This lesson is designed to help students gain knowledge in graphing a microset of data, then using the graphs to investigate trends in cloud coverage over a given locale. Students are provided content-related activities to enhance background knowledge in cloud types, and then are provided detailed instructions on how to download data from the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) and to use Excel ... Full description.

This lesson is designed to help students gain knowledge in using the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) to specify and download a microset of data, then to use the data to estimate percentage of snow cover for each continent. The data used in this lesson come from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP). ISCCP computes fractional snow and ice coverage by scanning the Earth ... Full description.

This lesson is designed to help students gain knowledge in graphing a microset of data, then using the graphs to investigate the relationship between volcanic activity and the presence of atmospheric aerosols. The lesson provides detailed procedure, related links and sample graphs, follow-up questions and extensions, and Teacher Notes. Full description.

This lesson is designed to help students gain knowledge in accessing current weather data and in using the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) to specify and download historical satellite data. Students then use the data to examine the relationship between altitude, atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity at a particular location. In this lesson, weather data from ground-based and satellite ... Full description.

Corals feed on algae that thrive in the sunlit water surrounding a reef. However, when water temperatures get too warm, the algae food source dies and corals turn a whitish color. Through scientific observation, it has been determined that coral bleaching may occur when sea surface temperature (SST) exceeds 30C or 86F for a week or longer. During late 2005, a major coral bleaching event occurred when ... Full description.

This lesson is designed to help students gain knowledge in using the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) to specify and download a microset of data, then to use the data to determine the seasonal cloud coverage and the occurrence of different cloud types, by percent, in the North Carolina (or their local area). Students will identify different cloud types and determine their seasonality. They will ... Full description.

This lesson offers students an introduction to river ecology and the effects of human activity on watersheds. They will learn the basics of river ecology; research how dams affect the environment; and study a specific watershed in the United States. Assessment materials, extension activities, and links to related sites are inlcuded. Full description.

This lesson enables students to explore how water moves through the hydrologic cycle, eventually making its way to their drinking glasses. They will explore the components of Earth's hydrosphere, including surface and subsurface features, and prepare a diagram illustrating the path their drinking water follows as it cycles from the place of precipitation to their own faucets or taps. Assessment materials, ... Full description.

In this lesson, students learn about the varying sizes of ocean waves, what causes such variation, and where to find giant waves. Students will learn the parts of a wave, and discuss wave height, wavelength, and wave period. They will explore variables that influence wave size through scientific visualizations. They will then experiment with creating waves on the National Geographic Wave Simulator ... Full description.

This lesson introduces primary students to the water cycle by having them help draw a picture of a lake ecosystem, adding human impacts that affect water quality. Students conclude by creating their own illustrations of human-induced changes to a lake ecosystem. There are suggested implementation directions and assessment strategies. There are links to related sites and suggestions for extending the ... Full description.