Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students explore the earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate. They begin class with a discussion about weather patterns, atmosphere, and the layers of the earth. After the class discussion, students rotate through four stations to...
Lesson Plan
NASA

Making Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Some like it hot! Scholars observe both exothermic and endothermic reactions as part of the carbon dioxide oxygen cycle. First, scientists demonstrate (or watch) a chemical reaction to create pure oxygen using fire for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Atmosphere and Flight

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students investigate evaporation and condensation, and apply the concepts to understanding cloud formation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sunlight and Warm Air

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Pupils discuss radiant energy from the sun, performing a simple experiment with sun glasses and bright light to demonstrate the concept. Students further participate in simple in-class experiments to demonstrate: air density as it...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather and Wind

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students study wind and its effect on weather.  In this investigative lesson students write a report on wind and weather and create a movement sequence. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is Air a Fluid?

For Teachers 2nd - 11th
Students use baking soda, vinegar, matches, and other materials to pour gas. In this air lesson plan, students use the materials to pour gas and learn that air can be a fluid like a liquid.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rain Shadows and Sea Breezes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students plot the average rainfall for a variety of cities in the United States. Using the map, they work together to determine patterns on which toxicants are transported through the air. They determine the impacts of various weather...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Comparison of Land and Water Temperature

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students use the NASA website's Live Access Server to create a graph of surface temperature at two locations on earth. They analyze the data and then answer specific questions provided in this lesson plan. They also examine and compare...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Climographs

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In the second lesson of a five-part series, young climatologists use provided temperature and precipitation data to create climographs of three different cities. They then analyze these climographs to develop a general understanding...
Lesson Plan
Wild BC

The Greenhouse Effect: Warming the Earth Experiment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
First in a two-part lesson on the greenhouse effect, this lesson involves a classroom demonstration of the phenomenon, and a lab group experiment with color and absorption. Although there are easier ways to demonstrate the greenhouse...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Partial Pressure

For Teachers 9th - 12th
At some point, everyone has been under pressure—even Dalton! Explore Dalton's law of partial pressures with young chemists as they measure the volume of air extracted from a sample compared to its original volume. Class...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Temperature in The Atmosphere

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this science worksheet, young scholars find the answers to the five questions and they fill in the graphic organizer for the temperatures found in different heights of the atmosphere.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Power of Atmospheric Pressure Process

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers are introduced to the basic principles of atmospheric pressure. After watching demonstrations, they discover the capability of air pressure and how it affects weather. In groups, they use an inquiry template to solve...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's the Connection Between Convection and Inversion?

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders observe a simulation demonstrating the difference between convection and inversion. They explain where and when convection and inversion layers occur and how each impacts air quality, and by connection, human health.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Goldilocks Principle: A Model of Atmospheric Gases

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students discuss the characteristics of the Goldilocks Principle. They discover the pressure and chemical composition of Venus and Mars. They discuss how the Earth's temperature is affected by the atmosphere.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air Pressure and Wind

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study air pressure and learn how it can change the weather. In this air pressure lesson, 5th graders study the given diagrams and complete the experiments to learn how air pressure can change the weather. Students read...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather Lesson 1

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere. They also explain what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather Lesson 2

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Learners identify the elements that make up the earth's weather. Begin by having students pretend they are hiking along a mountain ridge. It's been sunny and warm all day, but you see a dark line of clouds moving from the west.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Invasives and Marsh Birds

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers are taught that invasive plant removal can have a variety of impacts. They are shown this by using graphs. Students view maps of vegetation change on Iona Island. They discuss implications of changes on marsh birds using...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blowin' in the Wind

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students discover how wind is created on earth: changes in temperatures and air pressure. They list good and bad effects of the wind and make a weather vane and practice using it for 2 weeks.
Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Our Solar System

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Take your class on a journey through our solar system. Learners explore each planet, from Mercury to Pluto, and discuss various features that differentiate one from another. They complete activities related to the topics and discuss the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Effect of Rain on Morning Temperatures

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders study the effects of the water cycle. They create a graph of the air temperature versus solar radiation on a rainy and clear 24 hour period using data from a provided link. Afterward, they answer questions to determine the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemistry In Plant Nutrition And Growth

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students investigate different factors that affect plant growth. They research the effects of water supply, radiant energy, air temperature, and soil temperature. Students also gather facts that influence plant nutrition that include the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building a Psychrometer

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students create psychrometers to measure the humidity of the air.  In this meteorology activity, students make a wet-bulb thermomter and place it next to a dry-bulb thermometer to measure the relative humidity in the room.