In this activity, students learn about the urban heat island effect by investigating which areas of their schoolyard have higher temperatures - trees, grass, asphalt, and other materials. Based on their results, they hypothesize how concentrations of surfaces that absorb heat might affect the temperature in cities - the urban heat island effect. Then they analyze data about the history of Los Angeles heat waves and look for patterns in the Los Angeles climate data and explore patterns.

This color-coded map displays a progression of changing five-year average global surface temperatures anomalies from 1880 through 2010. The final frame represents global temperature anomalies averaged from 2006 to 2010. The temperature anomalies are computed relative to the base period 1951-1980.

This NASA animation of the Five-Year Average Global Temperature Anomalies from 1881 to 2009 shows how temperature anomalies have varied in the last 130 years. The color-coded map displays a long-term progression of changing global surface temperatures from 1881 to 2009. Dark red indicates the greatest warming and dark blue indicates the greatest cooling.

In this activity, students calculate temperatures during a time in the geologic record when rapid warming occurred using a well known method called 'leaf-margin analysis.' Students determine the percentage of the species that have leaves with smooth edges, as opposed to toothed, or jagged, edges. Facsimiles of fossil leaves from two collection sites are examined, categorized, and the data is plugged into an equation to provide an estimate of paleotemperature for two sites in the Bighorn Basin. It also introduces students to a Smithsonian scientist who worked on the excavation sites and did the analysis.

In this activity, students will use oxygen isotope values of two species of modern coral to reconstruct ambient water temperature over a four-year period. They use Microsoft Excel, or similar application, to create a spreadsheet of temperature values calculated from the isotope values of the corals by means of an algebraic equation. Students then use correlation and regression techniques to determine whether isotope records can be considered to be good proxies for records of past temperatures.

This video documents how scientists, using marine algae, can study climate change in the past to help understand potential effects of climate change in the future.

This video montage of spectacular NASA satellite images set to music shows different types of ice and ice features as well as descriptions of satellite-based measurements of ice cover. Text captioning describes how global ice cover is changing, and how this is measured.

Focusing on air, water, land and life, this video describes how these components are connected in the Earth system through the flow of energy, cycles of water and biogeochemistry. Methods of studying the Earth system, ranging from field observations to analysis of satellite images are discussed. This video is one of the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment), a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video demonstrates students measuring the alkalinity of a water sample, using an alkalinity test kit. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Alkalinity Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of seven videos on hydrology in a 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment), a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video introduces the measurement of dissolved oxygen in a water body as an important indicator of ecosystem health, and demonstrates students analyzing a water sample for dissolved oxygen. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Dissolved Oxygen Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of seven videos on hydrology in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment), a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

The video is a procedural guide to sampling electrical conductivity measurements in water bodies using standardized GLOBE protocols. It provides a step-by-step explanation of the field procedure and features students conducting the investigation and asking questions about measuring electrical conductivity and what these measurements mean with respect to water impurities and dissolved solids. The resource includes a video, transcript, and is supported by the Electrical Conductivity Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of seven videos on hydrology in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video provides a step-by-step guide to determining nitrate and nitrite concentrations in a water sample, using a nitrate testing kit. It describes what chemical reactions are taking place throughout the testing process. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Nitrate Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of seven videos on hydrology in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

The video is a procedural guide to sampling salinity measurements in water bodies in the field. It provides a step-by-step explanation of field procedures and features students conducting the investigation and asking questions about what changes in salinity could indicate in rivers, lakes, and estuaries. The resource includes a video, transcript, and is supported by the Salinity Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of seven videos on hydrology in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment), a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video demonstrates students measuring the acidity of water, using pH indicator paper and a pH meter. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Water pH Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of seven videos on hydrology in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment), a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video highlights students taking scientific measurements to support investigations in atmospheric science, hydrology, soils, and land cover. It shows students reporting data through the Web, creating scientific visualizations for analysis, and collaborating with students and scientists around the world. This is one of two introductory videos in the 24-part GLOBE video series. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video demonstrates students locating and preparing a study site where they can conduct field observations. The procedure used when describing a soil profile is outlined. The properties of soil are described, including the structure, color, consistence, and texture, as well as the presence of roots, rocks and free carbonates. Safety precautions are stressed. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Soil Characterization, Field Measurement Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher Guide. This is one of five videos about soils in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video describes how to select a soil infiltration study site, and demonstrates procedures used when taking soil infiltration in the field. Instructions for fabricating a necessary piece of field equipment, a dual-ring soil infiltrometer, are provided. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Soil Infiltration Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of five videos about soils in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video describes how to select a soil moisture study site and sampling strategy, and identifies what laboratory instruments will be needed to complete a soil moisture analysis. Students are shown collecting soil moisture data and asking questions about what soil moisture data might tell them about the environment. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Soil Moisture Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of five videos about soils in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment), a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video describes how to select a soil temperature study site, and demonstrates the procedure students use when taking soil temperature measurements in the field. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Soil Temperature Protocol in the GLOBE Teacher Guide. This is one of five videos about soils in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.

This video demonstrates students measuring the transparency of water, a measure of water quality, using a Secchi disk or turbidity tube. Field measurements of water temperature are also shown. The resource includes a video and a written transcript, and is supported by the Water Transparency and Temperature Protocols in the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. This is one of seven videos on hydrology in the 24-part instructional video series describing scientific protocols used by GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment), a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program.