This is an activity about the movement, or "wandering," of our Earth's …
This is an activity about the movement, or "wandering," of our Earth's magnetic poles. The learner will explore this concept by measuring and calculating the distance the Earth's north magnetic pole has moved over the past 400 years and calculating the rate at which the magnetic pole location has changed its position during that time. Finally, learners will use this information to extrapolate how the region for viewing aurorae may change over the next century at the present rate of polar wander. This is Activity 6 in the Exploring Magnetism on Earth teachers guide.
Mathematicians often argue that anything which can be represented numerically or algebraically …
Mathematicians often argue that anything which can be represented numerically or algebraically can also be represented geometrically. This is perhaps true even to the extent that simple numeric calculations can be demonstrated geometrically. This example illustrates one such geometric process of addition. This resource is from PUMAS - Practical Uses of Math and Science - a collection of brief examples created by scientists and engineers showing how math and science topics taught in K-12 classes have real world applications.
Problem: How do you measure an angle with a protector, when that …
Problem: How do you measure an angle with a protector, when that angle is between two solid walls? This resource is from PUMAS - Practical Uses of Math and Science - a collection of brief examples created by scientists and engineers showing how math and science topics taught in K-12 classes have real world applications.
This resources identifies best practices for giving presentations or talks in elementary …
This resources identifies best practices for giving presentations or talks in elementary classrooms and was developed to help scientists and engineers who have been asked to visit an elementary classroom. It provides helpful suggestions before, during, and after the presentation, as well questions for the teacher (e.g., what content do you want me to cover, what have students already learned about this content?).
This resources identifies best practices for giving presentations or talks in middle …
This resources identifies best practices for giving presentations or talks in middle school classrooms and was developed to help scientists and engineers who have been asked to visit a middle school classroom. It provides helpful suggestions before, during, and after the presentation, as well questions for the teacher (e.g., what content do you want me to cover, what have students already learned about this content?).
This online lab exercise focuses on the causes, characteristics and effects of …
This online lab exercise focuses on the causes, characteristics and effects of the glacial-interglacial cycle. The sixth in a 10-part lab series on weather and climate, this lab exercise is designed for first and second year college geoscience students (majors and non-majors) as well as pre-service STEM teachers.
This manual provides simple demonstrations to show how lenses and mirrors are …
This manual provides simple demonstrations to show how lenses and mirrors are used to create telescopes. It was created for use by the Night Sky Network of astronomy clubs.
This lesson examines the effects of surface energy transfer and storage on …
This lesson examines the effects of surface energy transfer and storage on ocean temperatures. Included are activities that introduce the use of scientific models. Students then use an energy flow computer model to track energy changes by manipulating four variables: solar energy, heat transfer, water transparency, and seasons of the year. Note that this is lesson four of five on the Ocean Motion website. Each lesson investigates ocean surface circulation using satellite and model data and can be done independently. See Related URL's for links to the Ocean Motion Website that provide science background information, data resources, teacher material, student guides and a lesson matrix.
This self-paced tutorial investigates evidence for contemporary climate change by examining multi-year …
This self-paced tutorial investigates evidence for contemporary climate change by examining multi-year weather, statistical and anecdotal records obtained from several U.S. localities. Learners plot and identify trends in regional weather data, learn the difference between weather and climate, and explore the pedagogic advantages associated with learning about global climate change by examining regional data. Videos describing local phenological data of changing seasonality, data portals, an interview with NASA scientist, Dr. Eric Fetzer, and activities to adapt for middle and high school classrooms are included. Vocabulary are linked to a glossary. This is the third of ten professional development modules providing opportunities for teachers to learn about climate change through first-hand data exploration.
This is a lesson about planetary atmospheres. Learners will interpret real spectral …
This is a lesson about planetary atmospheres. Learners will interpret real spectral graphs from missions to determine what some of Earth, Venus, and Mars‰Ûª atmosphere is composed of and then mathematically compare the amount of the greenhouse gas, CO2, on the planets Venus, Earth, and Mars in order to determine which has the most. Students brainstorm to figure out what things, along with greenhouse gases, can affect a planet‰Ûªs temperature. The activity is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering program for middle-high school students, focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.
