Enchanted Learning
Enchanted Learning: The Earth's Atmosphere
The Earth's atmosphere is a thin layer of gases that surrounds the Earth. It composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, 0.03% carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. This thin gaseous layer insulates the Earth from...
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Learn: The Greenhouse Effect
A detailed overview of the greenhouse effect, with explanations about Earth's atmosphere gases referred to as greenhouse gases, and the factors that influence the heat-trapping ability of a greenhouse. All information is reinforced...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Analyzing Greenhouse Gases and Global Temperature Data Over Time
For this activity, learners plot data on the concentrations of various greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere and look for trends. They will learn that greenhouse gases allow the Sun's light to pass through them to the surface of Earth,...
Climate Literacy
Clean: Greenhouse Gases: A Closer Look
One lesson in a larger module covering different aspects of the major greenhouse gases including some of the ways in which human activities are affecting the atmospheric concentrations of these key greenhouse gases.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: The Carbon Cycle
This lab uses a robust model of the carbon cycle to give students an intuitive sense for how carbon circulates through the atmosphere, biosphere, oceans, and crust. It allows them to experiment with how human input to the cycle might...
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: What Do Soda and the Oceans Have in Common?
Students will use soda to explore how carbon dioxide is able to dissolve into liquid. They will learn about Henry's law, which describes how the solubility of gas into liquids is dependent on temperature and develop hypotheses about how...
Other
California Air Resources Board: The Greenhouse Effect and California [Pdf]
This article has a brief summary of the causes and possible consequences of the greenhouse effect and global warming. In particular, the effects of the potential climate change in California are highlighted.
Simon Fraser University
Chem1 Virtual Textbook: Observable Properties of Gases
The General Chemistry Virtual Textbook, or Chem 1, is broken into several sections covering various aspects of topics related to chemistry. This section deals specifically with the properties of gases including subtopics such as the...
Florida State University
Florida State University: Atmospheric Composition
This page deals with the composition of the earth's first atmosphere and how it has changed. Also the elements and percentages that make up our current atmosphere are listed.
Gulf of Maine Research Institute
Human Impact: Melting Ice
Lesson plan examines the potential impacts of the warming of the atmosphere.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: From Gas to Rust: Measuring the Oxygen Content of Air
Earth's atmosphere, the ocean of air that blankets the planet, is mostly nitrogen and oxygen, with small amounts of other gases. How much oxygen is present in air at sea level? Is air high up in the Appalachians or Rockies? Atop Mount...
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Finding the Carbon in Sugar
Students learn that fossil fuels release energy when they are burned, and this takes the forms of light, heat, gases, etc. In this instructional activity they explore combustion with a candle and with sugar. The instructional activity...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Climate Change: Earth's Giant Game of Tetris
There's a game of Tetris happening on a global scale: The playing space is planet Earth, and all those pesky, stacking blocks represent carbon dioxide- a greenhouse gas that is piling up ever more rapidly as we burn the fossil fuels that...
Other
The Greenhouse Effect: Natural and Amplified Warming
This concise resource presents a thorough drawing which simplifies the explanation of the greenhouse effect into six easy to understand steps.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: The Biosphere: Lesson 2
This lesson will discuss the importance of the biosphere (the global ecosystem) to living things. It is 2 of 3 in the series titled "The Biosphere."
Sophia Learning
Sophia: The Biosphere: Lesson 3
This lesson will discuss the importance of the biosphere (the global ecosystem) to living things. It is 3 of 3 in the series titled "The Biosphere."
Sophia Learning
Sophia: The Biosphere: Lesson 1
This lesson will discuss the importance of the biosphere (the global ecosystem) to living things. It is 1 of 3 in the series titled "The Biosphere."
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Earth and Atmospheric Science
There is evidence that the Earth's early atmosphere contained less oxygen but more carbon dioxide and water vapor than it does today. Increased emissions of greenhouse gases have led to climate change. Link to a test is included.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Stem Resources: Greenhouse Gases
Do you understand the relationship between temperature and carbon dioxide in our atmosphere? This computer model shows factors such as clouds and carbon dioxide that could cause global temperatures to rise. Students investigate how the...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Chemistry of Burning
In this activity, students use pipe cleaners and foam balls to build a model of a hydrocarbon molecule. They then modify it to demonstrate the chemical reaction that happens when the hydrocarbon is burned.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Atmospheric Science Explorers: Global Climate Change
A detailed overview of global climate change, with explanations of Earth's climate change, the carbon cycle, ecosystems, and greenhouse gases, and how the movements of matter and energy impact on climate. All information is reinforced...
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.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Introduction to Climate Change
This is designed to be an introductory activity to climate change. It covers the importance of the atmosphere, the basics of the "Greenhouse Effect" and an introduction to the human contribution to increased greenhouse gases.
Other
Moorland School: Earth Science Zone: The Earth's Atmosphere
Learn about the properties of the thin layer of gas that surrounds the Earth. Understand the mixture of gases that make up the atmosphere as well as the different layers. Also explained are issues that affect the atmosphere like the...