LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP

May 17, 2011

NASA Earth Climate Course

Presented by: Marge Marcy

What Determines a Planet’s Climate?

EARTH CLIMATE COURSE

Over view of Session

• NES website– Where to find the materials

• Introduction to the Earth Climate Course– Modeling of Hot and Cold Planets– Experimenting with Computer Models– Exploring the Affects of atmosphere

on planetary temperatures

Have you looked at the NES website?

√ Yes

X No

NASA Explorer School Website

• http://explorerschools.nasa.gov

• Virtual Campus

Earth Climate Website

• http://icp.giss.nasa.gov/education/modules/eccm/

National Science Education Content Standard D: Earth and Space Science  Earth in the Solar System

• Earth is third planet from Sun• Sun is the major source of energy• Reasons for the seasons

Climate vs Weather

• What is the difference between weather and climate?

• Describe the climate where you live

• What factors do you think influence the climate of Earth?

Do you think the distance away from the light/ heat source have an effect on a planet’s temperature?

If so what effect. {type in chat}√ Yes X No

What are the average temperatures for……

Modeling Hot and Cold Planets- Set-up

• Each Group• Light and dark craft

sand• 2 plastic containers• Energy source 100-

150 watt heat lamp

• Adjustable lamp stand

• Thermometer• Stop watch• Plastic wrap/plastic

bag

Distances

• Recommendations

• 20 cm distance from the light– Take temperatures at 5,10 and 15 minutes

• 50 cm distance from the light

Take temperatures at 5,10 and 15 minutes

• 80 cm distance from the light

Take temperatures at 5,10 and 15 minutes

Convert all units to metric ( conversion formulas are helpful

How many

Let’s Pause for Questions????

Computer Model

EARTH CLIMATE COURSE

http://icp.giss.nasa.gov/education/modules/eccm/model/

Distance

Graph

Variables students can control

You Try It!

When the web tour opens do the following:

• Run the simulation with the default variables by clicking the ‘start’ button.

• Change each of the variables – room temperature, reflection coefficient, source power and distance, one at a time, then start again and see what happens.

Share Your Results!

Type in the chat and

share your observations!

Let’s Pause for Questions????

Role of the Atmosphere

EARTH CLIMATE COURSE

DATA COLLECTION 15 Earth Observing

Satellites Information on:

AtmosphereBiosphereCryosphereOceansLand Surface

TERRA

Collect information on Earth’s changing climate.

AQUA Collecting information

on water in the Earth system

Studies the fluxes of radiation from the Sun and From the Earth that combine to constitute the Earth’s radiation balance.

CERES Sensor- Cloud and

Earth’s Radiant Energy System

Measure the total thermal radiation budget

SEASONAL CHANGES IN ENERGY

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/GlobalMaps/view.php?d1=CERES_NETFLUX_M#

GLORY

•Launch February 23

•Understand the Earth’s energy balance

•The effect of the energy balance on climate requires the measuring

•Black carbon soot•Aerosols

•Total solar irradiance

•

Basic Parts of the Radiation Budget

* Solar Incident Energy * Solar Reflected Energy * Earth Emitted Energy

Summary

• What key concepts should the students learn from these experiments?

• What Determines a Planet’s climate?

NEON

Thank you to the sponsor of tonight's Web Seminar:

This web seminar contains information about programs, products, and services offered by third parties, as well as links to third-party websites. The presence of a listing or such information does not constitute an endorsement by NSTA of a

particular company or organization, or its programs, products, or services.

http://learningcenter.nsta.org

http://www.elluminate.com

National Science Teachers AssociationDr. Francis Q. Eberle, Executive Director

Zipporah Miller, Associate Executive Director Conferences and Programs

Al Byers, Assistant Executive Director e-Learning

LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP

NSTA Web SeminarsPaul Tingler, Director

Jeff Layman, Technical Coordinator