PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Solar House
In this What's Up in the Environment? video segment, an electrical engineer in Virginia and his 13-year-old son explain how they produce electricity in their home. [3:58]
NASA
Nasa: The Solar Wind
Describes solar winds, solar wind variations, and spacecraft studying solar wind. Also includes solar wind conditions for the past day/week.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: A Matter of Degrees: Tilt of Earth's Axis Affects the Seasons
In this science fair project, use a globe and a heat lamp to investigate how the angle of the Sun affects global warming. This project includes the objective, background questions, a list of all the materials you'll need, and the...
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Journey to Deep Sea Vents
Take a submersible down to the seafloor. As you descend, passing through the ocean's sunlight, twilight, and midnight zones, you can observe how temperature, pressure, and light levels change. When your submersible reaches the seafloor,...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Earth's Albedo and Global Warming
In this interactive activity adapted from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, learn about Earth's albedo (the ratio of reflected vs. incident solar radiation), how pollution alters albedo, and how ice-albedo feedback may accelerate...
Kidport
Kidport Reference Library: Energy
A simple introduction to energy, offering information on hydro-electric energy, fossil fuels, nuclear power, solar energy, and wind energy.
Geography 4 kids
Geography4 Kids: Radiant Energy From the Sun
An introduction to radiant energy that offers a look at the different types of radiation from the sun, the radiation that actually hits Earth, and how the Sun's age will affect the radiation absorbed by Earth. Also, view NASA videos...
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
Jefferson Lab: Reading Passages: The Earth's Energy Budget
Read and fill in the blanks of this passage explaining the earth's engergy budget. Each blank has a dropdown menu with choices. When you finish, click CHECK MY ANSWERS. If you pick a wrong answer, the right answer will be displayed along...
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. Students will gain an understanding of how the weather and climate...
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.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Using Globe Data to Study the Earth System
This lesson guides students through the process of locating and graphing web-based environmental data that has been collected by GLOBE Program participants. The lesson provides opportunities for using GLOBE data to introduce basic...
NASA
The Earth Sun System
This resource provides some interesting video footage of the Sun. Also included is information about the effects of solar radiation on the Earth's magnetosphere and weather.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Global Wind Belts
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how regional differences in solar radiation create global wind belts.
Geography 4 kids
Geography4 kids.com: Transmitting Energy to the Surface
Take a look at solar energy. What factors affect the energy transmitted from the sun to Earth?
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Energy From the Sun
[Free Registration/Login Required] Energy from the sun causes great things to happen on Earth from the water cycle to wind and waves. This flipchart includes video clips and student assessment.
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.
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...
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.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Journey North: Judy Brophy: The Sun's Daily Cycle
Impressive animated slideshow presentation on the sun's daily cycle and how the sunlight changes hour by hour over the course of a day. Includes a teacher guide with lesson plan ideas and activities.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Examples of Thermal Energy
Describes examples of thermal energy in the natural world from the Sun, the oceans, and the Earth.
Harvard University
Eyes on the Sky, Feet on the Ground: The Earth's Orbit
Students perform many inquiry activities related to Earth's orbit. Included are recording daily temperatures, observing the sun's path over several weeks, tracking sunrise and sunset times, and angle of sunlight. Diagrams make lessons...
NOAA
Noaa: Space Weather Prediction Center: A Primer on Space Weather
The Space Environment Center put together an introduction to our sun and space weather that it creates during it's 11 year weather cycle. Learn about different solar anomalies and the effects they have on earth with pipelines, geologic...
National Geographic
National Geographic: Using Models to Make Predictions
Students investigate the interaction between greenhouse gases, solar radiation, and the Earth's surface and oceans for the impact on global warming. By altering variables, they can project what reduction in greenhouses gases is needed in...