This activity is a short engineering design challenge to be completed by individual students or small teams. A real-world problem is presented, designing buildings for hurricane-prone areas, but in a simulated way that works in a classroom, after... (View More) school club, or informal education setting. Students are given simple materials and design requirements, and must plan and build a tower as tall as possible that will hold up a tennis ball while resisting the force of wind from a fan. After the towers are built, the group comes together to test them. If there is time after testing, which can be observational or framed as a contest between teams, students can redesign their towers to improve their performance, or simply discuss what worked well and what didn’t in their designs. (View Less)

Since the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration has risen from ~280ppm (parts per million by volume) to ~390ppm in 2010. The rate of increase for the last decade (2001-2010) has been 2.04ppm/yr, more than double the rate... (View More) for the 1960's. Most scientists agree that human actions are the primary cause of the increase, the rise in Earth's average temperature since the mid-1900's and recent climate change. In this problem-based learning activity, learners develop a carbon mitigation strategy to address climate change issues. This module was developed to be used in the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) courses for middle and high school teachers and is also available to teachers to adapt for general classroom use. (View Less)

This curriculum allows middle school and high school students to use authentic NASA data from five satellite missions (Aqua, Aura, ICESat, Landsat, and Terra) to engage in a systems approach to climate change. The curriculum features four modules:... (View More) 1. Introduction (Eco-Schools framework, MY NASA DATA, and Carbon cycle), 2. Factors that Influence Temperature (Surface temperature, CO2, Ice-albedo, Land changes, Deforestation and urbanization), 3. How Climate Change Affects Natural and Human Systems (Arctic sea-ice and polar bear habitat, Sea surface temperature and coral bleaching, Trends in spring arrival, DBH, Dendrolchronology and biospheric data, Heat waves, Patterns in precipitation, Sea-level rise), and 4. Renewable Energy (Solar and Wind). Lessons contain technology tips, supplements, student worksheets, answer keys and appendices. (View Less)

This online, facilitated course is designed for middle-school educators wishing to teach global climate change. The course uses a problem-solving approach and interdisciplinary STEM methodology to engage middle-school students and help them... (View More) understand the causes and effects of climate change, the differences between climate and weather, and how actions and nature affect the environment. Educators access the course by enrolling and paying a course fee; the course syllabus is available online. (View Less)

In this problem-based learning unit, learners explore the possibilities of sustainable energy, and engage in a project to provide electricity for their city using alternative energy sources. Instructions to access NASA data are provided along with... (View More) additional resources and activities. This module was developed to be used in the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) courses for middle and high school teachers and is also available to teachers to adapt for general classroom use. (View Less)

Temperature increases associated with global climate change have led to concerns that infectious diseases common in warmer tropical and subtropical climates may become more common in warming middle altitudes. In this problem-based learning module,... (View More) learners investigate the connections between disease and climate change. Additional resources and activities are also provided. This module was developed to be used in the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA) courses for middle and high school teachers and is also available to teachers to adapt for general classroom use. (View Less)

This is a problem-based learning activity where students utilize NASA data to identify forested areas at high risk for wildfire. Students assume the role of rangers of the Department of Forestry and draw conclusions from the data in order to attempt... (View More) to prevent forest fires. 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)