Originally produced in support of the 2016 Earth Science Week theme of “Our Shared Geoheritage,” this collection of articles and images from NASA’s Earth Observatory looks at over 60 of America’s National Parks. Learners can explore three... (View More) facets of our parks from the vantage point of space: geology, ecology and/or cultural history. Each of the three includes an introduction and guiding questions. The articles can be used to engage and generate student interest in a related phenomenon or topic at the beginning of lessons or units, or used throughout as supplemental activities. The “Educators” link at the top of each section provides additional strategies and suggestions for using the articles. (View Less)

Fresh water resources- their quantity, location and distribution- are briefly discussed in this two-page article. The article can be used as a "reading to be informed" activity in a stand-alone fashion or can be incorporated into a lesson plan.

The basic chemistry of water, along with a brief glimpse into water's origin on Earth, are discussed in this two page article. The article can be used as a "reading to be informed" activity in a stand-alone fashion or can be incorporated into a... (View More) lesson plan. (View Less)

In this unit, students investigate temperature cycles, tree rings, CO2 records, and the effects of CO2 on temperature, precipitation and cloud cover to determine the impacts of changing climate on forests. After gathering and analyzing local data,... (View More) students examine regional impacts and differences. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)

Students are introduced to the carbon cycle through discussion, modeling and a game. Students then complete activities and investigations on Greenhouse gasses, photosynthesis, cellular respiration and ecosystem services (functions and values of... (View More) intact ecosystems to humans). The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)

This activity demonstrates optical properties of water: that different constituents in water affect the transmission, absorption, and scattering of different colors in the visible light spectrum. Inexpensive, off-the-shelf components are used to... (View More) build a light sensor and source, creating a simple spectrophotometer that can measure light absorption. In the second part of this activity, principles of ocean color remote sensing are applied to measure reflectance. Using components that are clearly visible allows students to configure them in different ways. Playing with the instrument design gives students a practical understanding of spectrophotometers, in-water optics, and remote sensing. As an extension of this concept, students are encouraged to think about how ocean color is used to estimate the concentration of chlorophyll to infer phytoplankton abundance, colored dissolved organic matter, and suspended sediments. (View Less)

This brief article describes Earth's gravity and it's role in keeping the atmosphere bound to Earth. SciJinks is a joint NASA/NOAA educational website targeting middle school-aged children and their educators. It explores weather and Earth science... (View More) through articles, videos, images, and games. (View Less)

This article explores the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere throughout its history. SciJinks is a joint NASA/NOAA educational website targeting middle school-aged children and their educators. It explores weather and Earth science through... (View More) articles, videos, images, and games. (View Less)

This Wild Weather Jobs article profiles Dr. Pablo Clemente-Colón and his team at the U.S. National Ice Center (NIC). SciJinks is a joint NASA/NOAA educational website targeting middle school-aged children and their educators. It explores weather... (View More) and Earth science through articles, videos, images, and games. (View Less)

This article explains the polar vortex: an area of low pressure (a wide expanse of swirling cold air) that is parked in polar regions. An explanation is also provided for high and low pressure systems. SciJinks is a joint NASA/NOAA educational... (View More) website targeting middle school-aged children and their educators. It explores weather and Earth science through articles, videos, images, and games. (View Less)