US Mint
Absolutely and Relatively: The Puerto Rico Quarter Reverse
How much does your class know about Puerto RIco? How much can they learn from the back of a 2009 quarter? Use the coin, part of a series of quarters that depict US territories, to teach learners about the geography, culture, and history...
Curated OER
From Home to School, GPS Style
Students are introduced and increase proficiency in the use of the hand held GPS system. They explore the meaning of longitude and latitude lines, then identify the parts of the map.
Curated OER
Plotting Plates
Students investigate plate tectonics and their correlation with natural phenomena like earthquakes and volcanoes. They use the internet to see real-time data about earthquakes and volcanoes. Students plot latitude and longitude points on...
Curated OER
Using My Nasa Data To Determine Volcanic Activity
Students use NASA satellite data of optical depth as a tool to determine volcanic activity on Reunion Island during 2000-2001. They access the data and utilize Excel to create a graph that has optical depth as a function of time for the...
Curated OER
Japan: Land of the Rising Sun
Students locate Japan on a globe, name the major physical features, and describe the physical environment. They survey the differences and similarities between the life and culture of Japanese young people and American young people.
Curated OER
Comparison of Snow Cover on Different Continents
Students use the Live Access Server (LAS) to form maps and a numerical text file of snow cover for each continent on a particular date and analyze the data for each map, corresponding text file to determine an estimate of snow cover for...
National Wildlife Federation
I’ve Got the POWER Wind Energy Potential at Your School
The 20th activity in a 21-part series connects the wind data and expectations of a turbine to whether such devices should be built in your area. Scholars begin with estimating the wind potential at school by using long-term climate data...
National Wildlife Federation
I Speak for the Polar Bears!
Climate change and weather extremes impact every species, but this lesson focuses on how these changes effect polar bears. After learning about the animal, scholars create maps of snow-ice coverage and examine the yearly variability and...
Curated OER
Creating Climographs
Young scholars use satellite data to compare precipitation and surface temperatures on different islands. In this satellite instructional activity students create graphs and explain the differences between weather and climate.
University of Colorado
Phases of Charon
Pluto, although no longer considered a planet, has five moons. Pluto's moon, Charon, is the focus of a resource that describes how the moon is viewed from the surface of Pluto. Photos help individuals see how Charon would look at...
Curated OER
Comparing the Effects of El Nino and La Nina
Students examine the differences between an El Nino and La Nina year. For this investigative lesson students create maps and graphs of the data they obtained.
Curated OER
Solar Cell Energy Availability From Around the Country
Students determine areas that are the most likely to produce solar energy by using NASA data. In this solar energy lesson students analyze plots and determine solar panel use.
Curated OER
Mapping Natural Disasters
High schoolers use Cartesian coordinates to plot current natural disasters. They relate location of natural disasters to their specific major project countries. Students tie in geometry within this lesson as connected to spatial...
Curated OER
Life in Sahara
Learners explore the geography of the Sahara region of Africa and identify characteristics of a desert habitat. They explore the culture of the people living there and how it has adapted to desert life.
Curated OER
Where in the World?
Students create global geography podcasts by choosing a location, researching that location, and describing that location verbally. Other schools/students can then guess what the Podcast is describing via email.
University of Colorado
Phases of Charon
Charon, the largest of Pluto's moons, was discovered in 1978. Lesson is a walk through of how to solve for the phases of Charon. It uses two different points on Pluto and takes into account the tilt of the pole, the rotational axis, and...
Curated OER
Sundials and Shadows - What Can They Teach Us About Seasons?
Middle schoolers collect and analyze data relating to seasonal changes. They view a video, research web sites and build a sundial to collect their data.
Curated OER
Understanding Topographic Maps
Underclassmen create a cone-shaped landform and then draw a contour map for it. Then they examine a quadrangle (which was easily located with an online search), and relate it to what they experienced. The accompanying worksheet is...
Curated OER
Human Effect
Students investigate changes in air quality. In this science lesson, students compare data to determine the air quality. Students explore how humans affect the air quality.
Curated OER
Creating Station Models
Students review weather conditions at various cities and create station models on a weather map.
Curated OER
'Tis a Long, Long Way to Tipperary!
Students practice finding the location of cities across the world by using an interactive Web site, and figure out the world's time and the value of time zones the world over.
Curated OER
Seasonal Cloud Cover Variations
Students, in groups, access data from the NASA website Live Access Server regarding seasonal cloud coverage and the type of clouds that make up the coverage. They graph the data and make correlations between types, seasons and percentages.
Curated OER
Calculation the Cricumference of Earth using "Google Earth"
Eighth graders investigate properties of circles. In this eight grade mathematics lesson, 8th graders apply proportional reasoning to data gathered with “Google Earth” to calculate equatorial and polar circumference of the Earth.
Curated OER
LAND USE ISSUES
Students relate math with real life situations. They identify and plot points on a grid map. They identify and locate the Drop Box Sites.