The world's surface air temperature is getting warmer. Whether the cause is human activity or natural changes in the Earth System—and the enormous body of evidence says it’s humans—thermometer readings all around the world have risen steadily since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. 

Students watch a short video to gather information about sources of methane emissions and then extend their understanding of these sources to evaluate monthly trends in the Alaska region, ultimately making connections to Earth’s energy budget.

Students analyze surface air temperature anomalies to identify change with respect to different latitudes across the world.

Students construct explanations about Earth’s energy budget by connecting a model with observations from side-by-side animations of the monthly mapped data showing incoming and outgoing shortwave radiation from Earth’s surface.

Students analyze a graph that illustrates the change in global surface temperature relative to 1951-1980 average temperatures.

Students will analyze a line graph that shows how the surface temperature and air temperature values change over the course of 24 hours.

Students observe the map image, individually, looking for changes in surface air temperatures (using data displayed, unit of measure, range of values, etc.) and noticeable patterns.

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.

This page explains the purpose of interactives in My NASA Data and how they can be incorporated into instruction and support learning.

Students watch a NOVA PBS video about the different effects of clouds on climate and Earth's energy budget. Then they answer questions and brainstorm to complete a flow chart of events that might occur if the percentage of absorbing clouds increases.