Curated OER
Science: Trouble in the Troposphere
Students research a NASA Website and record information about an assigned city's tropospheric ozone residual monthly climate. In groups, they graph the information for the past year. They form new groups and compare their city's...
Curated OER
Climate & Atmosphere: A Global & Local Perspective
Students complete a series of activities in which they study atoms, molecules, and the presence of atmosphere. They study the water cycle and the Greenhouse Effect by investigating and completing handouts.
Curated OER
WorldWatcher Activity: Using Data to Investigate Issues and Solutions
Students use the WorldWatcher program to identify the issues affecting their country they have been using for these activities. In groups, they identify each issue and identify the solution or develop their own. They present their...
Population Connection
A Demographically Divided World
Did you know that birth and life rates vary across the world? The resource, the second in a six-part series, discusses just how demographics differ across countries and why it might be the case. Scholars complete worksheets, watch...
Global Oneness Project
Deconstructing Consumerism
A short, engaging video provides a critique of the hyper-consumerist mentality that many think have taken over the Western world. After watching the video, pupils reflect on their own habits and use evidence...
Global Oneness Project
A Vanishing Island
The effects of rising sea levels on Isle de Jean Charles, located off the coast of Louisiana, are documented in Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee's poignant short video. Viewers are asked to consider not only the plight of residents but also what...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Return to Earth: Build a Lander
Earth to all instructors: Here's a resource to use about spacecraft. After learning about gravity and air resistance, scholars create landers with padding to help capsules land safely on Earth. They test their creations by placing a raw...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Play Bingo with Charles Messier
Let's play an out-of-this-world Bingo game! Using pre-made Bingo cards and an online randomizer, host a game of Bingo to practice identifying the objects of the cosmos. Pupils must match a picture shown to a similar picture on their...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Measure the Diameter of the Sun
Measuring the diameter of the sun may get a little heated, but using an indirect approach can help individuals keep their cool. Learners use the reflection of the sun to measure how long it takes for it to move one diameter. Using the...
Las Cumbres Observatory
How Big is the Solar System?
Find out if it's possible to travel to the edge of the solar system. Learners use a piece of string to model the distance between planets in the solar system. They then use the distances to calculate how long it would take to travel to...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Create a Hubble Tuning Fork Diagram
Add a little color to the universe. Learners recreate images of the galaxies using real data and Photoshop software. They display their images in a Hubble tuning fork diagram by classifying and categorizing their shapes.
Las Cumbres Observatory
Calculating the Age of Solar System Objects
The number of craters on the surface of solar system objects has a direct correlation to its age. Learners use the concept to determine the age of several objects in the solar system. Using satellite images, they count craters within a...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Astronomical Seeing - How Good Are the Observing Conditions?
Why is star gazing easy on some nights and difficult on others? Pupils aim to quantify the answer in an enlightening astronomy lesson. After collecting images from an online robotic telescope, they measure the brightness of images using...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Astronaut Training: Dexterity
How do astronauts do anything with those gloves on? Learners mimic what astronauts need to overcome as they complete puzzles while wearing multiple gloves. They time themselves and use the information to draw conclusions about the...
Las Cumbres Observatory
The Cosmic Distance Ladder: Parallax
Scientists don't have a ruler long enough to measure to the stars, so they rely on math. Scholars learn to calculate the distance from Earth to a star using the parallax method. They use angle measures from different perspectives to...
Las Cumbres Observatory
Star In a Box (Paper-Based)
Do stars age gracefully? Young astronomers use colored paper and data on luminosity and temperature to model the changes of a star during its lifetime. They then compare models of stars of different mass and radii.
Las Cumbres Observatory
Plotting a Supernova Light curve
Supernovas burn for a short time but can give scientists extensive information about the universe. Learners analyze given data about the change in the light magnitude of a supernova. They look for patterns in the data and use them to...
Curated OER
Air: Air Quality Picture Project
Students recognize which activities contribute to poor air quality and which contribute to good air quality. They discover how air quality is measured, and come up with ways that humans can have a positive affect on air quality.
Curated OER
Hydrologic Cycle Scavenger Hunt
Students explore the water cycle using educational resources. In this water cycle lesson, students use a global climate DVD to complete a scavenger hunt on the hydrologic (water) cycle.
Curated OER
Polar Energy
Students define and read an article on polar energy. In this polar energy lesson, students answer questions about the article. Students participate in activities related to isotopes, half-life and radiocarbon. Students...
Curated OER
Endangered Species !: Why Are Species Endangered?
Students explore the various issues and problems faced by endangered species globally. They research the plight of endangered species, create a poster of a selected animal, and present their poster and research to the class.
Curated OER
Dark Skies: Volcanic Contribution to Climate Change
Students examine how volcanic eruptions affect global climate. They listen to first-hand accounts of the effects of a large volcanic eruption and illustrate a landscape to show understanding. They experiment with the loss of light and...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Movin' and Shakin'
Students are introduced to the causes of plate movements and the hazards they present. They plot the location of 50 earthquakes and 50 volcanic eruptions on a map and explore the relationships between plate tectonics, earthquakes, and...
Curated OER
Martian Earth Tours
Students study a variety of global wetland habitats, their similarities and differences. They examine the variety of life that such wetlands support and determine that many animals and plants are adapted to life in wetlands, that...