Center Science Education
Field Projects: Science in Action
Cooperative groups select from one of four scenarios regarding hurricanes, greenhouse gases, thunderstorms, or the global climate domino effect. They discuss what kind of research needs to be conducted to address their chosen scenario...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Review and Assessment: Causes and Effects of Climate Changes
The last activity in the series of five is a short one where individuals show what they've learned about the causes and effects of climate change. Working independently, they fill in a graphic organizer, then compare their notes with a...
Curated OER
Birth of the Earth
Middle schoolers examine the major events that have taken place in the Earth's development. In this Earth lesson students view a video and put major events in chronological order.
Curated OER
As the Sun Burns
Pupils examine the types of light the sun gives the Earth. They describe the electro-magnetic spectrum and how to protect themselves from different types of light. They identify the layers of the atmosphere as well.
Curated OER
Writing about the climate
Students research the contributing factors to the Earth's paleoclimate. They determine the relevant climate data and use it to construct a science argument. In the process, they access data, capture images of the data plots, and...
University of Colorado
Happy Landings: A Splash or a Splat?
Huygens spacecraft landed on Saturn's moon Titan in 2005, making it the farthest landing from Earth ever made by a spacecraft. In this hands-on activity, the 12th installment of 22, groups explore how density affects speed. To do this,...
University of Texas
Heat Transfer and Energy Balance
Learn about conduction, convection, and radiation with an illustrative presentation. It includes slides about atmospheric movement and how it affects the climate, solar radiation, and how latent heat can form storms.
Carnegie Mellon University
Introduction to Climate
Begin a full lesson on climate change by demonstrating how carbon dioxide gas contributes to increased temperatures. Be aware that pressure inside the antacid-containing bottle in Activity 2 may cause the lid to fly off; keep viewers at...
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.
K12 Reader
The Inner Planets
Here's a reading exercise that uses an article about the inner planets to assess comprehension. After reading the article, kids respond to a series of questions using information from the text.
Curated OER
Comparing Light Bulbs
An average home produces twice as many emissions as an average car. Teach your class how to reduce energy consumption by replacing standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Perform an experiment to compare...
Space Awareness
Oceans as a Heat Reservoir
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
Curated OER
Types of Clouds
In this science worksheet, students read about four different types of clouds. Students also read a table that illustrates the heights each type of cloud can reach in the atmosphere.
Curated OER
Carbon 14 Dating in Practice II
Your archaeologists combine proportional reasoning with exponential functions in a real-life task centered on Carbon 14 dating.
Center Science Education
Investigating the Climate
What do graphs of atmospheric gases over time show us? Do they indicate that carbon sources and carbon sinks are not in balance? Up-and-coming meteorologists watch video clips, read information, and analyze data from the HIPPO...
Baylor College
People and Climate
Model how the sun's energy strikes the planet and help your class relate it to a climate map. Assign small groups an individual climate zone to discuss. They reflect on and research how humans survive in the assigned climate and write a...
California Academy of Science
Coral and Chemistry
Using cabbage juice as a pH indicator, future scientists explore the effect of increasing carbon dioxide on the pH of the ocean and relate it to the health of coral reefs. Ideal for an earth or environmental sciences course, this lesson...
Forest Foundation
Forests, Carbon & Our Climate
To conclude their examination of forest ecosystems, class members consider the role forests play in the carbon cycle and how forests can offset climate change.
Curated OER
Terrestrial Ecosystem Response to Climate Change
An extensive investigation of the Earth's climate changes awaits your environmental science classes. This top-notch presentation begins by looking at the history of Earth's climate and then predicts the impact on each major terrestrial...
Curated OER
The Moon's Atmosphere
In this moon's atmosphere activity, students read about the tenuous lunar atmosphere and solve 4 problems. They find the density of helium particles, they find the grams of given atoms in the moon's atmosphere and they find the volume...
Curated OER
DEW POINT
Fourth graders investigate conditions causing saturation and measure the dew point of the atmosphere performing simple experiments.
Curated OER
Ecology 5 - Carbon and Oxygen Cycles
Students construct their own diagrams outlining the pathway of carbon and oxygen in our atmosphere. They listen to a lecture on the carbon cycle while drawing an example of the carbon cycle on the board. Students comprehend that CO2 is...
Curated OER
Create a Cloud In a Jar
Students investigate cloud formation. In this weather lesson plan, students examine how clouds are formed. Students participate in experiments that model how water vapor in the air works.
Curated OER
Building a Psychrometer
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.