Browse ESS2.A Resources

NASA Our World: What is a Cloud?

Primary Topic:

Water Cycle

Subtopics:

Weather and Climate, Weather

Type:

Video

Audience:

Informal, Formal, K - 5

Standards:

ESS2.A, ESS2.C

Keywords:

clouds, water vapor

Summary:

This NASA video segment describes the different types of clouds and cloud formation. The relationship between clouds and weather on Earth is demonstrated.

NASA Our World: What is Weather

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Earth Systems, Weather

Type:

Video

Audience:

Informal, Formal, K - 5

Standards:

ESS2.A, ESS2.D

Keywords:

climate zones, air pressure, latent heat

Summary:

This NASA video segment focuses on the relationship between weather and climate. Learn how heat, air pressure, winds and moisture work together to produce local weather.

Science for a Hungry World: Growing Water Problems

Primary Topic:

Societal Applications

Subtopics:

Type:

Audience:

Standards:

Keywords:

agriculture, freshwater, models

Summary:

One of the biggest changes to global agriculture is less about the food itself as it is about the water we use to grow it. In some areas, farmers are using freshwater resources - including groundwater - at an alarming rate.

NASA Earth Science: Climate Variability and Change

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Climate, Human Impact, Technology

Type:

Website

Audience:

Informal, 6 - 8, 9 - 12

Keywords:

El Nino, oceans, climate variability, TRMM

Standards:

ESS2.A, ESS2.D

Summary:

This website explores NASA's role in characterizing, understanding and predicting climate variability and change.

NASA Earth Science: Weather

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Weather, Technology

Type:

Website

Audience:

Informal, 6 - 8, 9 - 12

Keywords:

climate variability, NOAA, TRMM

Standards:

ESS2.A, ESS2.D

Summary:

This website offer teachers and their students some background on how NASA is supporting the study of Earth's weather systems. There is a good image of TRMM data being used to understand tropical storms, and links to other websites with additional info.

Analysis of Atmospheric Conditions for a High Mountain Retreat

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Technology, Data

Type:

Lesson Plan

Audience:

Formal, 9 - 12, 6 - 8

Standards:

ESS2.A

Keywords:

weather balloons, graphing, data access, air pressure, temperature, humidity

Summary:

In this lesson, weather data from ground-based and satellite observations are analyzed for a real world application -- to plan a high mountain retreat in Tibet.

Melting Ice, Rising Seas

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Water Cycle, Climate, Human Impact, Floods

Type:

Video

Audience:

Informal, Formal, 6 - 8, 9 - 12

Standards:

ESS2.A

Keywords:

oceans, climate change, global warming, glaciers

Summary:

Using satellites, lasers, and radar in space, and dedicated researchers on the ground, NASA is studying the Earth's ice and water to better understand how sea level rise might affect us all.

The Ocean's Green Machines

Primary Topic:

Weather and Climate

Subtopics:

Water & Life, Climate

Type:

Video

Audience:

Informal, Formal, 6 - 8, 9 - 12

Standards:

ESS2.A

Keywords:

oceans, climate change, phytoplankton

Summary:

Earths climate is changing at an unprecedented rate, and as our home planet warms, so does the ocean. Warming waters have big consequences for phytoplankton and for the planet.