This site is all about snow crystals and snowflakes. The many facets of snow crystals are described here, along with attempts to understand their formation. This site includes collections of super-high-resolution snow crystal photos, as well as links to learn about snow crystal classifications and how to make snow crystal fossils. Included in the study of how snow crystals form, these researchers ... Full description.

This Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) site focuses on the science and impacts of global warming or climate change, and on actions that help address global warming. It features games, events, and links to other relevant sites for kids and educators, including activities on climate and weather and the greenhouse effect. Full description.

This educational resource describes the science behind volcanoes and volcanic processes. Topics include volcanic environments, volcano landforms, eruption dynamics, eruption products, eruption types, historical eruptions, and planetary volcanism. There are two animations, over 250 images, eight interactive tests, and a volcano crossword puzzle. Full description.

This site provides a brief overview of the earth's climate, which is generally defined as the average weather over a long period of time. The climate of a region is determined by both natural and anthropogenic (human-made) factors. The natural elements include the atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, while the human factors can include land and resource uses. Changes in any of these ... Full description.

This web page explains the goals and benefits of studying gravity and magnetic data to understand subsurface geology of the Earth. It discusses uses of gravity and magnetic measurements in providing information about the density of rocks, and explains how these measurements are useful in exploration for oil and gas and mineral deposits. The page uses gravity and magnetic maps and as well as figures ... Full description.

In this activity, students are introduced to sequencing and geologic time through relative dating techniques. Students begin by categorizing cards of nonsense words, then move on to cards with pictures of fossils. Once students begin to grasp "relative" dating, they can extend their knowledge of geologic time by exploring radiometric dating and developing a timeline of Earth's history. There is a ... Full description.

This applet provides a simulation of the type of precipitation that results from adjusting the temperature (dry bulb and wet bulb) at different altitudes. An updraft in the cloud can be produced in order to see its influence on precipitation. The precipitation types that are simulated include snowflakes/ice crystals, supercooled droplets, raindrops, drizzle, sleet, snow grains, and freezing rain or ... Full description.

This applet enables the user to create snowflakes from different crystals by choosing different temperature zones within a cloud. The crystal grows with each click of the mouse. Moving the mouse to a new temperature zone adds on a new layer. Full description.

This site contains a simple diagram and explanation of the water cycle. It has links to worksheets on evaporation (and transpiration), condensation, precipitation, collection, and the overall cycle. Full description.

This site provides a brief overview of processes and properties associated with global climate change and its rate of change, which is of current concern to scientists. The carbon cycle is discussed including its sources, sinks, and release agents along with the fact that it is critical to the biosphere and must continue cycling to support life on Earth. The information at this site should lead students ... Full description.