List of all Cryosphere Mini Lessons

Select a Sphere:

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Atmosphere
black biosphere icon
Biosphere
color cryosphere icon
Cryosphere
black geosphere icon
Geosphere
black hydrosphere icon
Hydrosphere
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Earth as a System


Select a Grade Band:
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3-12
elementary grade icon
3-5
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6-8
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9-12
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

The advance-and-retreat cycle of snow cover drastically changes the whiteness and brightness of Earth. Using two maps created using NASA satellite data for 2017, students review the seasonal differences of snow and ice extent and answer questions on their observations.

Grade Level: 6-8

Students review a visualization showing a global view of the top-of-atmosphere longwave radiation from January 26 and 27, 2012. They review the supporting text and analyze the data in the visualization to answer questions.

Grade Level: 6-8

Students review a video showing a global view of the top-of-atmosphere shortwave radiation from January 26 and 27, 2012 and answer the questions that follow.

Grade Level: 6-8

Arctic sea ice is the cap of frozen seawater blanketing most of the Arctic Ocean and neighboring seas in wintertime. It follows seasonal patterns of thickening and melting. Students view how the quantity has changed from 1979 through 2018. 

Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12

Students examine the two time series images to determine the differences between seasonal ice melt over water versus land.

Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8

Students watch the video Frozen Earth and answer the following questions that discuss how ice helps moderate the planet's temperature using NASA satellites.

Mini lessons are intended to be short engagement activities that teachers may assign as bell-ringers, exit slips, or parts of larger learning lessons. These include activities where students interact with NASA maps, graphs, and datasets from the atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and the earth system.