Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
Science at 100,000 Feet
Take your class up, up, and away with an engaging weather balloon simulation! Individuals get hands-on experience in creating and launching their own airborne labs to study how temperature and pressure affect substances at 100,000 feet.
Science Geek
Measurement of Pressure and Temperature
We all have standards and scientists are no exception. Presentation covers standard temperature, standard pressure, temperature conversions, and absolute zero. It explains pressure using pascals, mm of mercury, atmosphere, and torr, then...
Virginia Department of Education
Charles’ Law
Searching for a relatively interesting way to demonstrate Charles' Law? Here is a instructional activity in which pupils heat air inside a flask and then cool the flask to quickly cool the air. They make observations about what occurs...
PHET
Planet Designer: Retro Planet Red
What does the atmosphere on Mars look like? This fourth lesson in the series of five is designed for high schoolers. Scholars apply previous knowledge to add atmosphere to Mars in an online simulation. This comprehensive lesson includes...
Curated OER
Atmospheric Pressure
Push the envelope with this instructional activity on atmospheric pressure! Your physics or geology juniors will be amazed at your super-human ability as you demonstrate the breaking of a stick using a newspaper! They also work with...
K20 LEARN
The Parched Plains: Weather And Climate
How do meteorologists differentiate between droughts and dry spells? Introduce the concepts of weather forecasting and prediction with an insightful research-based lesson from the K20 series. Partners synthesize individual research from...
Teach Engineering
Air Pressure
Investigate what is pushing on us. An intriguing activity has pupils calculate the amount of force on various squares due to air pressure. Using the data, individuals create a graph in the third activity of the Up, Up and Away unit...
Colorado State University
What Is a "Convection Cell"?
Round and round in circles it goes! A hands-on activity has learners recreate a model of a convection cell. They watch as the difference in density of their materials creates a current.
Colorado State University
Does Air Weigh Anything?
Can you feel the weight of the air on your shoulders? Your classes may not believe that air has weight. A straightforward experiment asks individuals to weigh a bottle before and after adding air. Their results may surprise them!
Colorado State University
What Causes Pressure?
Are you feeling the pressure? Let loose a little with a kinesthetic activity that models molecular motion in a closed space! The activity varies conditions such as volume and temperature and examines the effects on molecules.
Colorado State University
Why Does the Wind Blow?
Without wind, the weather man wouldn't have much to talk about! Blow away your junior meteorologists with a creative demonstration of how wind works. The activity uses an empty soda bottle and compressible Styrofoam peanuts to illustrate...
Colorado State University
Can You Drink Through a 30 Foot Straw?
Drinking straws are a pretty simple device ... or, are they? Explore the possibility of sipping a beverage 30 feet away with an engaging activity that's sure to keep pupils guessing. Just place a long piece of plastic tubing in a glass,...
Colorado State University
Can it Really Rain Fish and Frogs?
You've heard of it raining cats and dogs ... but what about fish and frogs? It turns out, one scenario is much more likely than the other! Intrepid weather investigators examine the curious behavior of waterspouts using a leaf blower,...
International Technology Education Association
Become a Weather Wizard
Accurate weather forecasting is something we take for granted today, making it easy to forget how complex it can be to predict the weather. Learn more about the terms and symbols used to forecast the weather with an earth science lesson...
CK-12 Foundation
Hot Air Balloon
How can people control a hot air balloon? The simple simulation allows scholars to adjust the payload mass, burner, and vent position on a hot air balloon and observe the changes in velocity and altitude over time. Challenge questions...
Teach Engineering
Building a Barometer
Forget your local meteorologist — build your own barometer and keep track of the weather with an activity that provides directions to build a barometer out of a narrow necked bottle, a glass, and some water. Using their barometer, teams...
Teach Engineering
Stormy Skies
Young meteorologists examine the four main types of weather fronts and how they appear on a weather map. Participants learn about the difference between the types of weather fronts along with their distinguishing features. A...
Virginia Department of Education
Partial Pressure
At some point, everyone has been under pressure—even Dalton! Explore Dalton's law of partial pressures with young chemists as they measure the volume of air extracted from a sample compared to its original volume. Class members perform...
Curated OER
Vapor Pressure and Boiling
In this vapor pressure learning exercise, learners use a graph showing vapor pressure curves for two substances to complete 10 problems.
Curated OER
Graphing the Temperature within the Atmosphere
Musing meteorologists design graphs of the temperature and pressure changes for altitude increase in our atmosphere. The activity is pertinent to middle school earth science curriculum. Vary the type of homework you assign when teaching...
Curated OER
Water Pressure in the Ocean
Students compare the pressure of water at different depths and gain an understanding of how increased water might affect animals living in deeper waters. They participate in an experiment to show that depth, not volume, affects water...
Curated OER
Weather
In this earth science worksheet, middle schoolers use the clues given at the bottom of the sheet to solve the crossword puzzle related to weather. They identify various cloud types and how they are formed. Students also identify...
Curated OER
The Gas Laws
In this gas laws worksheet, high schoolers answer 15 multiple choice questions about the gas laws that include the relationships between temperature, volume and pressure of gases.
Curated OER
Understanding Air Pressure
Fifth graders complete experiments with air to understand that air takes up space, has mass, and that air pressure can be changed. In this air pressure lesson, 5th graders test the air pressure by using balloons, syringes, and water to...