Teaching Activities

Jessica Taylor, Ashwinraj Ravindran
Students analyze and interpret graphs to compare the flow of shortwave energy from the Sun toward China over the course of a year on cloudy versus clear days.

Grade Level: Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Natural causes, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Natural causes, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Climate feedbacks, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Climate feedbacks, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Climate sensitivity and feedbacks, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Climatology :Solar radiation
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

How does light travel? part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/145908main_Sun.As.A.Star.Guide....

Gretchen Walker, Patricia McGlashan, Laura Danly, Eric Hamilton, Stephanie Fotiadi
This activity includes two experiments that explore shadows and light and how mirrors can demonstrate how light travels.

Grade Level: Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8)
Online Readiness: Online Ready
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Solar radiation
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Solar Convection part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.sciencefriday.com/educational-resources/sola...

Lawrence Hall of Science
In this activity, students will use hot and cold water to see how fluids at different temperatures move around in convection currents.

Grade Level: Intermediate (3-5), Primary (K-2)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities
Subject: Geoscience:Oceanography, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Geoscience:Oceanography:Ocean-Climate Interactions, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Atmospheric and oceanic circulation, Solar radiation
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

Sun Up, Sun Down part of CLEAN Collection

https://subjecttoclimate.org/lesson-plan/sun-up-sun-down

Elizabeth Ward
Students learn about the role the sun plays in our daily lives and how solar energy can be used. Data is collected in the mini-lessons and demonstrations including observations with shadows, creating ...

Grade Level: Primary (K-2)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities
Subject: Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Solar radiation, Global energy balance, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Do Different Colors Absorb Heat Better? part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/colors_...

Teach Engineering
This is a STEM activity to learn how different colors absorb light better than others. Vocabulary and investigating questions are included to facilitate discussion, and a rubric is provided for ...

Grade Level: Middle (6-8), Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Climate feedbacks, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Climate feedbacks, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Climate Change, Climatology :Climate sensitivity and feedbacks, Environmental Science:Energy, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Solar radiation
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Weather Stations: Winds part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/solar_system/...

Lunar and Planetary Institute
Children use a toaster to generate wind and compare the appliance's heat source to Jupiter's own hot interior. They discover that convection drives wind on Jupiter and on Earth.

Grade Level: Informal, Intermediate (3-5)
Online Readiness: Online Ready
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Lab Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Atmospheric and oceanic circulation, Geoscience:Oceanography:Ocean-Climate Interactions, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Solar radiation, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Meteorology:Atmospheric circulation
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Renewable Energy: Solar part of CLEAN Collection

https://oercommons.s3.amazonaws.com/media/courseware/rel...

Pacific Education Institute
In this eight-lesson unit, students explore cultural connections with the sun, learn about light and discover how light interacts with other materials through hands-on activities, literacy ...

Grade Level: Intermediate (3-5), Primary (K-2)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities
Subject: Environmental Science:Energy:Renewable & Alternative Energy, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change, Environmental Science:Energy, Global Change and Climate:Climate Change, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Climatology :Solar radiation
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Met 101: Basic Weather Processes part of CLEAN Collection

https://www.meted.ucar.edu/mobile/moddescription.php?id=...

The COMET Program
This activity is an overview of basic weather processes, starting with incoming solar radiation and how that establishes basic atmospheric processes.

Grade Level: High School (9-12), College Upper (15-16), College Lower (13-14)
Online Readiness: Online Adaptable
Resource Type: Activities: Activities
Subject: Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Solar radiation, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Geoscience:Oceanography:Ocean-Climate Interactions, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Meteorology:Atmospheric circulation, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology :Atmospheric and oceanic circulation
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

Climate: A Balancing Act part of CLEAN Collection

https://explainingclimatechange.com/lesson4/lesson4.html

The King
In this activity students learn how Earth’s energy balance is regulating climate. This activity is lesson 4 in the nine-lesson module Visualizing and Understanding the Science of Climate Change.

Grade Level: High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities
Subject: Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climate Change:Greenhouse effect, Natural causes, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate:Climate Change:Natural causes, Greenhouse effect, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Global Change and Climate:Climate Change, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology , Climate Change, Climatology :Solar radiation, Global energy balance
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary