Curated OER
How Warm is the Water?
Students research how surface sea temperature changes throughout the year. They draw a time series of sea surface temperatures for each month of the year and a depth profile for a summer and winter month using an OceanExplorer Profiler...
Curated OER
Variables Affecting Earth's Albedo
Students study the variables that affect the Earth's albedo. In this environmental data analysis instructional activity students interpret and graph information and calculate changes.
Curated OER
Tending To The Greenhouse
Students investigate global warming through initial discussion of recent findings of an 11-day lengthening of the growing season caused by warmer temperatures. They research and propose solutions for restricting greenhouse gases.
Curated OER
Reasons for Seasons
Students model the tilt of the Earth as it orbits the Sun. They explain the meaning and characteristics of solstices and equinoxes. They explain that sunlight hits the Earth at different angles at different locations over the course of...
Curated OER
"Dead-Zones" and Coastal Eutrophication: Case-Study of Chesapeake Bay
Take an in-depth look at nutrient loading, eutrophication, and hypoxia using data on The Chesapeake Bay as an example. This comprehensive presentation includes detailed graphs, photos, and details about the changes in marine organism...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Preparing for Project BudBurst
Plants take cues from the environment—change in daylight hours and temperature—to complete their seasonal life cycles. Lesson four in the series of six has classes collect phenology data on plants. After taking initial observations,...
Curated OER
My Angle on Cooling: Effects of Distance and Inclination
Middle schoolers discuss what heat is and how it travels. They discover that one way to cool an object in the presence of a heat source is to increase the distance from it or change the angle at which it is faced.
Colorado State University
How Can I Turn a Solar Oven into a Refrigerator?
Whether you want to heat things up in science class or cool things down a bit, an intriguing lab's got you covered! Science scholars explore the principles of thermodynamics using a solar oven, then change the conditions to turn their...
Curated OER
Making Community Measurements: Which Plant Part?
Students identify a plant in a given community and make a variety of measurements. They determine how a plant meets its basic needs. In addition to identifying plant parts, they observe seasonal change and compare plants within a community.
Curated OER
Natural Inquirer
Students interview wildlife experts to gain information needed to research and write a report about an aquatic plant or animal affected by climate change.
Curated OER
Weather Characteristics
Students identify characteristics of weather and seasons, describe the current weather, identify the current season, and locate the current temperature at www.weatherchannel.com. They also depict the current forecast using Math Keys...
Curated OER
Weather, Migrations, and Plants
Students research the effects of day-to-day weather on animal migrations, plant growth and other seasonal events. They consult maps, observe and record local conditions, keep journals and use their collected data check hypotheses.
Curated OER
Writing About Winter
Students investigate the concept of winter as a season and they write an essay as a reflection upon the acquiring of new information. The class should have a list of vocabulary or a word wall available for observation to aid in the...
Curated OER
Climatic Changes
In this climate changes worksheet, high schoolers review the different events such as volcanic eruptions and El Nino that change the climate. This worksheet has 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Water 1: Water and Ice
Students examine the changes as water goes from solid to liquid. In this states of matter instructional activity, students observe and record the changes to water as it changes from solid to liquid and back to solid.
Curated OER
Prairie Adaptations
Twelfth graders consider the survival of prairie plants. They examine how some tallgrass prairie species are adapted to the conditions of their ecosystem. They make a prediction of how a species might change given new conditions.
Curated OER
Cloud Observations using GLOBE Protocols
Students observe which of ten types of clouds are visible and how much of the sky is cloud covered. They see that by observing clouds, we can get information about temperature, moisture, and wind conditions in different places in the...
Curated OER
Tending to the Greenhouse
Students investigate global warming through discussion of the growing season caused by warmer temperatures. In this greenhouse effect lesson, students define 'global warming' and work in groups to research the causes, effects, and...
Curated OER
Today's Weather on Mars
Young scholars investigate the temperature and wind data locally, nationally, and internationally and compare these conditions to those on Mars. Conclusions are drawn about the differences of these conditions and the causes for the...
Curated OER
The Water Dance
Young scholars act like the changes in the four seasons by moving like water in each season.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Weather Watch Activity Guide: Groundhog Day
Exactly what do groundhogs know about weather? Not as much as your science students will after completing these lessons and activities that cover everything from the earth's rotation and the creation of shadows, to cloud...
Curated OER
Exploring the Sun's Role in Living Systems
Students create graphic organizer webs that illustrate their thinking about seasonal physical and biological changes caused by changes in sunlight. They identify the central role of sunlight in living systems.
Curated OER
Earth's Energy Balance Performance Standard
Students examine how Earth-Sun relationships affect Earth's energy balance and the pattern of world temperatures. Students study a Surface Temperature Regions map and write a paragraph describing the temperature pattern from the Equator...
Curated OER
Wet Weather, Wet Climate
Pupils discover the differences between weather and climate in this long-term lesson introduction. They create rain gauges and practice reading rainfall measurements, view a website showing the cloud cover in their location and draw bar...