In this hands-on lesson, students measure the effect of distance and inclination on the amount of heat felt by an object and apply this experiment to building an understanding of seasonality. In Part 1, the students set up two thermometers at different distances from a light bulb and record their temperatures to determine how distance from a heat source affects temperature. In Part 2, students construct a device designed to measure the temperature as a function of viewing angle toward the Sun by placing a thermometer inside a black construction paper sleeve, and placing the device at different angles toward the Sun. They then explain how distance and inclination affect heat and identify situations where these concepts apply, such as the seasons on Earth and the NASA Mercury MESSENGER mission.

To ceIebrate Earth Day, students investigate solutions they can take to support climate action. Then, students share this information by creating a #MyPlanetMyPledge sign. Suitable for all grade levels. 

This demonstration shows how water absorbs more heat than air. The corollary that is made is that the oceans are absorbing a lot of the heat related to climate change. The video tutorial shows an engaging demonstration that teachers can do live in their classrooms as part of a larger lesson/discussion about global warming. The video itself also includes an animation of how greenhouse gases contribute to global warming and concludes by mentioning simple solutions for students.

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)* call for students to use the practices, concepts and content of science and engineering to understand phenomena and solve problems that are relevant to their lives. Starting from a student’s own experiences and community makes the science meaningful and increases engagement while helping students understand how global issues like climate change are present and addressable in their lives. In this series we examine how you can use the new science standards and your community to understand and address real world environmental problems and explore together how to integrate NGSS into your district’s classroom science units.Would you like to learn more about how urban water systems actually work? Are you curious how water systems, the impacts of climate change, and related conservation issues can interest your students and integrate with NGSS? Join us to learn about wastewater and stormwater systems (may include tours of facilities, depending on the site) and then workshop how you might use this content in your classroom. Appropriate for all 4th-12th grade teachers.

The NOAA Sea Level Trends map illustrates U.S. regional and some international trends in sea level, with arrows representing the direction and magnitude of change. Students can investigate sea level changes around the U.S. and some worldwide using an interactive map interface with supporting data plots and tables.

This video segment describes climate data collection from Greenland ice cores that indicate Earth's climate can change abruptly over a single decade rather than over thousands of years. The narrator describes how Earth has undergone dramatic climate shifts in relatively short spans of time prior to 8000 years ago. The video and accompanying essay provide explanations of the differences between weather and climate and how the climate itself had been unstable in the past, with wide variations in temperature occurring over decadal timescales.

This video describes why tropical ice cores are important and provide different information than polar ice cores, why getting them now is important (they are disappearing), and how scientists get them. The work of glaciologist Lonnie Thompson is featured, with a focus on his work collecting cores of ice from high mountain glaciers that contain significant data about past climate change.

This is a extensive collection of maps, data, and tools that students can use to research drought and its impacts on agriculture, wildfires, water supply, vegetation, soil moisture, temperature and precipitation.

In this set of activities, high school students model changes in climate and their effects on international relations, investigate local climate impacts and solutions and observe global climate patterns and adaptations. Lessons may be standalone or done in series.

This course consists of 4 modules and is designed  to help government, professionals in multiple disciplines and community organizations understand the fast-emerging field of natural asset management.

Short Description:
This open online course is designed to help government, professionals in multiple disciplines and community organizations understand the fast-emerging field of natural asset management.

Long Description:
This course is designed to help local government staff, professionals in multiple disciplines who work with them, and people involved with community organizations, understand the fast-emerging field of natural asset management.

At the end of the course, participants will understand: What natural asset management is, why it matters, and what conditions enable or hinder it How natural asset management is relevant in your own disciplines or community contexts What you may be able to do differently as a result of knowing more about natural asset management Where you can get additional information on natural asset management

This course is part of the Adaptation Learning Network led by the Resilience by Design Lab at Royal Roads University. The project is supported by the Climate Action Secretariat of the BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy and Natural Resources Canada through its Building Regional Adaptation Capacity and Expertise (BRACE) program. The BRACE program works with Canadian provinces to support training activities that help build skills and expertise on climate adaptation and resilience.

Word Count: 3588

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

This short video, adapted from NOVA, explains how Earth's position relative to the Sun might be responsible for the dramatic shift in the climate of what is now the Saharan nation of Djibouti.

In this short video from ClimateCentral, host Jessica Harrop explains what evidence scientists have for claiming that recent global warming is caused by humans and is not just part of a natural cycle.

This video is one of a series produced by the Switch Energy project. It reviews the pros and cons of natural gas as a source of energy.

Students characterize how climate change impacts natural hazards and pose research-based solutions to the county Emergency Management Agency. Presentations require the use of local data, created figures, and reliable sources. This activity builds from an assignment which has students identify and describe projected local climate trends using the USGS National Climate Change Viewer followed by Unit 1 and 2 of the Map Your Hazards InTeGrate Module.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

This article provides background information related to natural resources of the poles, and renewable and non-renewable energy.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students analyze videos about students challenging the government to protect natural resources, research why natural resources are a source of conflict, and create a video summarizing their findings.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson presents the public trust doctrine through two video resources and tasks students to produce their own videos that investigate how natural resources are a source of conflict. All of the materials are well-sourced, though the videos are a little out of date. The lesson also includes a list of credible sources to get students with their investigation. This lesson is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-Students use their unique voices and perspectives to communicate a complex topic.
-Students use their creativity and collaborative skills to create a video explaining their summary of the lesson.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-The resources from Project Look Sharp require a free login to download the materials.
-Laptops or other recording devices required.
-One-to-one technology is recommended.
-Students must have working knowledge of credible sources.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-The length of the student videos can be lengthened or shortened depending on student ability.
-Students can be placed in mixed ability groupings.
-The number of required citations can be increased or decreased depending on student ability.
-Optional Extension: Videos may be sent to local, state, or federal government to increase the likelihood of change being enacted.

In this video segment, adapted from Navajo Technical College, two Navajo Elders speak about climate change and differences in the environment that they have observed.