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, and then to use the data to compare NASA satellite data observations with surface measurements of snow cover and temperature. Students will obtain snow cover and surface temperature data for a locale in Alaska, plot the data, and then investigate seasonal ... Full description.

Scientists have studied the physical properties of clouds and have developed instruments onboard satellites to characterize the types of clouds they see below. Some satellites have instruments that allow them to measure rainfall as well. For this lesson, students will hypothesize what types of clouds they believe will create the most precipitation (rainfall) over Nashville, TN. Students use the Live ... Full description.

One of the most studied and important ocean currents of the world lies along the eastern coast of the United States and is called the Gulf Stream. It derives its name from its source region of warm water in the Gulf of Mexico. For the past two decades, scientists have been collecting sea surface temperature (SST) data from satellites, buoys and ships in the Gulf Stream and Atlantic Basin. In this ... 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 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.

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 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.

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 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 investigate the carbon monoxide level at a fixed latitude. Using the LAS, students will download data, and then will use Excel to create maps of the carbon monoxide level for a particular latitude. They will then look for trends ... 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 compare the ozone levels of selected regions around the world. Students locate and identify geographical regions using latitude and longitude; then, in groups, students create and analyze graphs of ozone levels for the identified ... Full description.