Intended for use prior to viewing the Science on a Sphere film "Water Falls," this lesson introduces students to Earth's water cycle and the importance of freshwater resources.

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)

Students will work in teams to create visual models to assist in understanding the volume of surface ozone in the air. Students construct cubes of different volumes and compare them to get a feel for parts per million by volume and parts per billion... (View More) by volume. Resource includes a paper template for creating the cube and a student worksheet. This is a learning activity associated with the GLOBE Atmosphere investigations and is supported by the Atmosphere chapter of the GLOBE Teacher’s Guide. (View Less)