An urban heat island is a phenomenon that is best described when a city experiences much warmer temperatures than in nearby rural areas. The sun’s heat and light reach the city and the country in the same way. The difference in temperature between urban and less-developed rural areas has to do with how well the surfaces in each environment absorb and hold heat.

In this lesson, students will explore the effect of aerosols on sky color and visibility by using an interactive virtual model. 

My NASA Data StoryMaps provide an engaging and interactive way to explore Earth science topics using real NASA data. By integrating storytelling with interactive technology, these resources make complex scientific concepts more accessible and relevant to students.

Interpret the map, or model, to find patterns in the occurrence of tropical cyclones from 1842 through 2018.

NASA visualizers take data – numbers, codes – and turn them into animations people can see and quickly understand.

Students will analyze and interpret graphs to compare the flow of (shortwave) energy from the Sun toward China over the course of a year on cloudy versus clear days. Students will draw a conclusion and support it with evidence.

In this activity, students explore the Urban Heat Island Effect phenomenon by collecting temperatures of different materials with respect to their locations.  

This activity was developed by NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) team as an introductory experience to a series of lessons about water resources on Earth.

Help learners envision themselves as explorers, scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians as they venture into the summer months.  Download the PDF of the two sided document on cardstock and have students imagine and illustrate themselves! 

Students collect and analyze temperature data to explore what governs how much energy is reflected.