Curated OER
Water 1: Water and Ice
Young scholars examine the changes as water goes from solid to liquid. In this states of matter lesson, students observe and record the changes to water as it changes from solid to liquid and back to solid.
Curated OER
1492: Using Data to Explain a Journey
Students examine how Christopher Columbus made his way across the Atlantic. In this data lesson students use an Internet program to navigate like Columbus.
NASA
Earth's Global Energy Budget
Introduce your earth science enthusiasts to the earth's energy budget. Teach them using an informative set of slides that include illuminating lecturer's notes, relevant vocabulary, embedded animations, colorful satellite maps, and a...
Curated OER
Dry Season and 'Green' Season in Costa Rica
Students explore the seasonal changes in Costa Rica. In this dry season lesson students use the Internet to locate science data then generate data for precipitation.
Curated OER
The Prairie Climate
Ninth graders research the average temperature and precipitation of a prairie region to determine the type of climate it is, and how it differs from other biomes. They examine the types of adaptions animals have made to live in the...
Curated OER
Two Rivers Ran Through It
Sixth graders discover the problems that early Mesototamian farmers faced while developing agriculture in the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. They design a working model that solves those unique challenges.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Researching Hurricanes with Technology
Students explain the components that make up a hurricane.
Curated OER
How Mountains Shape Climate
Students use raw data to make a climatograph; they explain the process of orographic precipitation and the concept of a rain shadow.
Curated OER
Estuarine Currents
Students experiment observing a demonstration on models of density-driven currents which are typically found in an estuarine system of water flow. They compare/contrast water temperature and salinity to the formations of estuarine currents.
Curated OER
El Nino
Students recognize that El Nino is caused by changes in the atmospheric and ocean content. They conduct a simple experiment, visit websites and create a class poster using individual storyboards.
Curated OER
Solar Cycle
Students explore the solar cycle through a series of experiments. In this space science lesson, students construct and evaluate solar cycle graphs. They explain how this phenomenon affects the Earth.
Curated OER
Microclimates of Our School
Students read the story "Weslandia" by Paul Fleischman, define the term microclimate, gather and record data in various places on school grounds to establish the presence of difference microclimates, analyze and compare microclimates,...
Curated OER
Moon: NC Summer Tour Lesson 2007
Students investigate craters and marea. In this crater and marea lesson, students conduct an experiment to create craters. Students participate in a dance activity.
Curated OER
What is Drought?
Students explore and conduct an experiment on the effects of drought on the environment. They define what drought is and the impact that a shortage of rainfall can have on agriculture, municipal water supplies, tourism, recreation, etc.
Curated OER
Making Sense of Unusual Findings
Students work on the development of observation skills and seeing how they can be used in different contexts. The lesson is good for helping the beginner and novice, along with encouraging and reminding the expert observer of right...
Curated OER
Teaching about Diel Temperature Variation
High schoolers explore temperature variation in lakes and deal with the data.
Curated OER
The Effects of Volcanoes
Students use the internet to research the effects of volcanoes. They create a chart showing the negative and positive aspects that a volcanoe can bring to an area. Using PowerPoint, they create a presentation showing the negative and...
Curated OER
The Rain Game
Students simulate the precipitation process by playing a game. They simulate the behavior of actual cloud drops and rain drops.
NASA
Nasa: Global Wind Patterns
This site from NASA lists and defines global wind patterns. It features a graphic of these patterns and a self-test with answers.
NASA
El Nino: Making Sense of the Weather: Global Wind Patterns
This is an educational site offered by NASA that has information on global winds, including prevailing westerlies, with illustrations. Included is a short activity to illustrate the winds.
Read Works
Read Works: Weather: Air Patterns
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about wind patterns and how they relate to clouds, storms, and lightning. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Wind
Wind is air moving from a place that has higher pressure to one that has lower pressure. Sometimes wind is just a light breeze and other times it is strong enough to blow the roofs off buildings.
Other
Kites as Education: Wind Origins
This "kite science" site offers information on wind and the atmospheric conditions that cause it. From "Principles of Aeronautics."
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese Real Time Data Projects: Weather Scope: A Study of Weather and Climate
Use real-time data to study factors that affect weather and climate, create weather instruments, and share data with students around the world.