This activity examines the relationship between carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and chlorophyll-a measurements in a watershed. Students analyze and compare two Excel plots-one showing carbon dioxide data values from the Keeling Curve and the... (View More) other showing satellite data of chlorophyll-a concentrations. This lesson uses student- and citizen science-friendly microsets of authentic NASA Earth system science data from the MY NASA DATA project. It includes detailed procedures, analysis questions, teacher notes, related links, background information, lesson extensions, and a list of related AP Environmental Science topics. (View Less)

Through an analysis of data sets on four parameters - sea ice totals, sea surface temperatures, near surface temperatures and surface type - students must decide whether the Arctic is experiencing climate change and predict any potential effects on... (View More) the rest of the planet. The activity in this lesson involves card sorting, a technique in which index cards, each containing content or diagrams, are grouped according to unifying concepts. The cards in this lesson contain graphs that students have downloaded, summaries they have written, and questions they have derived from the lesson. The graphs used in this activity show satellite data sets for a location above the Arctic Circle. Students will analyze and group the cards and will then write a conclusion in which they explain the connection between the four parameters, and relate them back to climate change. This lesson uses student- and citizen science-friendly microsets of authentic NASA Earth system science data from the MY NASA DATA project. It also includes related links, extensions, an online glossary, and a list of related AP Environmental Science topics. (View Less)

This self-paced, interactive tutorial incorporates data sets from a variety of sources to investigate coastal oceanographic processes and their connections to climate and biology. Learners will predict coastal upwelling events based on prevailing... (View More) physical conditions, and become familiar with how upwelling and bloom events in the ocean can be detected using satellite imagery, and make connections between local ocean conditions and global consequences. This resource is part of the tutorial series, Satellite Observations in Science Education, and is the second of three modules in the tutorial, Coastal Upwelling. (Note: requires Java plug-in) (View Less)

This self-paced, interactive tutorial examines upwelling in non-coastal regions of the ocean as well as the factors that influence algal blooms. Learners become familiar with ocean dynamics that create a surface deficit of water and cause upwelling,... (View More) and engage in activities that allow them to detect and measure the areal extent of blooms using remotely-sensed imagery. This resource is part of the tutorial series, Satellite Observations in Science Education, and is the third of three modules in the tutorial, Coastal Upwelling. (Note: requires Java plug-in) (View Less)

This self-paced, interactive tutorial explores how biological activity helps to determine vertical nutrient distributions in the ocean, examines why upwelling boosts marine productivity, and considers how various physical forces interact to... (View More) determine upwelling. Learners then predict coastal upwelling events based on prevailing physical conditions as identified in remotely-sensed imagery. This resource is part of the tutorial series, Satellite Observations in Science Education, and is the first of three modules in the tutorial, Coastal Upwelling. (Note: requires Java plug-in) (View Less)

In this data analysis activity, students will obtain snow cover and surface temperature data for a locale in Alaska, plot the data, investigate seasonal trends in snow cover, and the relationship between snow cover and surface temperature at that... (View More) locale. Step-by-step instructions for use of the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) guide students through selecting a data set, importing the data into a spreadsheet, creating graphs, and analyzing data plots. The lesson provides detailed procedures, related links and sample graphs, follow-up questions, extensions, and teacher notes. Designed for student use, MY NASA DATA LAS samples micro datasets from large scientific data archives, and provides structured investigations engaging students in exploration of real data to answer real world questions. (View Less)

In this data activity, students explore trends in cloud coverage over Toronto, Ontario, Canada and learn about different cloud types. Step-by-step instructions for use of the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) guide students through selecting a... (View More) data set, importing the data into a spreadsheet, creating graphs, and analyzing data plots. The lesson provides detailed procedures, related links and sample graphs, follow-up questions, extensions, and teacher notes. Designed for student use, MY NASA DATA LAS samples micro datasets from large scientific data archives, and provides structured investigations engaging students in exploration of real data to answer real world questions. (View Less)

This lesson is designed to help students gain knowledge in graphing a microset of data, then using the graphs to investigate the relationship between volcanic activity and the presence of atmospheric aerosols. This lesson is from the MY NASA DATA... (View More) project, which has created microsets from large scientific data sets, and wrapped them with tools, lesson plans, and supporting documentation so that a teacher, or anyone in the interested public, can use authentic NASA Earth system science data. (View Less)

In this data analysis activity, students investigate the relationship between between surface temperature, tropospheric ozone, and air quality. Step-by-step instructions for use of the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) guide students through... (View More) selecting a data set, importing the data into a spreadsheet, creating graphs, and analyzing data plots. The lesson provides detailed procedures, related links and sample graphs, follow-up questions, extensions, and teacher notes. Designed for student use, MY NASA DATA LAS samples micro datasets from large scientific data archives, and provides structured investigations engaging students in exploration of real data to answer real world questions. (View Less)