In this activity, students investigate how different surfaces absorb heat and apply their experience with the surfaces to interpret real-world situations. From this information, they come to understand that the physical characteristics of a surface have a powerful effect on the way that surface absorbs and releases heat from the sun and that radiation of heat occurs without the involvement of a physical ... Full description.

This activity will provide students with first hand knowledge of local weather changes and how they relates to local climates. After this activity students will understand the general distinctions between weather and climate, that daily weather measurements are highly variable compared to long-term climate data, and appreciate the difficulty of identifying climate trends based on limited data. The ... Full description.

This site is designed to belie the statement that the greenhouse effect is caused when gases in the atmosphere behave as a blanket and trap radiation which is then reradiated to the Earth. Students will learn that the atmosphere does not act like a blanket, trap radiation, reradiate heat, trap heat, or behave like a greenhouse. In addition, the analogy of a closed automobile in the sun to a greenhouse ... Full description.