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

Diagramming the Study Site for Others

The purpose of this resource is to develop the best possible representation of the study site as a system. Students visit a study site, where they observe and recall their existing knowledge of air, water, soil, and living things to make a list of interconnections among the four Earth system components. They make predictions about the effects of a change in a system, inferring ways these changes affect the characteristics of other related components. Educational levels: Middle school, High school

Soil Particle Size Distribution Protocol

The purpose of this resource is to sure the distribution of different sizes of soil particles in each horizon of a soil profile. Using dry, sieved soil from a horizon, students mix the soil with water and a dispersing solution to completely separate the particles from each other. Students shake the mixture to fully suspend the soil in the water. The soil particles are then allowed to settle out of suspension, and the specific gravity and temperature of the suspension are measured using a hydrometer and thermometer. These measurements are taken after 2 minutes and 24 hours. Educational levels: Middle school, High school