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Massachusetts Department of Education: Sunlight Warms Earth's Surface
This unit contains a series of lessons that allow young scholars to explore the effect of sunlight on Earth's natural surfaces of sand, soil, rock, and water. In addition, students explore how the color and material of a surface affects...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Solar Power Study Guide
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This study guide summarizes key points about solar energy, how it is harnessed, and its benefits and disadvantages. Includes a few questions to check for understanding.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Understanding Solar Energy. Part 1
This lesson discusses how electromagnetic radiation transfer the sun's energy to earth. This lesson will also talk about the eight types of electromagnetic waves in the electromagnetic spectrum and how each type is used or found in our...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How Do Solar Panels Work?
The Earth intercepts a lot of solar power: 173,000 terawatts. That's 10,000 times more power than the planet's population uses. So is it possible that one day the world could be completely reliant on solar energy? Richard Komp examines...
Oklahoma Mesonet
Oklahoma Climatological Survey: Earth's Energy Budget
This 2-part resource details how the Earth absorbs just enough energy from the Sun to sustain life. Content explores incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Hhmi: Bio Interactive: Paleoclimate: A History of Change
Learn about the history of Earth's climate in this Click and Learn. Learn how many factor control Earth's climate. Specifically, examine two of the most important factors: solar radiation and the composition of Earth's atmosphere.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Trb 3:5 Investigation 3 It's Hot
Activity helps to understand the effect of sunlight on the earth.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Tireless Tides: Extracting Energy From Ocean Tides
Renewable energy is the energy that is extracted from natural sources, such the Sun (solar), earth (geothermal), wind, and water (hydropower). These sources are renewable because they can be replenished by the same natural sources within...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: A Matter of Degrees: Tilt of Earth's Axis Affects the Seasons
In this science fair project, use a globe and a heat lamp to investigate how the angle of the Sun affects global warming. This project includes the objective, background questions, a list of all the materials you'll need, and the...
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
Jefferson Lab: Reading Passages: The Earth's Energy Budget
Read and fill in the blanks of this passage explaining the earth's engergy budget. Each blank has a dropdown menu with choices. When you finish, click CHECK MY ANSWERS. If you pick a wrong answer, the right answer will be displayed along...
NASA
The Earth Sun System
This resource provides some interesting video footage of the Sun. Also included is information about the effects of solar radiation on the Earth's magnetosphere and weather.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Dark Matter Study Guide
This comprehensive study guide covers the main terms and concepts needed for an earth science unit on dark matter. Review questions are included at the bottom of the study guide.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Managing Heat
Understand the role of the sun as the source of heat and light for living things on earth.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Observatory Satellite Measures Motion of Coronal Mass Ejection
The sun sometimes releases huge bursts of electrified gases into space. These bursts are called coronal mass ejections (or CMEs). When CMEs are directed towards Earth they can generate auroras, the spectacular atmospheric displays also...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Our Friend, the Sun
Understand the role of the sun as the source of heat and light for living things on earth.
NASA
Nasa: Space Place: What Is Space Weather?
Learn all about space weather and solar wind. Comared to the energy of these storms, Hurricane Katrina was no comparison.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Why Does Climate Change?
Factors that have the power to change global climate can be natural, like volcanic eruptions and changes in solar energy, or caused by humans, like the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
NOAA
Noaa: Weather Systems and Patterns
Imagine our weather if Earth were completely motionless, had a flat dry landscape and an un-tilted axis. This, of course, is not the case; if it were, the weather would be much different. The local weather that impacts our daily lives...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Planting Thoughts
Students gain an understanding of the parts of a plant, plant types and how they produce their own food from sunlight through photosynthesis. They also learn about transpiration, the process by which plants release moisture to the...