Freshwater Macroinvertebrates

The purpose of this resource is to sample, identify, and count macroinvertebrates at a Hydrology Site. Students collect, sort, identify, and count macroinvertebrates from habitats at their site. Educational levels: Middle school, High school, Intermediate elementary, Primary elementary

Phenological Gardens Protocol

The purpose of this resource is to observe the flowering and leaf stages of selected garden plants throughout the year. After a phenological garden is planted, students observe the growth of leaves and blooming of flowers on the plants. These plants were selected because each plant blooms at a different time in the year. Educational levels: Primary elementary, Intermediate elementary, Middle school, High school

Modeling the Reasons for Seasonal Change

The purpose of this resource is to understand what causes the Earth's seasons with a focus on the Earth's tilt and spherical shape. Students learn how sunlight spreads over the Earth at different times of the year, emphasizing the solstices and the equinoxes. Students investigate the effect of the Earth.s tilt on the spread of sunlight by modeling different tilts using a three-dimensional polyhedron which they construct from paper. Students calculate the relative sunlight intensity received by the Northern and Southern Hemispheres to understand seasonal differences between the hemispheres. Educational levels: Middle school, High school

Land Cover Change Detection Protocol

The purpose of the resource is to investigate changes in the major land cover types of Study Sites by examining Landsat satellite images acquired years apart. Educational levels: Middle school, High school

Manual Land Cover Mapping Protocol

The purpose of the resource is to produce a land cover type map from hard copies of Landsat satellite images. Educational levels: Middle school, High school

Effects of Inputs and Outputs on a Region

The purpose of this resource is to identify what enters and leaves the regional system, and how changes in the input or output of one component can affect other components. Educational levels: Middle school, High school

Building a Thermometer

The purpose of this activity is to build an instrument that can be used to measure water temperature. Students construct a soda-bottle thermometer, which is similar to the thermometer used by GLOBE schools. Both are based on the principle that most substances expand and contract as their temperature changes. This experiment also demonstrates the principle of heat transfer. The intended outcome is that students will understand why and how a standard thermometer works. Educational levels: Middle school

Observing Visibility and Sky Color

The purpose of this activity is to observe, document, and classify changes in visibility and sky color over time and to understand the relationship between sky color, visibility, and aerosols in the atmosphere. The intended outcome is that students become aware of the changes in visibility and sky color due to particles suspended in the air. Educational levels: Primary elementary, Intermediate elementary, Middle school, High school

Calculating Relative Air Mass

The purpose of this activity is to introduce students to the concept of relative air mass and demonstrate how solar elevation angle affects the intensity of sunlight that reaches an observer on the ground. Students work in teams to calculate air mass using simple geometry. Teacher background materials are included. Educational levels: Middle school, High school

Relative and Absolute Directions

The purpose of this resource is to learn about latitude and longitude while developing math skills. Students begin by asking the simple question: 'Where Am I?' Then they learn about the magnetic Earth and the use of compasses and angles. Students also learn about the difference between relative and absolute locations. Throughout this activity, students practice using a variety of math skills. Educational levels: Primary elementary, Intermediate elementary, Middle school, High school