Students learn that snow can be various shades but is usually light in color, which reflects most of the sunlight that hits it, unlike darker materials.
Learn how snowflakes form and about their unique patterns, and then use images of real snowflakes to create your own snowflake model.
Will freezing rain cause an ice storm? Will it rain or snow? Each of these different types of precipitation is possible with a winter storm.
Resource Type: Information
This hands-on inquiry activity allows students to explore how the color of materials that cover the Earth affects the amounts of sunlight it absorbs using a simple model.
Resource Type: Activities
To understand how and why the climate has changed in the past scientists study evidence such as ice cores, coral reefs, and more. Learn about different types of paleoclimate proxies and how they tell the story of Earth's past climate.
Resource Type: Information
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Climate models predict that Earth’s global average temperate will rise in the future. By the end of the century, 2°C of warming may be inevitable and, if greenhouse gases continue to rise at current levels, warming of about 4°C (7.2°F) can be expected. Only with swift action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will we be able to reduce some of the projected impacts of climate change.
Resource Type: Information
Accounting for all the energy that enters and leaves the Earth system helps us understand how the planet maintains a habitable temperature. This accounting of energy is known as Earth’s radiation budget.
Resource Type: Information
The surface of the Earth is a patchwork of many colors. Find out how the colors of our planet impact climate.
Resource Type: Information