Lesson Plans - Mission Earth
Lesson Plans
Looking for lesson plan ideas?
Check out the links and documents below for lesson plans using NASA resources, GLOBE and other geospatial technologies, for all grade levels!
SRS Backward Planning Guide - Use this guide to prepare your students to present at the Pacific Student Research Symposium and/or International Virtual Science Symposium.
HS & MS Project Rubric- This project rubric has been developed by GME teachers and is intended for those teachers who engage their students in project-based learning with the intent of presenting their research at a local exhibition, regional Student Research Symposium (SRS) or International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS). Teachers who complete this rubric for each project team should submit a copy of the completed rubric to their GME contacts.
Poster Template- The HS & MS rubric aligns with the poster template used for the SRS and/or IVSS.
Using the GLOBE Viz Tool to understand latitude and longitude. This is a powerpoint with embedded activities the teaches students latitude and longitude coordinates. There are two practice activities embedded in the powerpoint that guide students into understanding coordinates in maps and how to use the GLOBE visualization tool to identify sites' latitude and longitude.
Heating Things Up Lesson - Use this lesson plan to conduct the Heating Things Up activity, which investigates surface temperatures of various media and serves as an engagement activity leading to discussion and investigation of the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE). Appropriate for all grade levels.
Heating Things Up Book - Background information on the Heating Things Up Activity. Appropriate for all grade levels.
NASA and GLOBE Assets to support a unit on Climate Change - This document has loads of GLOBE and NASA resources to support your unit on climate change. Connections are made according to scientific phenomenon: carbon cycle, atmosphere ic CO2 levels, sea level rise, ocean acidification and air/surface level temperatures (Urban Heat Island Effect).
Sample HoloGLOBE Lesson - This sample lesson answers the questions: How can we evaluate Earth Systems over time? What factors influence how Earth Systems change over time? How can technology be used to minimize the effects of human impacts on Earth Systems? Using a smart phone, the HoloGLOBE app, and the MERGE Cube, teachers can engage students in the use of technology, GLOBE protocols, and NASA data to strengthen STEM Learning.
Pedosphere LaMotte Test Instructions; Student Friendly - This set of soil fertility test instructions are adapted from the LaMotte Garden Soil Test Kit.
Data Entry and Visualization Activity - Use this activity to teach students how to enter data into the GLOBE website and how to use the GLOBE Visualization tool to access school data or data from any school in the world. This activity requires students to set up a training site at their school and based on Sample Site Definition. Then students practice entering data using Sample Atmosphere Data and Sample Hydrosphere Data.
Scavenger Hunt - This scavenger hunt challenges teachers, students and GLOBE partners to use the GLOBE Visualization tool to explore data around the world, sample data sets and uses inquiry fro developing student research questions. This activity is in Microsoft word and can be edited to your school site.
Urban Heat Island Field Guide (Protocols) - An abbreviated version of Surface Temperatures, air temperature and clouds field guide for students.
Urban Heat Island Data sheet - This is an adapted version of the surface temperature data sheet. This data sheet includes surface temperature site definition information. The Atmosphere Clouds data sheet should be copied on the back side of this data sheet.
Featured Lessons
NASA MAKER WORKSHOP - This is a powerpoint that can be posted on your google classroom that gives middle school students opportunities to build, create or draw STEM-related content areas. All links are to the NASA STEM website.
On-Line Student Activity on Data Analysis - This activity uses the MyNASAData website. Students are instructed to analyze 3 sets of same data. One set of data is surface sea temperatures using satellite images, the second set uses the same data at a line graph and the third set of sea surface temperatures used a data table. Students use analytical and critical thinking skills to determine which data set(s) would be best for a poster presentation. The follow up to this activity is for students to analyze their own data and determine the best means of visualization for the data they have collected.
HoloGLOBE: Blend Data Analysis, Technology, and Inquiry with this lesson using the HoloGLOBE app! This lesson incorporates the use of a Merge Cube with the free HoloGLOBE app to bring excitement to your classroom.
Students use the HoloGLOBE to investigate, "What factors may influence Earth Systems?". Students will use a smart phone, iPad or other camera-enabled device with touchpad with the HoloGLOBE app downloaded onto and it hold a Merge Cube to view MyNASAData data layers on the HoloGLOBE.
Student outcomes include: Using technology (HoloGLOBE) to evaluate the change of Earth Systems over time; identifying the factors that NASA Satellites monitor on the Earth; and developing or evaluating technology that can minimize the influence of human impacts on Earth Systems.