In this activity, students will research weather proverbs, analyze the scientific validity of three weather proverbs and present their reasoning in an essay. As an extension, students may survey 15 senior citizens to determine most frequently heard... (View More) weather proverbs and the proverbs they feel were most scientifically valid, then create histograms charting this information. Students may also compare their Student Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) observation record of clouds with their findings regarding the validity of the weather proverb, "The higher the clouds, the better the weather," to determine if the days high clouds were observed were days of fair weather. (View Less)

This lesson includes four activities. Activity 1 introduces concepts related to distance, including length and height and units of measurement. Students are asked to make comparisons of distances. In activity 2, students work with a graph and plot... (View More) the heights of objects and the layers of the atmosphere: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. In activity 3, students learn about other forms of visual displays using satellite imagery. They compare images of a hurricane using two different satellite images. One image is looking down on the hurricane from space, the other looks through the hurricane to display a profile of the hurricane. Activity 4 reinforces the concept of the vertical nature of the atmosphere. Students will take a CALIPSO satellite image that shows a profile of the atmosphere and use this information to plot mountains and clouds on their own graph of the atmosphere. The recommended order for the activities is to complete the first two activities on day one, and the second two activities on day two. Each day will require approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. (View Less)

This activity is designed to introduce students to planetary geologic features and processes. First, students will use NASA satellite images to identify geologic surface features on the "Blue Marble" (Earth), and will explore the connection between... (View More) those features and the geologic processes that created them. Using that information, students will then compare and discuss similar features on images from other planets. Included are the following materials: teacher's guide (with reference and resource information), student's guide (with activity sheets), and multiple cards of planetary images. Note that the range of targeted grade levels is quite broad; however, explicit adaptations for younger students are highlighted throughout the teacher's guide. (View Less)

In this lesson bridging art and science, students build understanding of the terms translucent, opaque, and transparent, as they apply to cloud descriptions, and create a collage using materials matching these characteristics, as well as a... (View More) powerpoint of cloud images having a range of optical properties. There are two activities in this lesson. The resource includes a scoring rubric, teaching notes, and a vocabulary list linked to a glossary. This activity is related to the NASA CERES Students Cloud Observations Online (S'COOL) project. (View Less)

Using information from their own observations, students construct a sky scene with trees and buildings as reference points on the ground and cloud types ordered by altitude in the sky. Students will describe clouds and then correlate their... (View More) descriptions with the standard classifications of cloud types used by The GLOBE Program. Uses commonly-available or inexpensive materials (blank wall chart paper, cotton pillow batting, wax paper, white sheet, sheer white fabric, glue, markers or pencils, scissors, rulers). Includes a teacher implementation guide. This is the 2nd of 3 sets of learning activities that are companion activities to the Elementary GLOBE children's book, "Do You Know That Clouds Have Names?" GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)

In this introduction to contrails, students explore both the origin and the three types of contrails. An indoor activity using tempera paint precedes outdoor observations and analyses of actual contrails. This is the 2nd of 3 sets of learning... (View More) activities that are companion activities to the Elementary GLOBE children's book, "Do You Know That Clouds Have Names?" Includes a teacher implementation guide. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)