Sea and Ice Salinity Activity Source: NASA Aquarius Mission and the National Snow and Ice Data Center, 2007. Activity adapted with permission from UCLA Marine Science Center’s OceanGLOBE. Background What is sea ice? It is simply frozen ocean water. Why is sea ice important? While it occurs mainly in polar regions, sea ice influences our global climate. Changing amounts of sea ice can affect ocean circulations, weather patterns, and temperatures around the world. [Read More]

Solar Cell Energy Nationwide Activity Source: Adapted with permission by NASA. MY NASA DATA microsets are created using data from NASA Earth science satellite missions. A microset is a small amount of data extracted from a much larger data file. Data is available on the atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, ocean, and land surface. Data and related lessons can be used with existing curriculum to help students practice science inquiry and math or technology skills using real measurements of Earth system variables and processes. [Read More]

Step by Step Weather Observations Activity Source: National Weather Service, 2006. Adapted with permission. Background We can read about, hear, or see weather reports every day on the radio, television, Internet, or newspapers. Some of this information includes current air temperatures and highs and lows for that day. As a citizen scientist, you can take your own air temperatures with an outdoor thermometer and compare your readings to the official ones from the National Weather Service. [Read More]

Tree Rings and Ancient Climatic Conditions Activity Source: Adapted with permission by Archaeological Institute of America. How do archaeologists learn about climatic conditions and their effects on people in the past? In 1815, Mount Tambora in Indonesia erupted so violently that the sound of the eruption could be heard 1,600 miles away. Gases from the volcano shot into the stratosphere almost six miles above the Earth’s surface and lingered for years. [Read More]

What-a-Cycle Activity Source: Adapted with permission by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Water moves from Earth’s surface to the atmosphere and then returns to the surface. This process is nearly always depicted in water cycle diagrams by arrows drawn in a circular direction. However, the actual path water may take in its cycle is far more complicated. In this activity, you will discover multiple cycles by acting as water molecules and traveling through parts of the overall water cycle. [Read More]

Your Own Greenhouse Activity Source: ARM and the U.S. Department of Energy. Adapted with permission. As far back as ancient Greek and Roman times, people built structures that created an indoor environment suited to growing plants throughout the year. This enabled the gardener to establish a measure of control over growing conditions and extend the growth period into the colder seasons of the year. In this manner, the gardener was better able to provide fresh fruits and vegetables when needed. [Read More]