Ocean Currents Change Our Earth Activity Source: NASA. Adapted with permission. Ocean currents — the continuous, directed movement of ocean water — affect regional climates and alter the biological and chemical characteristics of seawater. Currents can flow for long distances both at and below the ocean’s surface. Wind drives surface currents, whereas density often drives deep ocean currents. Density, a physical property of matter, is mass per volume. Density is not simply weight — it depends on the volume of the sample (the amount of space the sample occupies). [Read More]

Parks Past, Present, and Future Activity Source: Adapted with permission by National Park Service. Over Earth’s 4.5 billion-year history, tectonic upheavals and colliding plates formed mountain ranges and carved out basins. Forces of erosion and weathering have been at work to break down these landforms. Records of these processes are imprinted on the land and define distinctive landscapes around the United States and in its national parks. The dynamic processes that formed the spectacular landscapes of many national parks remain active today. [Read More]

Places on the Planet: Latitude and Longitude Activity Source: Geological Society of America, 2006. Adapted with permission. Background You may have seen or used Global Positioning System (GPS) devices in cars or on camping trips. These devices use data from satellites orbiting the Earth to locate places on our planet. GPS devices describe the locations to us in the form of latitude and longitude coordinates. Citizen scientists involved in the Geological Society of America’s EarthCaching project (http://www. [Read More]

Predict the Flow Activity Source: NASA and AGI. Adapted with permission for the American Geophysical Union. Ever play with clay? Using a common modeling compound, you can form a “volcano” and examine its topography to predict which way lava will flow down its slopes. You could also investigate mud flows or debris flows. Materials 2 containers of modeling compound or clay Clear plastic bin Dark colored water (make sure that your modeling compound is a contrasting color from your water) Clear clipboard 2 transparencies and transparency marker Safety scissors Dish detergent Baking soda Vinegar Dropper Metric ruler Tiny plastic cup (about 2 oz. [Read More]

Products Made from Petroleum Activity Source: Adapted with permission by Bruce Wells, American Oil & Gas Historical Society. Background Most people associate petroleum with transportation — but we are surrounded by thousands of other everyday products that come from this vital natural resource. A typical 42- gallon barrel of crude oil yields about 20 gallons of gasoline and 4 gallons of jet fuel. What products come from the other 18 gallons? [Read More]

Rock Art in the National Parks Activity Source: Views of the National Parks, National Park Service. Adapted with permission. Human beings have been linked to earth materials since prehistoric times. They used caves for shelter, shaped rocks into stone implements, and later refined metals to make tools. Beyond practical purposes, Earth materials also were used to make pigments for paint. Rock walls became canvases where ancient artists expressed themselves. In this exercise, we will explore the link between Earth materials and art. [Read More]

Rock Pop Activity Source: Geological Society of America. Adapted with permission. How can a cave form from solid rock? Most caves are found in limestone, a rock made of materials of calcium carbonate. This rock is unusual because the solid minerals it is made of easily dissolve in weak acids. The most common weak acid in the environment is actually water! This acid forms when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves in the rain water to form carbonic acid. [Read More]

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]

Seismic Mapping Activity Source: The Society of Petroleum Engineers. Adapted with permission. Scientists use seismic technology to map patterns of rock formations below the surface of the Earth. Different types of rocks affect sound waves. Geologists use these sound waves to locate rocks that may contain oil and/or natural gas. You can explore this principle with a tuning fork and various rocks. Gently strike a fork against the rocks. Note variations in sounds produced by different rocks. [Read More]

Sky and Cloud Windows Activity Source: The Weather Channel. Adapted with permission. Is today sunny or overcast? Is there wind, rain, or snow? No matter where you live, weather shapes your life. What’s happening in the sky can determine how you dress, what you eat, where you spend your time, and when you work—or play. The science of the sky encompasses Earth and space science (from the solar system to the water cycle), physical science (from heat and energy to motion and forces), and science in personal and social perspectives (from the environment to global climate change). [Read More]