TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: A Guide to the Energy of the Earth
Energy is neither created nor destroyed - and yet the global demand for it continues to increase. But where does energy come from, and where does it go? This video examines the many ways in which energy cycles through our planet, from...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Open Course Ware: Courses: Civil Environmental: Ecology I: The Earth System
College-level online course highlighting the fundamentals of ecology. Course topics include coevolution of the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere; photosynthesis and respiration; and the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles....
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...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science for Middle School
This digital textbook covers core earth science concepts and includes interactive features, real-world examples, videos, and study guides.
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...
Carnegie Mellon University
Telstar: The Sun and Its Energy
The sun's energy is the primary source of energy for all surface phenomena and life on Earth. Combined with the material of the Earth (including the molecules held close by the Earth's gravitational force called the atmosphere), this...
Carnegie Mellon University
The Sun and Its Energy
The sun's energy is the primary source of energy for all surface phenomena and life on Earth. Combined with the material of the Earth (including the molecules held close by the Earth's gravitational force called the atmosphere), this...
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Stem Resources: Radiant Energy Flow
A virtual lab to look at the physical features of Earth that affect the amount of the Sun's energy that hits Earth. Students investigate how solar and infrared radiations enters and leaves the atmosphere with this model. Virtual lab...
NOAA
Noaa: The Ionosphere [Pdf]
SEC produced several articles to help teachers teach about space weather. This one covers the ionosphere. It covers the characteristics, variability, and scintillation of this layer of the atmosphere. PDF format.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Global Climate Change: Atmosphere
Use this site to explore real scientific data relating to the atmosphere. With this information you can gather evidence, test theories, and come to conclusions. Click on the data examples to view a full scale version.
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climatological Survey: Earth's Energy Budget
This 2-part resource details how the Earth absorbs just enough energy from the Sun to sustain life. Content explores incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation.
NASA
Nasa: Effect of the Sun's Energy on the Ocean and Atmosphere
A project based lesson where students' mission is to conduct a series of tasks that enable them to audit Earth's energy budget and help answer a number of science questions.
Encyclopedia of Earth
Encyclopedia of Earth: Local and Regional Wind Systems
Read about regional and local wind systems, including information on changes in atmospheric pressure, thermal energy in the atmosphere, sea and land breezes, mountain and valley breezes, and monsoon winds.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Introduction to Earth's Climate
This lesson is an introduction to Earth's climate and covers key principles regarding Earth's unique climate, atmosphere, and regional and temporal climate differences. Learners will gain an understanding of how the weather and climate...
NASA
Nasa Earth Observatory: Global Maps: Net Radiation
View a global map from NASA's Earth Observatory that shows net radiation from July 2006 to November 2008. Learn about radiation and the balance between incoming and outgoing energy in the atmosphere.
Cosmo Learning
Cosmo Learning: The Atmosphere, the Ocean, and Environmental Change
A collection of video lectures from a course that explores the physical processes the control Earth's atmosphere, ocean, and climate that is taught at Yale University. The course covers topics like clouds, rain, severe storms, regional...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Effect of Atmospheric Circulation on Climate
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Looks at how atmospheric circulation cells affect the climate of regions.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Learn: The Greenhouse Effect
A detailed overview of the greenhouse effect, with explanations about Earth's atmosphere gases referred to as greenhouse gases, and the factors that influence the heat-trapping ability of a greenhouse. All information is reinforced...
Open Curriculum
Open Curriculum: Into the Mitochondrion: Making Atp With Oxygen
The aim of this article is to relate the history of oxygen in the atmosphere to the evolution of photosynthesis, aerobic respiration, mitochondria, and life on earth.
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climatological Survey: Overview of Radiation
This site details what radiation is, the physics of radiation, and radiative transfer as it occurs in nature. Content explores the electromagnetic spectrum, electromagnetic waves, properties of radiation, and solar radiation.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Electromagnetic Energy in the Atmosphere Study Guide
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Summarizes the key points about electromagnetic waves and how they are classified. Includes a few questions to check for understanding.
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...
NOAA
Noaa: Weather Systems and Patterns
Imagine our weather if Earth were completely motionless, had a flat dry landscape and an un-tilted axis. This, of course, is not the case; if it were, the weather would be much different. The local weather that impacts our daily lives...
Geographypods
Geographypods: Patterns in Environmental Quality and Sustainability
This collection of five learning modules looks at issues related to environmental change and sustainability. Topics addressed include changes in the atmosphere, soil, water, and biodiversity, and what can be done to counteract this and...