K12 Reader
World Climates
Why is weather different around the world? Learn about world climates with a reading comprehension passage. Kids read a short passage before answering five comprehension questions based on context clues.
Space Awareness
Climate Zones
The climate at the equator is hotter than the climate at the poles, but why? The lesson goes in depth, explaining how the angles of illumination relate to the heating rate at different latitudes and seasons. Scholars use a strong lamp,...
Curated OER
Climatic Changes
Investigate the greenhouse effect and global warming with this weather worksheet: scholars describe the seasonal variations of temperature and day length at its greatest and its least. Then they describe the effects of El Nino and how...
Curated OER
Micro-Climate
Atmosphere aces investigate the microclimates that exist within a larger area. They use a thermometer to record the varying temperatures and identify the microclimates on a map that they have drawn. This exercise helps them to understand...
Curated OER
Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Course
Students explain the impact of glacial melting to global climate change. In this environmental science lesson plan, students design an experiment to investigate the effect of salinity change to melting glaciers. They share their results...
Curated OER
A Comparison of Cloud Coverage Over Africa
Students use a NASA satellite data to contrast amounts of cloud coverage over different climate regions in Africa. They explore how Earth's major air circulations affect global weather patterns, and relate to local weather patterns.
California Academy of Science
Tropical Belt
Where in the world is the equator? Explore a world map with your class, coloring in oceans, continents, and rainforests while locating the three major lines of latitude: the equator, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn. Discuss how...
Curated OER
The Atmosphere
Here is a suitable set of slides to use when teaching about the layers of the atmosphere, climate, global winds, and types of clouds. These slides will support a few different lectures. You will probably want to replace the diagrams with...
Curated OER
Incoming Solar Radiation
Demonstrate how the spherical shape of the Earth contributes to unequal heating of its surface and results in varying climates at different latitudes. This would be an illuminating addition to your meteorology lessons, especially when...
Curated OER
The Equator
Students investigate cultures located along the equator. In this geography skills lesson, students research the geography, history, culture, and tourism of Ecuador, Indonesia, Kenya, Brazil, and Singapore. Students write an article based...
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...
It's About Time
How Do Earth's Orbital Variations Affect Climate?
How does Earth's orbit around the Sun affect climate? This third installment of a six-part series looks at how Earth's orbit affects the amount of insolation at locations on Earth involves different experiments used in conjunction...
Curated OER
What is Climate?
In this weather worksheet, middle schoolers read a brief excerpt that compares the various types of climates found on Earth. Then they explain where the low- and high-pressure systems follow each other throughout the year.
Curated OER
Climatic Changes
In this weather instructional activity, learners read an excerpt describing the climate and extinction. Then they explain what the climate was like during the Age of Dinosaurs. Students also determine some factors that affected the...
Curated OER
World Map and Globe-Equator, North Pole, and South Pole
Students identify the Equator, North Pole, and South Pole on a map. In this geography instructional activity, students use a world map and circle the North and South Pole. Students locate the Equator on a globe and use a map marker to...
Curated OER
Hurricanes and Climate
Learners investigate maps and data to learn about the connections between hurricanes and climate. In this exploratory lesson plan students describe and graph the 6 regions where hurricanes happen and discuss how hurricanes have changed...
Curated OER
Climate
Students explore climate and weather conditions. Using the Internet, and other activities, students examine climate maps and the factors that affect climate. They examine how climate affects clothes, shelter, food, transportation,...
Curated OER
PLATE MOVEMENTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Students label three geological maps with continents provided to analyze the relationships between the movement of tectonic plates and the changes in the climate. In small groups, they discuss their findings and form hypotheses about the...
Curated OER
Climate Comparison
Students explore climate regions. In this climate lesson, students examine the climate regions of Alaska as well as the state of Hawaii. Students research selected Internet sources to gather information regarding the climates present in...
Curated OER
Weather's Outer Limits
Students make educated guesses and explain their reasoning and compile, graph, and map weather data. They then study environmental weather extremes on earth and discover that many variables determine climate.
Curated OER
Our Solar System and Seasons
Sixth graders investigate the relative diameters of planets and distances between them and the cause for seasons on Earth using the 5-E Learning Model. They appreciate the size and distances involved with objects in the real universe....
Space Awareness
The Intertropical Convergence Zone
Young scientists know it is hotter along the equator, but why is it also rainier? Through the process of completing two experiments and a worksheet, scholars discover the answer is the intertropical convergence zone. First, they...
Center Science Education
Hurricanes and Climate
Feeling under the weather? This lesson on hurricanes can whip things up! With professionally designed maps and handouts, teach your future weathermen (or women) where, when, and how hurricanes occur. They identify hurricane regions and...
Curated OER
Is Temperature Effected By How Close You Are to the Equator
Students collaborate with other schools to gather temperature data from a large number of locations. They determine how the average daily temperature of a location is affected by how close you are to the equator.