In this activity, students work in groups to create a presentation that …
In this activity, students work in groups to create a presentation that illustrates the meaning of the statement "To make an apple pie from scratch you must first invent the universe." Students pick an element that can be found in apple pie and trace its evolutionary history back to the birth of the universe itself. They also share their vision of the environment in which that element may find itself 5 or so billion years from now after the Earth is long gone. Presentations are intended to demonstrate student understanding of the origins and life cycle of matter, so this activity is appropriate as a conclusion to a unit. This activity is part of the "What is Your Cosmic Connection to the Elements" information and activity booklet. The booklet includes teacher notes, grading guide and student handouts.
This is an activity about the relation between day length and temperature. …
This is an activity about the relation between day length and temperature. In one team, learners will create and analyze a graph of hours of sunlight versus month of the year for a number of latitudes. In another team, learners will graph temperature versus month for the same latitudes. The teams then compare data and draw conclusions from their analyses.
This is a lesson about visual spectra. Learners will explore different ways …
This is a lesson about visual spectra. Learners will explore different ways of displaying visual spectra, including colored "barcode" spectra, like those produced by a diffraction grating, and line plots displaying intensity versus color, or wavelength. Students learn that a diffraction grating acts like a prism, bending light into its component colors. The activity is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering program for middle-high school students, focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.
This is a website that serves as an online textbook to tell …
This is a website that serves as an online textbook to tell the story of William Gilbert, English physicist during the time of Queen Elizabeth I, and the history of the discovery of Earth's magnetism. Learners can read about historical studies of magnetism, connections between sunspot activity and the Earth's magnetic field, the internal dynamo responsible for generating the Earth's magnetic field, magnetic polarity and reversals, and geomagnetic storms.
In this hands-on activity, learners will build a solar cooker by lining …
In this hands-on activity, learners will build a solar cooker by lining a box with reflective material and adding a translucent cover. The cooker can be used to make food products. This activity recommends use of empty (clean) pizza boxes. This activity requires a sunny outdoor location for an extended period of time.
This is an activity about utilizing proportional mathematics to determine the height …
This is an activity about utilizing proportional mathematics to determine the height of lunar features. Learners will use the length of shadows to calculate the height of some of the lunar features. This activity is Astronomy Activity 6 in a larger resource entitled Space Update.
In this lesson, learners will use History of Discovery cards and interpretive …
In this lesson, learners will use History of Discovery cards and interpretive skits to examine how scientists throughout history have explored Saturn. The lesson enables students to discern the multicultural nature of scientific inquiry and to see how technology improvements increase our ability to solve scientific mysteries. The lesson also prepares students to create and interpret their own timelines spanning the years 1610 to 2010. The timelines depict scientists, technologies, and discoveries. This is lesson 4 of 6 in the Saturn Educators Guide.
This resource shows how generations of explorers have taken us, step by …
This resource shows how generations of explorers have taken us, step by step, further into the expanse of the universe. Using photographs and text, this resource takes readers out of our solar system, into the realm of the stars, the galaxies, and finally the vast panorama of the observable universe.
This is an activity about ultraviolet light. Learners will make ultraviolet light …
This is an activity about ultraviolet light. Learners will make ultraviolet light detector bracelets and use them to experiment with artificial light and sunlight. Then, they experiment with various sun-blocking materials to see how such materials impact the beads' absorption of ultraviolet light. Special UV detecting beads are required for this activity. This is Activity 3 of the Sun As a Star afterschool curriculum.
Learners will use a variety of resources to conduct research to try …
Learners will use a variety of resources to conduct research to try to find answers to the questions they generated in previous activities. They continue to work the way scientists do by communicating what they learned from their research about Mars and present questions they still have and that others might want to think about researching in the future. This is activity 8 of 9 in Mars and Earth: Science Learning Activities for After School.
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