Interactive
Colorado State University

Csu: Four Stroke Fuel Air Otto Cycle Gasoline (C7 H17)

For Students 9th - 10th
A Java applet which allows the visitor to investigate the physical parameters associated with the individual strokes of a 4-stroke gasoline engine. Visitors enter parameters such as exhaust temperature, fuel ratio, and ambient pressure...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: I'm So Crushed

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
In this activity, students will have an opportunity to solve a mystery. They will discover why a soda can collapses during a demonstration due to the effects of changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure. Students will gain further...
Website
NASA

Nasa: Beginner's Guide to Aerodynamics

For Students 9th - 10th
Includes exhaustive information and a wealth of activities pertaining to aerodynamics and the physics of flight.
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Weather Basics

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students are introduced to the basics of the Earth's weather. Concepts include fundamental causes of common weather phenomena such as temperature changes, wind, clouds, rain and snow. The different factors that affect the weather and the...
Article
A&E Television

History.com: Challenger Explosion: How Groupthink and Other Causes Led to the Tragedy

For Students 9th - 10th
Seven lives were lost as communications failed in the face of public pressure to proceed with the launch despite dangerously cold conditions. January 28, 1986, The sun had been up for less than an hour and air temperatures were a few...
Website
University of Wisconsin

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences: Surface Weather Analysis

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains the use of synoptic weather analysis in preparing weather maps and forecasting. Discusses the use of symbols as well.
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Does an Atom Smashing Particle Accelerator Work?

For Students 9th - 10th
An atom smasher, or particle accelerator, collides atomic nuclei together at extremely high energies, using engineering that exploits incredibly cold temperatures, very low air pressure, and hyperbolically fast speeds. Don Lincoln...
Activity
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Virtual Ballooning to Explore the Atmosphere Activity

For Students 9th - 10th
In this computer-based virtual lab, students will learn about the layers of Earth's atmosphere by launching virtual balloons to collect temperature and pressure data at various altitudes. Given a limited number of balloon flights,...
Handout
Other

Baranidesign: Air Density Calculator

For Students 11th - 12th
A calculator that computes air density if altitude, temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure are known.
Website
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Global Climate Change: Atmosphere

For Students 9th - 10th
Use this site to explore real scientific data relating to the atmosphere. With this information you can gather evidence, test theories, and come to conclusions. Click on the data examples to view a full scale version.
Activity
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Build Your Own Weather Station

For Students 9th - 10th
Students are guided in how to build their own weather station that will measure temperature, humidity, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, and wind direction and speed.
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Weather : An Introduction to Weather

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Requires free membership.T his passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and establishes scaffolding for vocabulary learning. It contains...
Activity
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Create a Portable Cloud

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this hands-on activity, students experiment to discover how moisture, pressure, temperature, and condensation nuclei play a role in cloud formation.
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Weather Maps

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site provides a lesson plan in which groups of students will each investigate a different type of weather map use for weather forecasting. Also includes discussion questions, extension ideas, and links to additional sites for more...
Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: Investigate: Explore Climate Condition

For Students 9th - 10th
An interactive weather maker allows students to manipulate temperature and humidity and to view the type of weather that results.
Unit Plan
OpenStax

Open Stax: Requirements for Human Life

For Students 9th - 10th
Earth and its atmosphere have provided us with air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat, but these are not the only requirements for survival. Although you may rarely think about it, you also cannot live outside of a certain range...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Vernier Boyle's Law

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The primary objective of this experiment is to determine the relationship between the pressure and volume of a confined gas. The gas we use will be air, and it will be confined in a syringe connected to a Pressure Sensor (see Figure 1)....