Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Make Acid Rain

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students create models of the earth's atmosphere to explore how gases that are dissolved in water can eventually create acid rain. After conducting a series of experiments within their models of the earth's atmosphere, students analyze...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Energy Budget Pre Lab

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore energy by conducting an in class experiment. In this climate change lesson, students conduct a water vapor experiment in a soda bottle. Students utilize graphs and charts to analyze the results of the experiment and help...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Air We Have Around Us

For Teachers K
Students listen to story, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, discuss air quality and how people affect the earth and its atmospheric cycles, and give oral reports on what they have learned.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Biogeochemical Cycles Study Guide

For Students 9th - 12th
The four cycles in Earth's biogeochemical system are covered in this worksheet. Science stars fill in the blanks or define vocabulary terms pertaining to the hydrologic, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous cycles. This resource provides a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building A Solar Still

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students investigate the water cycle by viewing an online video.  In this drinking water lesson, students create solar stills at their campus in order to purify water that is tainted.  Students view a video on their computers...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the World Is All the Water?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the distribution of the earth's water. They conduct a demonstration of water distribution, and create a pie graph to display the results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Resources Engineering

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students illustrate the chemical differences between surface and tap-water. They investigate the common chemical and physical parameters relevant for water quality and gain hands on experience with water quality testing. They enhance...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How High Does the Atmosphere Go?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explain how relatively thin the atmosphere is, compared to the size of the planet, and determine the relative extent of the four major atmospheric layers.
Activity
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NOAA

I Didn’t Do It…Did I?: Make Your Own Greenhouse Effect

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
How do greenhouse gases affect the climate on Earth?  Pupils explore the concept by first building their own apparatuses to model the greenhouse effect. Then, they record data to measure temperature change and determine...
Handout
National Institute of Open Schooling

Air Pollution

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Seventy percent of the air pollution in China is due to car exhaust. Under the umbrella of environmental chemistry, learners extensively explore air pollution. From the makeup of our atmosphere to sources of major air pollutants, classes...
Activity
NASA

Write the Book on Weather Metrics

For Students 6th - 12th
It's not easy to measure the weather. Pupils learn about what all weather has in common—the atmosphere. Scholars discover how a meteorologists must be able to measure aspects of the atmosphere and decipher the data. They then create a...
Activity
1
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NOAA

Climate, Weather…What’s the Difference?: Make an Electronic Temperature Sensor

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
What's the best way to record temperature over a long period of time? Scholars learn about collection of weather and temperature data by building thermistors in the fourth installment of the 10-part Discover Your Changing World series....
Lab Resource
Colorado State University

How Can Clouds Keep the Air Warmer?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Condensing water warms the air around it. Young scholars consider this concept as they experiment with air temperature around evaporating and condensing water vapor. They simulate the formation of clouds to experience the associated...
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Are Global CO2 Levels Changing?

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
According to the Mauna Loa observatory, carbon dioxide levels increased by 3 ppm in our atmosphere between 2015–2016. Individuals analyze carbon dioxide data from around the world and then share this with a home group in lesson...
Activity
1
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NOAA

The Great, Glowing Orb What You Will Do: Make a Solar Heat Engine

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
How is solar energy able to move wind and water to control the climate? Scholars explore the concept of solar energy in the first of 10 activities in the Discover Your Changing World series. They follow instructions to build homemade...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Comparison Study of Water Vapor Data to Precipitation over North America

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students use NASA satellite data to compare water vapor over the United States.  In this data analysis instructional activity students use an Excel spreadsheet to map their data. 
Lesson Plan
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University of Colorado

Is There Life on Earth?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
To find life on another planet, scientists look for gases (atmosphere), water, and temperatures that are not extreme. For this activity, groups of pupils become "Titan-ians," scientists who want to explore Earth for possible life forms....
Worksheet
Curated OER

Energy Worksheet #1

For Students 5th - 8th
A graph of Earth's average monthly temperatures from 1990 to 1994 is posted across the top of the page for meteorology masters to analyze. Five multiple choice questions are asked regarding temperature variation. This does not have to be...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Streams

For Teachers 6th - 9th
The instructions for demonstrating ocean turnover are provided in this resource. You could set this up for your earth science class as part of a lecture on convection currents or as an explanation of how ocean currents form. An animation...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Atmospheric Processes - Conduction

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explain the process of conduction using a molecular explanation, and explain how different materials conduct at different rates.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth System Science

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's Hydrologic Cycle

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Young scholars examine the water cycle. In this hydrologic cycle lesson, students follow the provided procedures to demonstrate the how water moves around the planet through the dynamics of the water cycle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water, Water Everywhere

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students recognize that all of the water on earth cannot be used for drinking and that the percentage of ground and surface water is a small percentage.  In this water instructional activity students identify ways to conserve...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's in My Water, and How Did it Get There?

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students analyze water samples to see the contaminants and then use the Internet to find the sources of the contamination.  In this investigative water lesson students analyze water and work together to solve the mystery of...