Teaching Activities

Arctic Climate Curriculum, Activity 3: Exploring Arctic Climate Data part of Climate Change:Activities
Karin Kirk, Freelance Science Writer and Geoscientist; Anne Gold, University of Colorado at Boulder
Students dig into authentic Arctic climate data to unravel some causes and effects related to the seasonal melting of the snowpack. In particular, students learn about albedo and its relationship to snowmelt. This ...

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14), High School (9-12)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity, Classroom Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Meteorology:Measurements, Seasonal patterns, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Climate feedbacks, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Climate feedbacks, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Solar radiation
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary, Passed Peer Review

What makes a gas, a greenhouse gas? part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.lsop.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/...

Little Shop of Physics
Students act out 4 different molecules (nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapor) to discover which ones are greenhouse gases and which ones are not.

Grade Level: High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14), Middle (6-8), Intermediate (3-5)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities, Lab Activity
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Greenhouse gas emissions, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Meteorology:Atmospheric structure and composition, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Greenhouse effect, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Anthropogenic causes, Greenhouse effect, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Climate Change:Greenhouse gas emissions, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Anthropogenic causes
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Our Changing Atmosphere part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/our-changing-atmosp...

Exploratorium
Here students use data from the NOAA carbon dioxide monitoring sites, such as Mauna Loa, to graph the Keeling Curve for themselves on large sheets of paper. Each group graphs one year, and the graphs ...

Grade Level: Middle (6-8), Intermediate (3-5), High School (9-12)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Anthropogenic causes, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Greenhouse gas emissions, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Meteorology:Atmospheric structure and composition, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Anthropogenic causes, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Greenhouse gas emissions, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Ocean Acidification in a Cup part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/ocean-acidification...

Exploratorium
This model of ocean-atmosphere interaction shows how carbon dioxide gas diffuses into water, causing the water to become more acidic. The video demonstration and instruction provide an explanation of ...

Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8), College Lower (13-14)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities, Lab Activity
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Greenhouse gas emissions, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Global Change and Climate:Climate Change, Climate Change:Impacts of climate change, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Climate Change:Anthropogenic causes, Geoscience:Oceanography, Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Climate Change:Impacts of climate change, Greenhouse gas emissions, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Anthropogenic causes
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Thermal Expansion Model part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/thermal-expa...

Jet Propulsion Laboratory
This activity allows students to demonstrate the thermal expansion of water for themselves using water bottles and straws. The discussion allows them to explore the connection between this concept ...

Grade Level: College Upper (15-16), High School (9-12), Middle (6-8), College Lower (13-14)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Impacts of climate change, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Oceanography, Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Impacts of climate change, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Sea Level Change
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

How Do Long and Short EM Waves Interact with the Earth's Atmosphere? part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.lsop.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/...

Little Shop of Physics
This is a kinesthetic activity that demonstrates how shortwave radiation emitted by the sun and longwave thermal radiation emitted by the earth interact differently in the atmosphere. It allows ...

Grade Level: Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), Informal
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Meteorology:Atmospheric structure and composition, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Greenhouse effect, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Greenhouse effect, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Solar radiation, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

What is a Model? part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.lsop.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/...

Little Shop of Physics
In this interactive activity students will create a very simple climate model. They use worksheets, chips/tokens, and follow rules for heat exchange. The activity only models temperature but there ...

Grade Level: Middle (6-8), High School (9-12)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Global change modeling, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Meteorology:Atmospheric structure and composition, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Global change modeling, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Climatology :Global energy balance
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

NASA Global Warming Demonstration part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/global-warmi...

Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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 ...

Grade Level: Middle (6-8), High School (9-12), Informal, Intermediate (3-5)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Impacts of climate change, Geoscience:Oceanography, Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Climate Change:Impacts of climate change, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Carbon Cycle Role Play part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans/carbon...

California Academy of Sciences
Carbon cycle activity to demonstrate how carbon moves throughout the atmosphere. The activity ends with a discussion of how humans impact the carbon cycle.

Grade Level: High School (9-12), Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Anthropogenic causes, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Greenhouse gas emissions, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Climate Change:Greenhouse gas emissions, Biology:Biogeochemistry, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Anthropogenic causes
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Lab 6: Future of the Cryosphere part of EarthLabs for Educators:Climate and the Cryosphere
The lab activity described here was developed by Erin Bardar and Sarah Hill of TERC and Betsy Youngman for the EarthLabs project. Summary and Learning Objectives In this culminating activity, students will ...

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14), High School (9-12)
Online Readiness: Online Ready
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Oceanography:Ocean-Climate Interactions, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Climate feedbacks, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Atmospheric and oceanic circulation, Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology:Landforms/Processes:Glacial/Periglacial, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Climate feedbacks
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary