In addition to the changes brought about by natural forces, it has recently become apparent that a relative newcomer to planet Earth — the human being — has become a powerful agent of environmental change.

Students watch videos and/or review articles related to particulate matter and how this pollutant is monitored and measured, then provide their understanding individually or in groups.

Students explore albedo, sea ice, and the relationship between changing albedo and changing sea ice using data visualizations. 

Test your knowledge of soil moisture and its effect on global populations.  Soil moisture is the amount of water contained

The Urban Heat Island Implementation Sequence provides a series of lessons and activities for students to learn about the processes that create differences in surface temperatures, as well as how human activities have led to the creation of urban heat islands. 
 

Students watch a 28-minute video on NASA's involvement in fighting wildfires.

Use the AirNow.gov website to determine current air quality in US locations, as well as other information.

Worldview is a valuable resource in understanding information about the atmosphere. Learn how to access models in order to answer your own questions.

Students interpret AQI maps and charts to compare today’s AQI with the past five days. Using the EPA’s air quality activity guides, students create a social media post for residents of their region providing key information related to today’s AQI.

Explore and connect to GLOBE protocol bundles. Each bundle has related Earth System Data Explorer datasets identified.