The Snowball Earth
This website contains an informational paper by Paul Hoffman and Daniel Schragg at Harvard University. The paper describes many lines of evidence supporting a theory that the entire Earth was ice-covered 600-700 million years ago. Each glacial period lasted for millions of years and ended violently under extreme greenhouse conditions. These climate shocks triggered the evolution of multicellular animal life, and challenge long-held assumptions regarding the limits of global change. Users can rea
Physical Geography
Physical geography is the study of the earth's dynamic systems -- its air, water, weather climate, landforms, rocks, soils, plants, ecosystems and biomes -- and how humans interact with the earth's systems. Physical geography is the study of the world around you. Everyone, every day, interacts with the earth's dynamic systems. I challenge you to join me on an exploration of the complex, and exciting world in which you live! This is a freshman level college course in physical geography. It requir
Bering Sea Climate
The Bering Sea Climate website contains time series data that measures climate and ecosystem status in the Bering Sea. The site presents data, metadata, and graphics by allowing the user to select categories and then click a button for the desired function. Data can be displayed as a list, a time series plot, or in terms of recent trends, relevance, and correlation. Measured parameters include weather, oceanographic and climate data, sea ice data, and fisheries and other biological data. The sit
Paleoceanography
This National Climate Data Center collection features links to climate data derived from ocean records. These include CLIMAP (sea surface temperature reconstructions), SPECMAP (a reconstruction based on planktonic counts and isotopic values and age and sea surface temperature models), Relative sea level, Calcium carbonate, and Foraminifera (shelled marine microorganisms) data proxies.
Paleoclimatology Education and Outreach
This NOAA website offers a collection of links to paleoclimate (past climate) information and data. Links are organized by topic, which include: highlights from the paleoclimatology program; Ocean sciences; Coral cores; Tree rings; Pollen; and Additional resources.
Natural Inquirer Climate Change Series: Beetles
The Natural Inquirer Climate Change series article Beetles are Supercool examines the life cycle of the mountain pine beetle and how climate change would influence this life cycle.
Natural Inquirer Climate Change Series: Carbon Dioxide
The Natural Inquirer Climate Change series article Where in the World is Carbon Dioxide explores how rising levels of carbon dioxide could impact United States forest.
SORCE Monitors Solar Variability during Record Solar Flares - Video version
The SORCE mission monitors solar variability to determine its impact on the Earths climate. The X-ray photometer aboard SORCE observes the record-breaking solar flares in the Fall of 2003. The line graph shows the photometers measured solar radiation flux in the 1-7 nanometer wavelength band (x-ray) ...
Ocean Surface Topography from Space
The "Global Conveyor Belt" shows how the oceans move energy from the tropics to the poles and back again in order to moderate Earth's climate. This is accomplished through long-term ocean circulation. This on-line tutorial about ocean circulation features text, pictures, and satellite imagery with links ...
Continents and Currents
Continents and Currents beautifully demonstrates how the position of continents affects the movements of ocean currents. It serves as an engaging introduction for discussions of plate tectonics, currents, climate, and even Earth history.
Water Vapor Protocol
The purpose of this activity is to measure the total precipitable water vapor (column water vapor) in the atmosphere above an observer's site. Students point a GLOBE/GIFTS water vapor instrument at the sun and record the voltage readings from a digital voltmeter. They observe sky conditions near the Sun and perform the Cloud Protocols. Intended outcomes are that students understand the concept that the atmosphere prevents some of the sun's light from reaching Earth's surface, how water vapor mea
Lake Level Changes in the Arid West
In this lab, students use STELLA modeling software to see what combinations of runoff and evaporation might have led to Pleistocene lake level oscillations. This exercise is designed to explore the impact of changes in climate on the level of lakes in the Owens River system, but it can be adapted to other areas. Learning goals, context for use, teaching tips, materials, assessment tips and related resources are provided.
The Changing Geographic Distribution of Malaria with Global Climate Warming
In this exercise, students analyze climate data to find areas in the southern United States that are now close to having conditions in which the malaria parasite and its mosquito hosts thrive. Then they attempt to forecast when areas might become climatically suitable. Learning goals, context for use, ...
Time Series Analysis of Lehigh Valley Instrumental Climate Records
In this lab, students will learn basic statistical and graph skills by analyzing real data sets of local and regional instrumental climate records for the last 100 years. They will learn how to calculate seasonal means of climate parameters, detect trends or patterns in the records, and make different ...
Western Regional Climate Center
This website provides internet access to climate data and information for the Western Region of the United States. Information has been made accessible in the areas of historical climate, WRCC projects, current observation, forecasts, monitoring, education, and travel. The web-accessible information presented on this site has been derived from data received from the National Climatic Data Center, the National Weather Service, the National Resource Conservation Service, the Bureau of Land Managem
Idaho Climate Summaries
This site provides climate summaries from one-hundred and fifty two regional stations throughout Idaho. The extensive climate summaries include datasets, tables, descriptions, and maps particular to each region.
Spatial Climate Analysis Service
This web site provides access to high-quality spatial climate data sets. The site provides: up-to-date and historical monthly climate data sets and graphics for the continental United States, related papers and presentations, as well as hard copies of maps for purchase.
The Lowdown on Climate Change (Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears Podcast Episode 4)
There is so much information available about climate change that knowing what to do about it becomes overwhelming. Where do you start? What can you do?
Climate Challenge Game
Climate Challenge is a single-player game about climate change, playable for free on the BBC website. It is a sandbox-style strategy game based on real climate change data, where the player can try out different approaches, learn about the issues and have fun at the same time.
Climate Change Graphics from the Hall of Planet Earth
This collection of Climate Change Graphics is from Earth: Inside and Out, part of the Museum's Seminars on Science series. These distance-learning courses are designed to help educators meet the new national science standards.
