Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Journey North: Judy Brophy: The Sun's Daily Cycle
Impressive animated slideshow presentation on the sun's daily cycle and how the sunlight changes hour by hour over the course of a day. Includes a teacher guide with lesson plan ideas and activities.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Examples of Thermal Energy
Describes examples of thermal energy in the natural world from the Sun, the oceans, and the Earth.
Harvard University
Eyes on the Sky, Feet on the Ground: The Earth's Orbit
Students perform many inquiry activities related to Earth's orbit. Included are recording daily temperatures, observing the sun's path over several weeks, tracking sunrise and sunset times, and angle of sunlight. Diagrams make lessons...
NOAA
Noaa: Space Weather Prediction Center: A Primer on Space Weather
The Space Environment Center put together an introduction to our sun and space weather that it creates during it's 11 year weather cycle. Learn about different solar anomalies and the effects they have on earth with pipelines, geologic...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Using Models to Make Predictions
Students investigate the interaction between greenhouse gases, solar radiation, and the Earth's surface and oceans for the impact on global warming. By altering variables, they can project what reduction in greenhouses gases is needed in...
Physics Aviary
Physics Aviary: Solar Flux Lab
This lab is designed to have students investigate the factors that determine the amount of energy collected by a solar panel when the sun light is shining straight down to the ground.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Renewable vs Non Renewable Energy Resources
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Compare and contrasts renewable and non-renewable resources.
Energy4Me
Energy4me: Energy Sources of the World [Ppt]
Learn about the many different energy resources available from our Earth. Find out the pros and cons of each type: both renewable and nonrenewable.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Planet Earth
A series of seven instructional, hour-long videos presenting Earth-science topics such as plate tectonics, oceans, climate changes, natural resources, the Sun, and the future of our planet. Closed captioning option provided for each video.
King's Centre for Visualization in Science
Explaining Climate Change: Lesson 4: Climate: A Balancing Act
How does the Earth's energy balance regulate climate? This is the fourth lesson in a series of learning modules on the topic of climate change. This lesson explores how different factors can impact the amount of energy that enters and...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: A Different Kind of Fuel
In this segment from Curious, learn about creating energy from solar rays to meet the growing energy needs of the world. [6:09]
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Atmospheric Science Explorers: Global Climate Change
A detailed overview of global climate change, with explanations of Earth's climate change, the carbon cycle, ecosystems, and greenhouse gases, and how the movements of matter and energy impact on climate. All information is reinforced...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Our Amazing, Powerful Sun
Students are introduced to the Sun by exploring various aspects of it, including its composition, interior workings, and relationship to the Earth.
Harvard University
Harvard Smithsonian: Everyday Classroom Tools
The focus of this series of lessons is to engage students in an exploration of the world around them. The emphasis is on inquiry as students learn about the earth, sun, light, shapes and more.
Other
Review Game Zone: Earth/environmental Science Ncfe Review Part 1
Take this 10 multiple choice question quiz on earth and environmental science.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Why Do We Have Seasons?
Explore what causes seasons on Earth in this interactive adapted from NASA materials that features four cities at different latitudes. Use this resource to view how Earth's axial tilt causes seasons from different perspectives and to...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Global Wind Belts
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how regional differences in solar radiation create global wind belts.
Columbia University
Columbia University: Us Mean Annual Solar Insolation
This site is provided for by the Columbia University. Part of a larger site on Solar Radiation, this is a one-page graph on the U.S. mean annual solar insolation.
Seeker
Seeker: Week of 1 6 14: Is Earth Surrounded by Dark Matter?
Article reports on a presentation that suggests that the Earth is surrounded by dark matter.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Dark Matter Study Guide
This comprehensive study guide covers the main terms and concepts needed for an earth science unit on dark matter. Review questions are included at the bottom of the study guide.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Reasons for the Seasons
Why do some regions experience full-time heat while others are reckoning with frigid temperatures and snow? And why are the seasons reversed in the two hemispheres? Rebecca Kaplan explains how the shape of the Earth's orbit around the...
Harvard University
Harvard University: The Sun
Includes a brief history of the sun's development and its future. Also provides simple statistics, solar activities, and references.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Sea Ice and Heat: A Vicious Cycle
Melting sea ice doesn't cause sea level to rise because the ice is already in the ocean, but it does cause other changes to the planet. When sea ice melts, more sunlight is absorbed by the Earth, which causes more warming. It's a vicious...
NASA
Nasa Earth Observatory: Clouds in a Clear Sky
This article introduces the different layers of the atmosphere and the clouds that are formed there. Scientists use instruments such as the SAGE 11 that help to measure amounts of sunlight, water vapor, and other conditions that affect...