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Using Radiosonde Data From a Weather Balloon Launch
Student use radiosonde data from a weather balloon launch to distinguish the characteristics of the lower atmosphere. They learn the layers of the atmosphere. They graph real atmospheric data.
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Resources for Teaching about Biogeochemical Cycles
Students study the different cycles and Earth's systems. In this investigative lesson students study the nitrogen and carbon cycles, play a game pertaining to it and also participate in a class activity.
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Asteroids
Students examine the different types of asteroids and how they enter the atmosphere. In this space lesson students use mashed potatoes to create an asteroid they can eat.
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Biosphere Socratic Questions
High schoolers examine the origin of life on Earth and its evolution through geologic time by participating in a whole class discussion. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the interactions among the biosphere and...
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Daily Radiation "Balance"
Students explore the amount of radiation in the Earth's atmosphere. They calculate the total amount of incoming and outgoing radiation over a day and determine how "balanced" the radiative system is over a particular location.
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Stratospheric Ozone
Students explore about the structure of Earth's atmosphere and about the stratospheric ozone. They discuss how it is produced and destroyed, where it is located, why it is important, and how it is changing. Students investigate about...
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Science: What Is the Carbon Cycle?
Students examine the carbon cycle while identifying its sources, sinks, and release agents. Using magazines and newspapers, groups of students design collages illustrating the carbon cycle. Finally, they write responses to several...
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Writing about the climate
Students research the contributing factors to the Earth's paleoclimate. They determine the relevant climate data and use it to construct a science argument. In the process, they access data, capture images of the data plots, and...
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Feeling Pressured
Students explore pressure in our atmosphere. They examine the relationship between pressure and depth. Students construct an experimental apparatus and take measurements. Students evaluate the impact of pressure on the lungs.
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Our Savage Planet in the News
Students research volcanoes, storms, atmospheric conditions, etc., find information and collect facts, create a simulation of a science news broadcast, watch a video clip of an avalanche, and create an artistic rendering of one naturally...
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What Makes you Hot?
Learners manipulate different variables in a model and make inferences about the temperature on Earth. In this heat lesson students calculate the blackbody radiation of an object at a certain temperature.
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Crashed On the Moon
Students compare/contrast the environments of our moon and earth, and examine examples of how these differences would affect their daily activities on our moon. They develop lists of emergency supplies to bring if their spaceship crashed...
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Cosmic Rays
Students study cosmic rays and the energy behind them. In this atmospheric lesson students complete a cosmic ray telescope project.
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Hands-On Weather Data Collecting
Fifth graders use Internet sites to complete a study of weather and atmosphere. They compare weather data from cities around the world. They use thermometers, the Beaufort wind scale, and simple weather symbols to measure weather around...
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Earth's Hydrologic Cycle
Students examine the water cycle. In this hydrologic cycle lesson plan, students follow the provided procedures to demonstrate the how water moves around the planet through the dynamics of the water cycle.
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Weather and Wind
Students study wind and its effect on weather. In this investigative instructional activity students write a report on wind and weather and create a movement sequence.
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Science: Arsenic and Old Lace
Students read about specific instances of arsenic in history and share these stories with each other. They identify, after reading the articles and sharing, what role arsenic played, how arsenic enters the system and what its effects...
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How Pollution Disrupts Our Natural Environment
Students conduct experiments to illustrate global warming. In this air pollution instructional activity, students first examine how a layer of greenhouse gasses might impact the earth's atmospheric temperature, then evaluate how the...
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Meteors and Meteorites
Students create Earth boxes containing some of Earth's biomes--desert, forest, tundra, ocean, and mountains. They simulate Earth's encounter with a comet trail and the resulting meteor shower. They present their Earth boxes to...
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Water: A Neverending Story
Young scholars investigate the water cycle. In this water cycle science lesson, students participate in a series of activities that demonstrate evaporation, precipitation, and condensation. Young scholars describe their...
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A Whole Lotta Shakin'
Students read first hand accounts of earthquake survivors in order to begin the describe the different types of earthquake waves and the order in which they arrive. They engage in using earthquake waves as a means to indirectly study the...
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Local Weather And Location
Young scholars explain how uneven heating of Earth affects wind and water currents. They describe the limits on current technology in predicting weather and how the Water Cycle is related to local weather.
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Water Cycle
Ninth graders explore ways water moves through various reservoirs on Earth, examine how human activities change water cycle, investigate substances present in water that indicate human activity, and discuss how understanding water cycle...
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Weather Investigation Through The Internet
Students explore the Earth's climatic regions and their characteristics. Using the Internet, they evaluate regional vegetation, agriculture, and population density. Students name and describe instruments that measure weather. They...