This chapter walks users through a technique for documenting change in before-and-after sets of satellite images. The technique can be used for any set of time-series images that are spatially registered to show the exact same area at the same scale. In the chapter, users examine three Landsat images of the Pearl River delta in southeastern China. In these images, users observe changes in land use, ... Full description.

This chapter from the Earth Exploration Toolbook guides users through the process of locating and graphing Web-based environmental data that has been collected by students who participate in the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. Basic concepts in Earth system science are explored as students investigate a specific case study. The GLOBE Graphing Tool is used ... Full description.

This resource gives an impression of how immense our Universe is by employing a method used many times in "Power of 10" films - that is, starting with an image of the Earth and then zooming out towards the furthest visible reaches of our Universe. This is not, however, an exercise in "powers of 10" - on the contrary, the goal is to show astronomical distances without scientific notation. It focuses ... Full description.

This activity guide explores the potential for global climate change to increase the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and storm surges, and the impacts that could result. Designed to teach through scientific inquiry, the activity seeks to stimulate thought about the long-term impact of a warmer planet. The activity responds to national education standards in the English language arts, geography, ... Full description.

In this lesson, students use the Live Access Server to explore data from the Arctic, develop relationships between parameters and make conclusions based on the collected evidence. Detailed procedure, materials list, vocabulary linked to an online glossary, and Teachers Notes are provided. Full description.

This 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 ... Full description.

In this activity, users examine satellite images from NASA's Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) that show how much ozone is in the atmosphere over the Southern Hemisphere. They interpret the images to identify ozone thinning that develops over this region each summer, and compare its size from year to year. Using freely available image analysis software, ImageJ, users quantify the area of the ... Full description.

This chapter describes how to set a scale and measure distances and areas on satellite images. Using ImageJ, a freely available image analysis program that runs on most operating systems, users set the spatial calibration of an image, then select and measure distances and areas on it. The measurement results are reported in real-world units. The technique is most useful and accurate for nadir view ... Full description.

This curriculum packet contains three inquiry-based classroom activities that explore the potential impact of climate variability and change on Earth's most abundant resource: water. Although each activity is designed to tap specific skills and knowledge to yield scientific results, the broader intent is to stimulate thought about the long-term impacts of a warmer planet. Full description.

This lesson plan uses NASA satellite data to contrast amounts of cloud coverage over different climate regions in Africa. It introduces the circulation pattern of Hadley Cells and the band of convergence and convection called the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The lesson also discusses how frequent cloud cover and precipitation occur along the ITCZ and how climate affects the people living ... Full description.