Curated OER
Measuring Precipitation
A little engineering design is mixed into this lesson on precipitation measurement. Groups plan and construct a rain gauge, and use it to collect precipitation. As part of the PowerPoint presentation, learners view a satellite map of...
Curated OER
Volcanoes And Atmospheres
Students identify the volcano as the primary source of atmospheric gases, to explain the formation of ozone, and to recognize the dangers of volcanic gases through the use of technology in the classroom.
Curated OER
Images of Our Changing Earth
Students identify and explain that remote sensing can detect changes on the Earth's surface that occur over time, and name at least three: urbanization, deforestation, and succession. They select a global change issue to investigate and...
Curated OER
Biomes: Extreme Climate
Students discuss the causes of global warming. In this earth science lesson, students examine how global warming is connected to the arctic and world climate. They write a paragraph about their interconnection.
California Academy of Science
Carbon Cycle Role Play
Anytime you make concepts clear with role playing or hands-on experience, it's a win for the whole class. Ping-Pong balls are used to represent carbon in a carbon cycle role-play activity. In small groups, children first discuss what...
K5 Learning
The Moon
Second graders read a short informational text passage about the moon and answer a series of questions based on what they read.
NOAA
The Biogeochemical Cycle
The biogeochemical cycle ... no physics? The fourth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program introduces the biogeochemical cycle by having pupils simulate movement between Earth's...
Curated OER
A Comparison of Cloud Coverage over Africa
Students identify different climate regions and local weather patterns. For this cloud coverage lesson students use NASA satellite data and import it into Excel.
Curated OER
Case Study of Local Trends in the Carbon Cycle
Students examine the relationship between chlorophyll and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In this investigative lesson students study the local effects of climate change.
American Museum of Natural History
Rising CO2! What Can We Do?
It is colorless and scentless, but it makes a large impact on the environment. Learners explore carbon dioxide emissions and what they mean for the environment using an interactive graph. They review changes over time and how they impact...
Curated OER
Differences Between Ground and Air Temperatures
Students examine the differences between air temperature and ground temperature. In this investigative lesson students find NASA data on the Internet and use it to create a graph.
Curated OER
The Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is the focus of a well-designed science lesson. In it, learners see that plants and animals produce waste products and decompose after death. Many of the waste products include nitrogen which is absobed by other...
Curated OER
Building A Solar Still
Students investigate the water cycle by viewing an online video. For this drinking water lesson, students create solar stills at their campus in order to purify water that is tainted. Students view a video on their computers...
University of Colorado
Looking Inside Planets
All of the gas giant's atmospheres consist of hydrogen and helium, the same gases that make up all stars. The third in a series of 22, the activity challenges pupils to make scale models of the interiors of planets in order to...
Curated OER
Is Grandpa Right, Were Winters Colder When He Was a Boy?
Students compare current weather data to historic data to see if there is a temperature change. In this weather lesson students complete a lab activity and determine average changes in temperature, precipitation and cloud cover.
Colorado State University
What Is a "Convection Cell"?
Round and round in circles it goes! A hands-on activity has learners recreate a model of a convection cell. They watch as the difference in density of their materials creates a current.
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...
Curated OER
Hurricane Research
Students examine the factors that influence hurricanes to develop. In this hurricane activity students research atmospheric trends that affect hurricanes and create a summary.
University of Colorado
Spacecraft Speed
Space shuttles traveled around Earth at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour, way faster than trains, planes, or automobiles travel! In the 13th installment of 22, groups graph different speeds to show how quickly spacecraft move through...
Curated OER
Blowin' in the Wind
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.
Curated OER
Planetary Jeopardy!
Space Science can be so much fun, especially when you play Planetary Jeopardy! This game tests students on what they know about Roman Gods, the planets and moons in our solar system, and the Earth's rotation.
NASA
Tools to Study Tornadoes and Galaxies
Take your class on an intergalactic journey as they explore the galaxy and various meteorological events taking place in our atmosphere each day. Learners investigate electromagnetic waves and the Doppler Effect before gathering radar...
Curated OER
Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Course
Young scholars explain the impact of glacial melting to global climate change. In this environmental science lesson, students design an experiment to investigate the effect of salinity change to melting glaciers. They share their results...
Curated OER
Earth Systems
Ninth graders investigate biological systems. They summarize relationships between systems. Students determine how systems relate within the biosphere. They analyze the carbon cycle.