An important scientific practice is the asking and refining of questions that lead to rich descriptions, explanations, and reasoning of how the natural and designed world works, as well as those investigations of variables that can be empirically tested.

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

This content has been moved. You can find it under Interactive Weather Observations link.

In this mini-lesson, students analyze soil moisture quantities associated with Hurricane Harvey around Houston, Texas on August 25, 2017.

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 observe monthly images of changing vegetation patterns, looking for seasonal changes occurring throughout 2017. These data can be used by students to develop their own models of change.

This content has been moved. You can find it under Exploring Sky Color and Visibility (Interactive Models).

Watch the video and have students answer the questions about Earth's cryosphere.

Scientists and engineers use and develop models for representing ideas and explanations.

Scientists and engineers develop the procedures for their research and then carry out their investigations in a variety of environments (i.e., in the lab, outdoors, with others, as well as independently).  They must plan in advance their criteria for the data they wish to collect, the conditions