloud Cover Protocol. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)

Students will gain an understanding of the daily movement of the sun across the sky by conducting a set of simple, quantitative observations using a sundial they have constructed. A student work sheet accompanies the learning activity.This resource... (View More) is part of the Atmosphere chapter of the GLOBE Teacher’s Guide. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)

Students examine a series of remotely-sensed images of the US, scaling from the continent to San Francisco, and distinguish the concepts of scale and resolution. At greater resolution, students are able to identify different land classes on the map,... (View More) using the color key for false color images. This lesson gives students first-hand experience in seeing how reality is represented by maps and models, determine spatial relationships between landscape features on a map, and an opportunity to design and create their own maps and models. This activity is part of the Ground Truth Studies Teacher Handbook, which provides more than 20 activities to build student understanding of global change and remote sensing, and includes background chapters for teachers, glossary, and appendices. (View Less)

In this activity serving as an introduction to remote sensing, students list what they remember seeing in a familiar environment, check their accuracy, and discuss the results. Then they apply their experiences and new skills to an unfamiliar... (View More) outdoor setting, and suggest reasons why it is important to have detailed depictions of the environment. This activity is part of the Ground Truth Studies Teacher Handbook, which provides more than 20 activities to build student understanding of global change and remote sensing, and includes background chapters for teachers, glossary, and appendices. (View Less)