GLOBE Connections

GLOBE Connections: Changing Air Temperatures

Monthly Surface Air Temperature

This resource helps to identify and access GLOBE protocols and hands-on learning activities that complement the Changing Air Temperatures phenomenon.

Visit the GLOBE Atmosphere Protocols & Related ESDE Datasets page that outlines the datasets available in the Earth System Data Explorer. These data complement student GLOBE investigations using the following protocols.

Changing Air Temperatures

Protocols

GLOBE protocols can be used to collect many types of data to examine changing air temperatures. Students can use the protocols to collect data and share their data with other GLOBE students around the world. As scientists continue their study changing air temperatures, they can use these data.

1. Air Temperature - Students collect current air temperature is measured using a thermometer held in the open air but in the shade for at least 3 minutes.

2. Surface Temperature - Students use an infrared thermometer (IRT) to measure the temperature of the Earth's surface.

Protocol Bundles

These protocol bundles are related to air temperature.

1. ENSO Protocol Bundle - This bundle includes atmosphere, hydrosphere, and pedosphere protocols that are used for the GLOBE ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Campaign which has been formulated to engage students in determining where and how much El Niño affects local places and to put students in contact with the resulting patterns in their local environment. 

2. Mosquito Protocol Bundle - This protocol bundle combines all GLOBE protocols that are related to the Mosquito habitat mapper app and explains how they are related. You can make a difference in tracking and controlling the spread of mosquitoes and help save your loved ones from getting dengue, Zika, and other illnesses. 

3. Urban Protocol Bundle - The purpose of the Urban Bundle is to suggest a group of GLOBE protocols that can provide students and teachers with an integrated knowledge of the environment in urban areas, including various processes and their interactions. Given the many small-scale variations caused by the built environment, such citizen science contributions are particularly needed to adequately characterize the urban environment. 

4. Weather Bundle - The purpose of the Weather Bundle is to suggest a group of GLOBE protocols that can provide students and teachers with an integrated knowledge of the parameters and processes which control the weather and are responsible through their changes, for weather events. 

Learning Activities

Each of the GLOBE protocols has a set of learning activities to help students learn more about the instruments and procedures for the measurements, the content associated with the protocol and ways students and scientists can use the data that is being collected. There is a link for all atmosphere learning activities and those that have been selected for Changing Air Temperatures are detailed below.

  1. Atmosphere Learning Activities Introduction (pdf)
  2. All GLOBE Atmosphere Learning Activities

Phenomenon-Related Learning Activities:

    Data Literacy Cube Graph Icon     3. Climate and Latitude

     Overview: Students match GLOBE temperature data with its location given what they know about the relationship between latitude and seasonal temperature variations.

    Student Outcomes:

    • Match graphs of temperature data with locations given the latitude.
    • Explain why they matched each graph to a particular location using the knowledge that seasonal differences are larger further from the equator and temperatures are warmer near the equator.

    GLOBE Climate and Latitude - A GLOBE Data Exploration Page 6

    4. How Do Seasonal Temperature Patterns Vary Among Different Regions of the World?

    Data Literacy Cube Data IconData Literacy Cube Graph IconData Literacy Cube Map IconOverview: Students use GLOBE visualizations to display student data on maps and to learn about seasonal changes in regional and global temperature patterns. 

    Student Outcomes:

    • Summarize the effect of latitude, elevation, and geography on global temperature patterns;
    • Explore local and regional seasonal variations.

    GLOBE How Do Seasonal Temperature Patterns Vary Among Different Regions of the World - Page 7

    5. Land, Water, and Air
    Overview: Students measure temperature change in soil, water, and air as they are exposed to the heating action of the sun.

    Student Outcomes:

    • Students gain an understanding of GLOBE specifications for the instrument shelter and perform a guided inquiry project. 

    Land, Water and Air

    Source: www.globe.gov