The term "global average temperature" is defined and its importance in monitoring climate change is discussed. A supplemental column makes the analogy between Earth’s temperature and human vital signs. This lesson is part of the Climate Kids website, a NASA education resource featuring articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change.

NASA scientists, using several NASA Earth observing satellites, continue to seek answers to questions related to climate change. Several of those questions, focused on such topics as the effect of clouds and aerosols, and the role of the sun's cycles and the carbon cycle, are included in this article. Images of the respective satellites involved in the research are shown. This article is part of the Climate Kids website, a NASA education resource featuring articles, videos, images and games focused on the science of climate change.

This lesson teaches the students about the different layers of the Earth and how they work together. Students will be able to: Name and label the four layers of the Earth; Identify the main minerals that make up each layer; Explain how scientists formulated the idea that the Earth is comprised of four layers.

As part of this activity, students learn about geologic processes on Earth in order to interpret surface features recently seen on Europa by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Materials presented here include a vocabulary list, geology jigsaw puzzle, review questions, and links to related sites.

Move the sun, earth, moon and space station to see how it affects their gravitational forces and orbital paths. Visualize the sizes and distances between different heavenly bodies, and turn off gravity to see what would happen without it!

There are several common minerals that tend to be referenced and used in texts, NY Regent Tests and released Virginia SOL tests.

I call these the Super 8.
Sulfur | Magnetite | Mica | Halite | Pyrite | Calcite | Quartz | Diamond

This resource requires samples of each mineral be sorted and available for manipulation. Students should perform this lab in small groups 3 or 4 and use the spreadsheet provided write the features observed according to categories the teacher wants students to master.

The lab should take about 20-30 minutes.

The Earth Science textbook by Glenco or the attached reference sheet may be used by students.

There are several common minerals that tend to be referenced and used in texts, NY Regent Tests and released Virginia SOL tests.

I call these the Super 8.
Sulfur | Magnetite | Mica | Halite | Pyrite | Calcite | Quartz | Diamond

This resource requires samples of each mineral be sorted and available for manipulation. Students should perform this lab in small groups 3 or 4 and use the spradsheet provided write the features observed according to categories the teacher wants students to master.

The lab should take about 20-30 minutes.

The NY Regents Earth Science Reference Table or a textbook reference may be used as a group reference for look up.

Video Description:  In this close-up video, Jessica Taylor, Physical Scientist at NASA's Langley Research Center, describes her role in developing and bringing NASA Earth Science data to the public, educators, and learners in fun and engaging ways. She shares how her love of meteorology and, in particular, lightning sparked her interest in becoming a scientist and set her career path. She also shares the joy she finds in family-centered activities like swimming and dancing. You can also engage in NASA Earth Science with projects like My NASA Data and the GLOBE Program.  Video Length:  2:30.NASA eClips Ask SME: Close-up with a NASA Subject Matter Expert videos are professionally developed to capture a glimpse of NASA SME's personal interests and career journeys. Each can be used to spark student interest and broaden their ideas of the STEM workforce. Additional videos in this series can be found by searching GoOpenVA using "NASA eClips Ask SME". 

Video Description:  Volcanoes play a role in how Earth looks today. Thanks to NASA's missions, we know more about volcanoes in our solar system. Studying volcanoes can teach us about the interior properties of the planets and moons. Learn how the slope equation is used to identify how a volcano was formed.  Video Length:  4:46.NASA eClipsTM is a suite of online student-centered, standards-based resources that support instruction by increasing STEM literacy in formal and nonformal settings.  These free digital and downloadable resources inform and engage students through NASA-inspired, real-world connections.NASA eClips Real World segments (grades 6-8) connect classroom mathematics to 21st Century careers and innovations.  They are designed for students to develop an appreciation for mathematics through real-world problem solving.

Video Description:  Discover how NASA's Earth-observing satellites gather data to monitor food growth. Dr. Inbal Becker-Reshef describes how mathematics is used to interpret satellite data and describe vegetation and crop yield. Dr. Hannah Kerner shares how algorithms and models use NASA data to describe and predict food supply and food shortages. This work through NASA Harvest provides tools for farmers and governments to describe and predict food security worldwide. Video Length:  2:09.NASA eClipsTM is a suite of online student-centered, standards-based resources that support instruction by increasing STEM literacy in formal and nonformal settings.  These free digital and downloadable resources inform and engage students through NASA-inspired, real-world connections.NASA eClips Real World segments (grades 6-8) connect classroom mathematics to 21st Century careers and innovations.  They are designed for students to develop an appreciation for mathematics through real-world problem solving.

This page is part of NASA's Earth Observatory website. It features text and a scientific illustration to describe how the ocean interacts with the atmosphere, physically exchanging heat, water, and momentum. It also includes links to related data sets, other ocean fact sheets, and relevant satellite missions.

This booklet is meant to engage young children in learning about the Sun, its relationship to the Earth, and to stars. Activities are included that are designed to assist teachers and students in active inquiry.

"The Prairie Preacher" follows Dr. Dwayne Estes, a botanist who earned his nickname for his passionate advocacy of grassland conservation. Once a child who found solace in nature, Estes now dedicates his life to saving America’s most endangered ecosystem—Southeastern grasslands. Through the Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI), he works tirelessly to protect and restore these vital landscapes.

In this activity, students will learn how radar altimetry is used to measure sea surface height, and determine the direction and speed of ocean surface currents from TOPEX/Poseidon altimetry data. Procedures and materials are provided.

This simulation lets you see sound waves. Adjust the frequency or volume and you can see and hear how the wave changes. Move the listener around and hear what she hears.

This activity demonstrates how to import data from the Internet and make EXCEL graphs. The instructions included were provided by a classroom teacher who used these instructions with high school students.

Teachers and students can learn how to put together a Microcontroller Kit with an environmental conditions sensor that measures temperature, humidity, pressure and altitude and could be used for multiple experiments and shared collectively amongst departments or schools.This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1657263. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Teachers and students can see an example of how to put together a Microcontroller Kit with a Temperature sensor that could be used for multiple experiments and shared collectively amongst departments or schools.This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1657263. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Lesson Length: 1-2 hoursGrade Level: 6-8Students learn about relationships between earth and space including elements of our solar system, gravity, escape velocity, and space exploration though a breakout box experience. They solve clues about space and conditions needed to support life on a planet and perform tests related to space travel. Clues for opening locks on the breakout box are purposefully challenging to simulate the struggle engineers often grapple with when problem solving.This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1657263. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Lesson Length: 1-2 hoursGrade Level: 6-8Students will explore the carbon emission impacts of different lifestyle choices. The activity is grounded in engineering design thinking as it relates to a family's carbon footprint and options to shift that footprint to make change (trade offs). Students will understand carbon impacts, work in teams (families) to negotiate lifestyle adjustments, and brainstorm opportunities for engineered improvements to decrease carbon emissions.This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1657263. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.