This is an activity about assessing magnetic activity on the Sun as astronomers do. Learners will select and compare five visible light solar images and identify and label each individual sunspot group. Then, learners will count all possible sunspots from each group and use both counts in a standard equation to calculate the Relative Sunspot Number for each respective solar image. This activity requires access to the internet to obtain images from the SOHO image archive. This is Activity 8 of the Space Weather Forecast curriculum.

This online, facilitated course is designed for middle-school educators wishing to teach global climate change using an inquiry/problem-based approach. Teachers access the course by registering with PBS TeacherLine and enrolling in the course. The course supports teaching global climate change using a problem-solving approach and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) methodology to engage middle-school students and help them understand the causes and effects of climate change and learn about the differences between climate and weather and how actions and nature affect the environment. The course includes pedagogic support for educators who are interested in using Web 2.0 tools when teaching about climate change in the classroom. Enhance content knowledge of climate change and learn how to effectively implement STEM instructional strategies using resources from NASA and WGBH’s Teachers’ Domain.

In this online, interactive module, students learn about the three types of satellite images (visible, infrared, and water vapor); how to identify basic cloud types and storm systems in satellite images; and demonstrate the basic knowledge necessary to interpret satellite observations. The module is part of an online course for grades 7-12 in satellite meteorology, which includes 10 interactive modules. The site also includes lesson plans developed by teachers and links to related resources. Each module is designed to serve as a stand-alone lesson, however, a sequential approach is recommended. Designed to challenge students through the end of 12th grade, middle school teachers and students may choose to skim or skip a few sections.

In this online, interactive module, students learn about the using successive satellite observations of clouds to determine wind direction and speed. The module is part of an online course for grades 7-12 in satellite meteorology, which includes 10 interactive modules. The site also includes lesson plans developed by teachers and links to related resources. Each module is designed to serve as a stand-alone lesson, however, a sequential approach is recommended. Designed to challenge students through the end of 12th grade, middle school teachers and students may choose to skim or skip a few sections.

Students create a model of the solar system using beads and a piece of string. The scale model is for distances planets are from the Sun, not sizes of the planets in comparison to the Sun. Students use ratios to calculate the distances they need to use to create their model. Once students complete their models, there are many possibilities for extension discussions and extension questions.

This is a reading associated with activities during Solar Week, a twice-yearly event in March and October during which classrooms are able to interact with scientists studying the Sun. Outside of Solar Week, information, activities, and resources are archived and available online at any time. Learners will read about how scientists observe the Sun using imagery and telescopes. Links to other online resources are included. This activity is scheduled to occur during Tuesday of Solar Week.

This is an activity about space weather. Learners will use the Internet, print, video, CDROM, or other sources of information to research the answers to questions specifically related to solar wind and its impact on Earth. This is Activity 10 of the Space Weather Forecast curriculum.

This is an activity about measurement. Learners will label key points and features on a rectangular equal-area map and measure the distance between pairs of points in order to calculate the actual physical distance on the Sun that the point pairs represent. This is Activity 5 of the Space Weather Forecast curriculum.

This activity is based on an activity from NASA's Solar Math.  This activity has students analyzing sunspot cycle data.  Students find patterns within the data to explore sunspot cycles.

This resource is a lab in which students will use spectroscopes to look at emissions from known emission tubes and lights.  They will use this knowledge/skill to understand how scientists know what elements make up stars.  There are two handouts for students, one is to record observations and the other asks the students questions.

This module guides students through some relatively new satellite meteorology satellites. It is part of an online course for grades 7-12 in satellite meteorology, which includes 10 modules with numerous interactives. The site also includes lesson plans developed by teachers and links to related resources. Each module is designed to serve as a stand-alone lesson, however, a sequential approach is recommended. Designed to challenge students through the end of 12th grade, middle school teachers and students may choose to skim or skip a few sections.

This is an activity about cause and effect. Learners will calculate the approximate travel time of each solar wind event identified in the previous activity in this set to estimate the time at which the disturbance would have left the Sun. Then, they will examine solar images in an attempt to identify the event on the Sun that may have caused the specific solar wind episode. This is Activity 12 of the Space Weather Forecast curriculum.

In this problem-based learning (PBL) activity, students take on the role of a student research scientist and explore the role of solar energy in determining climate. Students conduct experiments to determine the role of albedo in surface warming by investigating the temperature of a variety of surfaces in the environment. The activity should be conducted on a sunny day. Materials required for the investigation include thermometers and paper cups. The lesson is supported by teacher notes, answer key, glossary and an appendix with information about using PBL in the classroom. This is the first of three activities in Investigating the Climate System: Energy, a Balancing Act.

In this lesson, students will learn about the water cycle and how energy from the sun and the force of gravity drive this cycle. This lesson plan is intended for teachers to use with their middle school students to learn about the water cycle and the forces that drive it. The emphasis in this lesson will be on having students understand the processes that take place in moving water through Earth’s system.Â

In this lesson, students will learn about the water cycle and how energy from the sun and the force of gravity drive this cycle. This lesson plan is intended for teachers to use with their middle school students to learn about the water cycle and the forces that drive it. The emphasis in this lesson will be on having students understand the processes that take place in moving water through Earth's system.

In this online, interactive module, students will learn how to interpret weather patterns from satellite images, predict storm paths and forecast the weather for their area. The module is part of an online course for grades 7-12 in satellite meteorology, which includes 10 interactive modules. The site also includes lesson plans developed by teachers and links to related resources. Each module is designed to serve as a stand-alone lesson, however, a sequential approach is recommended. Designed to challenge students through the end of 12th grade, middle school teachers and students may choose to skim or skip a few sections.

In this interactive, online module, students learn about satellite orbits (geostationary and polar), remote-sensing satellite instruments (radiometers and sounders), satellite images, and the math and physics behind satellite technology. The module is part of an online course for grades 7-12 in satellite meteorology, which includes 10 interactive modules. The site also includes lesson plans developed by teachers and links to related resources. Each module is designed to serve as a stand-alone lesson, however, a sequential approach is recommended. Designed to challenge students through the end of 12th grade, middle school teachers and students may choose to skim or skip a few sections.

This is an activity about light and shadow. Learners will make outdoor sundials. They will use the sundial and the length of the shadow that is cast to explore the relationship between the size and position of the shadows and the position of the Sun in the sky. to measure the lengths of the shadows made directly by the Sun at various times. The activity requires access to a sunny outdoor location. This is Activity 5 of the Sun As a Star afterschool curriculum.

This is an activity about light. Learners will make their own spectroscopes from easily obtainable materials and use prisms to observe different types of white light sources to see the colors that form the visible light spectrum. This is Activity 2 of the Sun As a Star afterschool curriculum.

This is an activity about what individuals already know about the Sun. Learners will brainstorm and share with the group their prior knowledge about the Sun. This is Activity 1 of the Sun As a Star afterschool curriculum.