Curated OER
How Does Your Garden Grow? Discovering How Weather Patterns Affect Natural Cycles
For the warm-up in this cool climate lesson, you will need to click on "Mapping" and then "US Mapping" once you arrive at NOAA's "US Climate at a Glance" page. Earth science explorers realize that 2012 was a warm winter for us. They read...
Curated OER
Temperature Changes: Atmosphere & Ocean
Students observe temperature differences of water and air in sunlight and darkness. They determine that the sun warms the Earth's surface, which controls global currents and climate, keeping the earth habitable. They discover water and...
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Current Interactions
Students design an experiment to see how wind, temperature, and salinity work together to influence ocean currents and present it in a report format. They explain to their classmates how experiment findings relate to ocean currents.
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Biomes: Extreme Climate
Students discuss the causes of global warming. For this earth science lesson, students examine how global warming is connected to the arctic and world climate. They write a paragraph about their interconnection.
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El Niño ~ The Return of El Niño
El Niño sure creates a stir when it comes around! Why not stir up your earth science class with this data analysis activity that examines the temperature and precipitation over the 2002-2003 water year. A tracking chart is provided...
National Park Service
It Was a Very Good Year
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park includes whitebark pines that are over 1,200 years old, meaning they have been there since before medieval times. The second lesson of five details how to read tree rings for climate change and...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Seed Dispersal and Plant Migration
There are five methods of seed dispersal. They include gravity, mechanical, animal, water, and air. Scholars study seed dispersal in lesson five of the series of six. Through discussions, hands-on analysis of different seed types, and...
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Sea Level Trends ~ Ocean Front Property: An "Immerging" Market
Young oceanographers take a look at sea level data from several cities over a few centuries. They use the data to fuel a discussion about what kind of changes are taking place and the impact they are having on the coastal ecosystems....
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Tracking El Nino Conditions
Students identify major changes in ocean temperatures during an El Nino season. In this climate lesson students complete an Internet assignment using datasets to determine periods of El Nino.
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Major Ocean Surface Currents
Students investigate wind driven surface currents and prevailing winds by playing a card game. The cards are sorted by north or south and Atlantic or Pacific. They then predict where the two currents are found and what their...
Curated OER
Puzzle it Out
Students study the Earth's climatic system and construct a puzzle that names all of the pieces of the components involved. In this Climate lesson, students draw a picture on a puzzle piece depicting a specific component. Students then...
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Tropical Island
Students research information about a specific tropical island and locate it on a world map. They study details about coral reefs and other animal and plant life on the island and determine how ocean currents affect the island's climate.
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Ocean Influences on Climate
Students brainstorm the geographical factors that contribute to climate. They graph average monthly temperatures at two island groups. They analyze data for similarities and differences.
Curated OER
Ocean Influences on Climate Lesson Plan
Students brainstorm about the geographical factors that contribute to climate. They examine the impact of ocean currents on coastal temperatures.
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The Sound of Calm
Learners examine the relationships that exist between ocean currents, wind and climate. Using those relationships, they discuss how they affect the oceans. They create their own music to represent the sounds of the ocean and share them...
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What Causes the Seasons?
Learners conduct experiment to examine how tilt of globe influences warming caused by lighted bulb. They monitor simulated warming of their city by sun in winter and in summer by using light bulb, interpret results, and submit lab report.
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Tanker Spills
Young scholars predict the flow of an oil spill and depict it on a map. They explain the predicted route of the oil spill using knowledge of ocean currents in a short presentation to their peers.
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GLOBAL WARMING
Students form definitions of the greenhouse effect based on prior knowledge, class discussion, viewing diagrams, and participate in group brainstorming sessions and class discussions related to the impact of the greenhouse effect and...
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Oceans Socratic Questioning
High schoolers participate in a whole class discussion of ocean-floor structures and plate tectonics. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence that lead them to conclusions about the role of plate tectonics in the creation of...
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Atlantic Canada Report
Ninth graders create a report that will show an in-depth knowledge of the various geographical and climatic features of Atlantic Canada. They produce various items, on paper and using the computer, to demonstrate knowledge of outcomes,...
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Geographic Effects on Precipitation, Water Vapor and Temperature
High schoolers investigate the factors affecting climate using Live Access Server. In this geography instructional activity, students graph atmospheric data using Excel spreadsheet. They compare and contrast temperature, precipitation...
Polar Trec
Sea Ice Impact
The arctic seas contain currents that are both warm (with high salinity) and cold (relatively fresh water) that circulate throughout the year. Through discussion, a lab, and a web quest, participants explore the impacts of melting and...
Curated OER
Glacier Bay Seabirds
A gorgeous collection of photographs take viewers on a virtual tour or Glacier Bay National Park with a focus on the seabirds living in the area. Adaptations to the polar climate are highlighted, different species of birds are displayed,...
Curated OER
Ocean Color
Young scholars examine NASA's SeaWiFS Project Web site to explore how the SeaWiFS Project monitors environmental and climatic changes in the oceans and atmosphere. They answer questions and write a summary in support of continued funding...