Mini Lesson/Activity
Relationship Between Surface Temperature and Vegetation
Overview
Students analyze Landsat images of Atlanta, Georgia to explore the relationship between surface temperature and vegetation.
Student Directions
Vegetation |
Surface Temperature |
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Steps:
- Answer the questions below. Check with your instructor on how to submit your answers.
- Review the Landsat mapped image showing Vegetation of the Atlanta, Georgia region May 1, 2018. It shows Vegetation Index; it is a measure of how much near-infrared radiation is reflected at the surface and can be used to identify the locations of plants.
- Review the color bar below. On the legend below, areas with a vegetation index closer to 1 contain plant life, while areas less than 0 represent areas that do not contain plant life.
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Select a quadrant to analyze in the image below and answer the questions.
- Where do you find the largest and the smallest values in your quadrant.
- What kinds of environments may exist in an urban environment like Atlanta that would include areas of more/less vegetation?
- Using the vegetation map, make predictions about where you would likely find the hottest and coolest temperatures in the Atlanta metro area.
- Now observe the surface temperature image from Landsat below and review the color bar. This image shows Surface Temperature of the Atlanta, Georgia region May 1, 2018; it represents the temperature of the Earth’s surface (expressed in degrees Fahrenheit).
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Now analyze the same quadrant as with the previous map.
- Students answer the the following questions.
- Are your predictions correct? Why or Why not?
- What patterns do you observe?
- What are the tradeoffs to urban development?
Sources:
- Landsat Collection 2 Surface Temperature | US Geological Survey. (n.d.). USGS.gov. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-collection-2-surface-temp…
- Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index | US Geological Survey. (n.d.). USGS.gov. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-normalized-difference-veg…
Teacher Note
Teachers, these mini lessons/student activities are perfect "warm up" tasks that can be used as a hook, bellringer, exit slip, etc. They take less than a class period to complete. Learn more on the "My NASA Data What are Mini Lessons?" page.
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