Digital Library for Earth System Education
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Bodies in the Solar System Larger than 200 miles
No full textThis page presents a visual listing of objects in the Solar System, ordered by size. A poster version is available at a cost. Educational levels: Middle school, High school, Undergraduate lower division
Floodplain Development Investigation
No full textThis investigation involves using spatial thinking and intermediate to advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) skills to investigate suburban sprawl in detail, looking at land use decisions made in a rapidly developing suburb west of St. Louis, Missouri. The investigation also helps students to consider the risk/reward tradeoffs made in deciding to build in a desirable location that also happens to be in a floodplain. This investigation introduces several new skills in data management, and makes use of ArcView’s statistics functions as land use designations are compared inside and outside of the 100 year floodplain. An optional performance assessment task challenges students to investigate land use decisions before and after the flood of 1993 to analyze how decisions may change after a major natural disaster. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional
K-12 Sustainable Education Handbook
No full textThis Handbook has been created to help K-12 teachers understand sustainability concepts and incorporate them into their classroom. In the course of writing this Handbook, the Michigan State Framework Standards and Benchmarks have been evaluated comprehensively for opportunities to integrate sustainability concepts into one's existing curriculum. It includes a primer on renewable energies, a list of essential questions to include sustainability in any lesson, and a list of downloadable lessons and curricula. Educational levels: Primary elementary, Intermediate elementary, Middle school, High school
Unlocking the Mysteries: Science on the Edge of the Solar System
No full textThis module details a classroom investigation highlighting the work of those who develop, test, and launch robotic spacecraft. The Discovery Program video, "Unlocking Mysteries of the Solar System," which can be accessed through the website link, serves as the springboard for this classroom investigation. Ten segments depict each mission’s science objectives, timeline, and unique aspects with real footage and visually engaging simulations. After watching the video, students respond to a request from NASA to design a future robotic space science mission. They review the purpose and goals of the present round of missions that comprise the Discovery Program. Through research and experimentation, students work on their own or in teams, become experts about a single mission, and present their findings to the class. Based upon their research, experimentation, and review of the Discovery Program, students develop detailed proposals for the next generation of robotic space missions, thinking about the science questions they would like to find answers to. Educational levels: Middle school, Informal education
The Adventures of Amelia the Pigeon
No full textThis interactive adventure engages children in a story-based scenario that emphasizes concepts of remote sensing and how NASA scientists use satellite imagery to better understand the Earth's environmental changes. It introduces students to Earth science concepts, beginning with classifying objects in satellite images by shape, color and texture, building a foundation for interpreting and understanding remote sensing. The story is set in New York City, chosen for its size, diversity and the visibility of prominent features in satellite imagery. Educational levels: Informal education
IMAGERS: The Adventure of Echo the Bat Website
No full textThis interactive Web site allows students to follow Echo as he migrates through Arizona. The adventure offers a directed and investigative approach to how land features look from space, what the colors mean in a Landsat image, and an introduction to identifying habitats in a false color Landsat image. The site is supported with a teacher's guide that includes the following units: Understanding Light, Remote Sensing, and Biodiversity. Educational levels: Middle school
S'COOL Poster
No full text: This poster contains a cloud chart showing the different type of clouds and diagrams of their effects on Earth's radiation. The poster backside has activities on clouds, air pressure, temperature, humidity, latitude and longitude, and time. It is available in English, Spanish, French, and Italian. This resource was developed for the Student Cloud Observations On Line (S'COOL) project. S'COOL is a component of NASA's Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project. CERES is an instrument onboard several NASA satellites that measures the amount of energy reflected and emitted by clouds. S'COOL participants make ground-truth measurements--land-based observations that are used to validate and improve satellite measurements. Educational levels: Intermediate elementary, Middle school, High school
Snowmelt Process
No full textThis module helps the student develop an understanding of the contribution of snowmelt in the hydrologic forecasting process. The module first explains the influences of wind, sun, terrain, and vegetation on snow water distribution and then discusses the evolution of snowpack characteristics. From there, the student will learn about energy exchanges between the snow and the atmosphere and how that affects how quickly and how completely snow will melt. Finally, an explanation is presented of water flow through snow and the fate of that water when it reaches the ground surface. The lesson will be highlighted with brief examples of actual snowmelt cases. Educational levels: Graduate or professional
Forecasting Dust Storms - Version 2
No full textForecasting Dust Storms Version 2 provides background and operational information about dust storms. The first part of the module describes dust source regions, the life cycle of a dust storm, and the major types of dust storms, particularly those found in the Middle East. The second part presents a process for forecasting dust storms and applies it to a case in the Middle East. Although the process refers to U.S. Department of Defense models and tools, it can easily be adapted to other forecast requirements and data sources. Note that this module is an updated version of the original one published in 2003. Educational levels: Graduate or professional
EOS Science Poster Series: ICE- Global Ice and Snow
Get PDFThis poster, one in a four-part series, highlights recent images from select NASA Earth Science spacecraft and showcases related research results. The back gives a brief overview of the science and missions behind NASA's study of ICE. Educational levels: Middle school, High school, Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional