In this activity, students will discover the magnifying power of a lens and experience how scientists make modifications to these simple instruments in order to get the data they want. They will see that water, bottles, and jars can act as magnifiers, construct their own telescope, and explore why scientists develop new instruments to learn more about the world. Full description.

This activity will help clarify to students that the seasons are created by changes in the tilt of the earth as it revolves around the sun, not by changes in the earth's distance from the sun. Using a light and a globe or ball, they will walk around the light to simulate the earth's orbit around the sun, making sure to keep the 'earth' tilted toward a specific wall of the classroom. They will observe ... Full description.

In this activity, students examine graphs of solar radiation for various times of the year to see how the length of the day changes throughout the year. It can be used as a follow-up activity to the preceeding activity, 'The Seasons'. After examining the 12 graphs, which are presented in random order, they are asked which one represents which month of the year, and to explain their rationale. Full description.

Our Sun is an ordinary star; however, as our own star, it holds special status for us and is essential to our existence. The Sun's gravity holds the solar system together, and nuclear fusion within the Sun supplies the energy for life on Earth. Without the Sun, Earth would be a drastically different place. This video segment presents some basic facts about our Sun. Topics include its size and heat ... Full description.

The transfer of energy between Earth's surface and the atmosphere causes all weather. Energy can be transferred through three main processes: convection, conduction, and radiation. This video explains the differences between tropical convective cloud systems formed over land and those formed over oceans. The segment is one minute nine seconds in length. A background essay and discussion questions ... Full description.

Earth's orbit around the Sun, together with the tilt of its axis, results in periodic climate changes around the globe known as seasons. Different locations experience different types of climate changes. For example, some places have extreme seasonal changes in temperature, while others have little temperature change but may have rainy and dry seasons. This interactive feature explains why Earth experiences ... Full description.

At this site the question and answer format is used to provide information about the Earth's magnetic field. Frequently asked questions are linked to detailed answers. Along with standard questions about the magnetic poles and how a compass works, there are sections about geomagnetic models, Space Weather Scales and magnetic field reversals. Links lead to a site to download the latest model as well ... Full description.

This section of the Windows to the Universe website provides information and images about Earth's magnetic field (the magnetosphere), including detailed information about the aurora borealis, magnets, and solar wind. Windows to the Universe is a user-friendly learning system pertaining to the Earth and Space sciences. The objective of this project is to develop an innovative and engaging website that ... Full description.

"Pieces of Science" is an online gallery of sixteen educational resources related to a collection of historical science objects. This section deals with the Apollo 8 mission to the Moon. Facts about the crew and mission accomplishments, as well as the new spacesuit designed for the mission are covered. There is an activity guide for teachers, an image gallery, and on-line activities for students. ... Full description.

This section of the Windows to the Universe web site provides information and images about Mercury including detailed information about this planet, space science, planetary geology, Mercury's atmosphere, Mercury's formation, the magnetosphere, and myths. Windows to the Universe is a user-friendly learning system pertaining to the Earth and Space sciences. The objective of this project is to develop ... Full description.