Digital Library for Earth System Education
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Earth Exploration Toolbook Chapter: Exploring Regional Differences in Climate Change
No full text: In this activity, users download and graph modeled climate data to explore variability in climate change. Most people know that climate changes are predicted over the next hundred years, but they may not be aware that these changes are likely to vary from region to region. Using data from the University of New Hampshire’s Earth Science Information Partner, a digital library of Earth Science data, users will obtain annual predictions for minimum temperature, maximum temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation for each of these 5 states: New York, Georgia, Colorado, Minnesota, and California. Data will span the years 2000 through 2100. Users will import the data into Excel and analyze it to see what, if any, regional variability exists. Finally, they will download data for their own state, compare these results with the results from the other 5 states and use their results to answer questions related to climate change. Educational levels: High school, Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Middle school
Space Place: Let's go to Mars!
No full textThis module of the Space Place Web site is an interactive game in which players must decide on appropriateness of items to take on a long trip to Mars. Players must consider effects of zero gravity, limited electrical power, etc. It explains what NASA is doing to explore Mars and why. The Space Place is an educational NASA site for children and adults with activities and facts related to the exploration of space—past, current, and future. Some activities are computer-interactive and many are real-world-interactive. Educational levels: Primary elementary, Intermediate elementary, Middle school, High school, Informal education, General public
Space Place: Make a Star Finder
No full textThis resource explains the concept of constellations, with an activity to make a Star Finder origami-type toy. It includes 12 Star Finder patterns to print, color, and fold, each with a star chart for that month. Also, this activity explains in simple language the difference between astrology and astronomy. Educational levels: Intermediate elementary, Middle school, Informal education, General public
Space Weather Media Viewer
No full textThis is version 3 of the space Weather Media Viewer, created to work with the space Weather Action Center to see near-real time data and to provide additional images and resources available for educational use. It features easy downloads that can also be added to news reports and space weather reports. It was designed for ease in adding any media (videos, images) data. Educational levels: Intermediate elementary, Middle school, High school, Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Graduate or professional
Earth Exploration Toolbook Chapter: Investigating Earthquakes with ArcExplorer GIS
No full textThis chapter describes the technique of preparing latitude-longitude based data so that it can be imported into a geographic information system (GIS). It describes the steps to create a map to display data and guides users through some basic geographic analyses. The focus of the chapter’s case study is earthquake prediction. Users download and format near real-time and historical earthquake data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). They import the data into ArcVoyager Special Edition GIS software, and analyze patterns by querying records and overlaying datasets. Users examine earthquake distributions, monitor current earthquake activity and try to predict where the next big earthquake will occur. Any data set that specifies latitude and longitude coordinates can be prepared for importing into a GIS with the techniques described in this chapter. Examples of data sets that can be investigated include stream flow conditions, global land and sea surface temperatures, and data gathered with a GPS. Educational levels: High school, Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division, Middle school
How Shifting Plates Caused the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan
No full textThe sudden movement of the Pacific tectonic plate under the North American plate caused a massive earthquake and a tsunami in Japan in 2011. This resource provides interactive maps illustrating the shifting plates and rising water, the shaking magnitude and subsequent tsunami wave heights. Additional interactive maps reflecting aftershocks, infrastructure impact and radiation levels throughout the affected environment are available. Educational levels: Middle school, High school, General public
Changing Planet: Thawing Permafrost
No full textThis video explains the current status of permafrost - the frozen ground that covers the top of the world. Because of a warming atmosphere, permafrost has been thawing rapidly and impacting other Earth systems over the last three decades. There is additional cause for concern beyond the far north, because the carbon released from thawing permafrost could raise global temperatures even higher. Changing Planet is produced in partnership with the National Science Foundation. Educational levels: General public, High school, Middle school
Fracking
No full textThis video presentation focuses on health concerns recently reported regarding exposure to chemicals used in natural gas drilling. An animated diagram shows how the process of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is used to extract natural gas. A reporter explains how the process may be polluting water resources with hazardous chemicals. Educational levels: Middle school, High school
Fracking: Marcellus Shale
No full textIssues revolving around the Marcellus Shale formation, which lies beneath three-quarters of Pennsylvania and parts of New York, Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia are impacting environmental, economic and health concerns for many. The current new technical efficiencies combined with economic incentives for natural gas companies has created a high demand for the fracking technique to be incorporated into most drilling sites. In this module, resources and data are available to assist students to analyze and support their investigation on the impacts of the fracking process on the Earth system as well as volatile organic compounds such as methane. This resource is sponsored by the Earth System Science Education Alliance (ESSEA), a NASA, NSF and NOAA-supported program implemented by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) to improve the quality of geoscience instruction for pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers. Educational levels: Middle school, High school
Coastal Climate Change
No full textAs climate changes, dynamic coastal regions are experiencing a wide range of impacts. Sea levels, ocean acidification, sea surface temperatures, ocean heat, and ocean circulation have all been changing in ways unseen for thousands of years. Arctic sea ice melted significantly more during summers in the last 30 years, and storms are intensifying. Coastal ecosystems stand to be damaged, and coasts will likely erode from rising sea levels, intensified storm surges, and flooding that climate change may amplify. Coastal communities will need to prepare adaptation strategies to cope, and many who live or work in coastal regions are wondering what climate change might mean for them. This module provides an overview of the impacts coastal regions are experiencing and may continue to experience as a result of Earth's changing climate. A video series within the module demonstrates effective strategies for communicating climate science. Educational levels: High school, Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division