The ocean's surface is not level, and sea levels change in response to changes in chemistry and temperature. Sophisticated satellite measurements are required for scientists to document current sea level rise.
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This learning activity uses data acquired by the TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter, a joint project of NASA and the French Space Agency, to investigate the relationship between the topography of a sea-floor feature and the topography of the overlying sea surface.
Test your knowledge of sea level rise and its effect on global populations.
Students analyze historic plant growth data (i.e., Peak Bloom dates) of Washington, D.C.’s famous cherry blossom trees, as well as atmospheric near surface temperatures as evidence for explaining the phenomena of earlier Peak Blooms in our nation’s capital.
In this activity, students will use sea-level rise data to create models and compare short-term trends to long-term trends. They will then determine whether sea-level rise is occurring based on the data.
In this activity, students will model the geometry of solar eclipses by plotting a few points on a piece of graph paper, and using quarters and a nickel to represent the Sun and Moon (not to scale).
This video addresses the following question: "As you think about exploring the data that you have collected, what are the approaches that you use to organize your data and/or process your data before you make meaning from the data?"
This video addresses the following question: "As you look at a data set(s) that has been collected, could you help us understand how you use data visualizations to shape new questions to explore further in the data set(s)?"
This video addresses the following question: "As you think about how you use data visualization(s) to communicate your findings with others, can you describe how you refine the visualization(s) that you present to better support the story that you are sharing with the data visualization?"
This video addresses the following question: "We know that science is very much an iterative process. Can you describe for us your process for developing your follow-up questions after you have interpreted a set of data?"