This activity includes an assessment, analysis, and action tool that can be …
This activity includes an assessment, analysis, and action tool that can be used by classrooms to promote understanding of how the complex current issues of energy, pollution, supply and consumption are not just global but also local issues.
20-question multiple choice unit assessment with one short answer question. Covers the …
20-question multiple choice unit assessment with one short answer question. Covers the rock cycle/types, classification, plate tectonics and Earth's layers. **Please be sure to make a copy of the Google Doc prior to using. **
20-question multiple choice unit assessment with one short answer question. Covers the …
20-question multiple choice unit assessment with one short answer question. Covers the rock cycle/types, classification, plate tectonics and Earth's layers. **Please be sure to make a copy of the Google Doc prior to using. **
This unit on weather, climate, and water cycling is broken into four …
This unit on weather, climate, and water cycling is broken into four separate lesson sets. In the first two lesson sets, students explain small-scale storms. In the third and fourth lesson sets, students explain mesoscale weather systems and climate-level patterns of precipitation. Each of these two parts of the unit is grounded in a different anchoring phenomenon.
The unit starts out with anchoring students in the exploration of a series of videos of hailstorms from different locations across the country at different times of the year. The videos show that pieces of ice of different sizes (some very large) are falling out of the sky, sometimes accompanied by rain and wind gusts, all on days when the temperature of the air outside remained above freezing for the entire day. These cases spark questions and ideas for investigations, such as investigating how ice can be falling from the sky on a warm day, how clouds form, why some clouds produce storms with large amounts of precipitation and others don?t, and how all that water gets into the air in the first place.
The second half of the unit is anchored in the exploration of a weather report of a winter storm that affected large portions of the midwestern United States. The maps, transcripts, and video that students analyze show them that the storm was forecasted to produce large amounts of snow and ice accumulation in large portions of the northeastern part of the country within the next day. This case sparks questions and ideas for investigations around trying to figure out what could be causing such a large-scale storm and why it would end up affecting a different part of the country a day later.
See the OpenSciEd Instructional Model also: https://www.openscied.org/openscied-instructional-model/
This classroom activity will show students that there is a lot we …
This classroom activity will show students that there is a lot we don't know about science, for example life throughout the universe. It will hopefully encourage students to question what we know and don't know, and exploration and study of the unknown.
Your task as an astronomer is to model the solar system using …
Your task as an astronomer is to model the solar system using technology. You and your crew are just one group that have been asked by NASA to chart the solar system in order to create a simulation model for future astronauts. After you have accomplished this, you will present your model to the Director of NASA. They have given you several requirements for the simulation. Your simulation should include a map of the solar system that shows the appropriate distance, location, size and relation to the sun amongst the eight planets. You and your team can use a variety of options to complete your simulation. These include Google Suite tools (such as Google Slides, Google Docs, Jamboard, or any equivalent tool such as Microsoft Office), Coding resources (Scratch.edu, tynker.edu) or 3D printing software (Tinkercad) to present. Your map should also include a short descriptive paragraph for each planet explaining its distance, location, size, and at least 3 facts about the planet. If creating a video, you will still want to include descriptions for the planets as well as the three facts. Presentation to “NASA Directors” must answer the question: how does this simulation/model help future scientists?
The space industry has been creating innovative technologies for decades. Students in …
The space industry has been creating innovative technologies for decades. Students in this lesson will explore the world of space technologies and how they play a role in our everyday life.
In this activity, students are split into groups to examine a specific …
In this activity, students are split into groups to examine a specific band of the electromagnetic spectrum and the absorption spectra of seven atmospheric gases in that wavelength range. Using a jigsaw approach, the students regroup to have an expert on each band to examine the full spectrum, identify and rank greenhouse gases, and estimate Earth's temperature from satellite data.
Lesson plan introducing and exploring via hands-on lab the idea that raising …
Lesson plan introducing and exploring via hands-on lab the idea that raising acidity in the world's oceans is reducing the availability of carbonate, which impacts calcifying organisms such as oysters and sea urchins.
This lesson plan engages students in a real-life exploration of climate change …
This lesson plan engages students in a real-life exploration of climate change as it is affected by greenhouse emissions from vehicles. The aim of this activity is for students to realize the impact of vehicle use in their family and to give students the opportunity to brainstorm viable alternatives to this use.
In this module, students engage in a visual demonstration on the causes …
In this module, students engage in a visual demonstration on the causes & effects of air pollutants on air quality and kinesthetic activities on particulate matter & visibility.
This is a book containing over 200 problems spanning over 70 specific …
This is a book containing over 200 problems spanning over 70 specific topic areas covered in a typical Algebra II course. Learners can encounter a selection of application problems featuring astronomy, earth science and space exploration, often with more than one example in a specific category. Learners will use mathematics to explore science topics related to a wide variety of NASA science and space exploration endeavors. Each problem or problem set is introduced with a brief paragraph about the underlying science, written in a simplified, non-technical jargon where possible. Problems are often presented as a multi-step or multi-part activities. This book can be found on the Space Math@NASA website.
This lesson will be used after students have learned about the differences …
This lesson will be used after students have learned about the differences between renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. With a team, students choose a renewable alternative energy source such as solar, wind, biomass, geothermal or hydroelectric and research the pros and cons of that energy type.
The team then splits into debate teams and draws straws to determine whether they are on the "pro" or "con" side. They will debate in front of the class allowing others in the class to learn about both sides.
Students will learn about the Transit of Venus through reading a NASA …
Students will learn about the Transit of Venus through reading a NASA press release and viewing a NASA eClips video that describes several ways to observe transits. Then students will study angular measurement by learning about parallax and how astronomers use this geometric effect to determine the distance to Venus during a Transit of Venus. This activity is part of the Space Math multimedia modules that integrate NASA press releases, NASA archival video, and mathematics problems targeted at specific math standards commonly encountered in middle school textbooks. The modules cover specific math topics at multiple levels of difficulty with real-world data and use the 5E instructional sequence.
This is a basic animation/simulation with background information about the greenhouse effect …
This is a basic animation/simulation with background information about the greenhouse effect by DAMOCLES. The animation has several layers to it that allow users to drill into more detail about the natural greenhouse effect and different aspects of it, including volcanic aerosols and human impacts from burning fossil fuels.
In this lesson, students explore the importance of albedo (or reflectivity) to …
In this lesson, students explore the importance of albedo (or reflectivity) to penguins and the surfaces they inhabit and learn how penguin colonies may be mapped using satellites.
This short video examines the recent melting ice shelves in the Antarctica …
This short video examines the recent melting ice shelves in the Antarctica Peninsula; the potential collapse of West Antarctic ice shelf; and how global sea levels, coastal cities, and beaches would be affected.
In this jigsaw-method activity on subduction zone volcanism, students apply lessons learned …
In this jigsaw-method activity on subduction zone volcanism, students apply lessons learned from four historic eruptions to the volcanic hazards associated with Mt. Rainier in the Pacific Northwest.
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