Conduct this EO Kids mini-lesson with your students to explore the phenomenon of Urban Heat Island Effect.

Students will identify and describe the relationship between land cover classification and surface temperature as they relate to the urban heat island effect. Students will also describe patterns between population density and the locations of urban heat islands. 

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 modified from The NASA PUMAS Collection's "What makes cities hot?

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.

This story map allows students to explore the urban heat island effect using land surface temperature and vegetation data in a 5 E-learning cycle.

Teachers, are you looking for resources to help you engage students in data analysis related to the Urban Heat Island in North America?

Check out this monthly 2018 poster card set featuring two science variables related to Urban Heat Islands: Monthly Surface Air Temperature (degrees Celsius) &  Monthly Daytime Skin Temperature (degrees Celsius).