NASA
Climate Change Inquiry Lab
With global temperatures on the rise faster than ever recorded, the effects of a heating planet could be devastating. Allow learners to discover just what the world is in store for if the warming continues through a series of videos, a...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Calculating Your Carbon Footprint
Unplugging from technology for one day per week will decrease your carbon footprint—are you up to the challenge? Part two in a series of three allows individuals to explore their personal carbon footprints. By first taking a quiz at home...
Curated OER
Diurnal Temperature Changes and Water Vapor Content
Pupils determine how much moisture in the air affects the diurnal temperature range. They investigate to determine the different climatological regimes of both the Southern Plains and the world. and greenhouse gases effect the earth's...
Curated OER
Dimming the Sun
Pupils collect, interpret and analyze weather variable data. They describe atmospheric variables that affect evaporation. Students create graphs and analyze the information collected.
Curated OER
Transportation in Canada
Students investigate the effect human activities have on the environment. In this geography instructional activity, students compose an article using data analysis about the environment. This article requires some homework assignment.
Curated OER
Mission Planning: Earth/Mars Comparisons
Students compare and contrast conditions on Mars to those on our own planet, specifically, their local or regional environments. The physical characteristics, the atmosphere, and other astronomical data is considered.
Curated OER
The Kyoto Protocol: What Should We Do?
Students examine why the United States did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol. They develop their own opinion on the Protocol and share them with the class. They also discover how scientific data may be organized to use in a debate.
Curated OER
Acid Rain Keeps Falling on My Head
Students examine the pH level of rain water in their local community. They locate each location on a map. They analyze the data and draw conclusions.
Curated OER
Using Mathematic Models to Investigate Planitary Habitablity
Students examine how the sun's intensity affects the temperature on various planets. They determine whether or not these planets could be habitable. Finally, they factor in the average albedo of the planets to determine whether or not...
Curated OER
Outdoor Survivors
Fifth graders complete a survey to decide what are most popular plants among the class. They test the water quality in a nearby pond. Studnts test the quality of soil samples taken from their homes. Different plants are moistened with...
PHET
Planet Designer: Retro Planet Red
What does the atmosphere on Mars look like? This fourth instructional activity 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...
PHET
Planet Designer: Martian Makeover
Mars used to have liquid water, can you make it come back? Use the instructional activity and simulation to understand why Mars lost its magnetic field, why atmosphere is important, and what gravity has to do with it. This is the third...
Curated OER
Ozone Hole Expert Groups
Research topics associated with the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Researchers write five facts about their topic and one question for each of those facts. They present what they learned to the rest of the class. Six topics are...
Curated OER
Energy Eccentricity
Students assess their own energy use to help develop an awareness of the different types of natural resources affected by consumers. Their calculations show them how much they are personally impacting the Earth. Very meaningful and...
Curated OER
Exploring Alternative Energy Sources
Learners research the amount and kinds of energy that are produced and consumed in the United States, including the limitations of this kind of consumption. They research and create a display to teach classmates about a specific...
Curated OER
Phytoplankton and Ocean Color
Fifth graders identify function of phytoplankton in the biospere by conducting experiments and simulations and reading for information. They detect the presence of phytoplankton in bodies of water by examining ocean in satellite images...
Curated OER
Solving Environmental Problems
Learners identify a community environmental problem and possible solutions. They analyze the connection between the problem and the solutions and the importance of it to the local community. Students then draw a picture of an...
Curated OER
Carbon Dioxide Heats It Up
Students design an investigation to test whether vegetation in an area helps regulate the ambient air temperature. They make comparisons between the investigation and global changes in climate. In groups, they present their findings to...
Curated OER
Soil In The Amazon
Students grow plants in soil representing that found in the Amazon basin. They compare results to plants growing in fertile soil and soil fertilized with leaf compost. Students chart, average and graph plant growth by height.
Students...
Curated OER
Heat Transfer and Pollution
Students perform computer simulations on air dispersion. In this chemistry lesson plan, students calculate energy transfer based on specific heat and temperature change. They explain the causes of smog.
Curated OER
Rain Forest Deforestation
Sixth graders explore the destructive deforestation of rain forests in Brazil to clear the land for crops and livestock. Students demonstrate how the burning of a forest releases carbon dioxide by performing an experiment.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: The Climate Change Skeptic's Argument
Lesson plan examines the possibility that the contemporary climate change is due to natural solar cycles. Objectives are to review the evidence of total solar irradiance, analyze data to understand the influence of solar variability, and...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Earth's Warming Climate: Are We Responsible?
We obviously don't want to feel responsible for the warming climate, but are we? In this lesson plan you will analyze CO2 data sets and study barriers involved in teaching about global climate change. PBS TeacherLine also provides a...
Climate Literacy
Clean: Carbon Cycle
This activity from NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory introduces students to the current scientific understanding of the greenhouse effect and the carbon cycle. The activity leads them through several interactive tasks investigating...