This activity includes a presentation with links to videos about scientists and engineers working with NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (from the Faces of GPM series), as well as other STEM careers videos, followed by a number of... (View More) links to online career resources. It is designed to be used by students working at their own pace, choosing which videos and links they are interested in watching and exploring, but could also be used with a larger group. As part of the activity, students identify personal skills and abilities related to career interests and develop a career goal. Includes a student capture sheet with guiding questions. (View Less)

Emphasizing the synergies between science and engineering, these video clips highlight the research of professional ocean scientists and engineers in various disciplines. The clips are accompanied by additional relevant content including images,... (View More) data visualizations, graphs, animations, and other information. Content has been organized into more than a dozen thematic areas such as Solving Old Problems with New Technology and Small Scale Observations and Large Scale Ideas. All content has been aligned with science and engineering practices from the Next Generation Science Standards, including "asking questions and solving problems" and "planning and carrying out investigations," providing applicable resources for teachers who want to provide role models of effective practice for their students. (View Less)

This short video includes interviews with several key engineers who built and tested the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Interviewees include: Beth Weinstein, GPM integration and test... (View More) engineer; Lisa Bartusek, GPM deputy mission systems engineer; and Carlton Peters, associate branch head at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and GPM thermal branch development lead. (View Less)

This short video (4:44) helps audiences understand and appreciate the importance of measuring precipitation globally. The role of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission to better understand, model and predict where and when too much... (View More) rainfall will occur (resulting in floods and landslides) and where too little rain will fall (resulting in droughts) is examined. (View Less)

This activity uses an episode of poor air quality over the Midwest and Eastern seaboard to engage students in an exploration of the collection, comparison, analysis and utilization of air quality data. With the aid of a camera, the EPA website and... (View More) Google Earth, students will determine local visibility. Students will also interpret images taken with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard both the Terra and Aqua satellites to distinguish between three aerosols-smoke, dust and haze. Then students will then find online satellite images of the local area to determine aerosol types and possible sources. Four lesson extensions are included. This lesson uses the 5E instructional model. (View Less)

This self-paced, interactive tutorial provides learners with an opportunity to learn about remote sensors, and the role remote-sensing instruments play in our understanding of the Earth system. Activities within the tutorial allow learners to... (View More) demonstrate for themselves how atmospheric absorption and the signal-to-noise ratio determine the spectral resolution of a remotely-sensed image. A culminating simulation activity shows learners how engineers must consider design tradeoffs between quality and quantity of data produced. This resource is part of the tutorial series, Satellite Observations in Science Education, and is the second of three modules in the tutorial, Principles in Remote Sensing. (Note: requires Java plug-in) (View Less)