Amazing Albedo
http://www.amnh.org/content/download/1709/24545/file/aa_a04_albedo.pdf
http://www.amnh.org/content/download/1709/24545/file/aa_a04_albedo.pdf
American Museum of Natural History and Rice University
Activity takes one 45-minute class period. Additional materials required.
Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»
See how this Activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards»
Grade Level
Climate Literacy
This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.
Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.
Energy Literacy
This Activity builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.
Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.
Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines
1. Questioning, Analysis and Interpretation Skills:B) Designing investigations
Other materials addressing:
B) Designing investigations.
Other materials addressing:
B) Designing investigations.
1. Questioning, Analysis and Interpretation Skills:C) Collecting information
Other materials addressing:
C) Collecting information.
Other materials addressing:
C) Collecting information.
2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.1 The Earth as a Physical System:A) Processes that shape the Earth
Other materials addressing:
A) Processes that shape the Earth.
Other materials addressing:
A) Processes that shape the Earth.
2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.1 The Earth as a Physical System:C) Energy
Other materials addressing:
C) Energy.
Other materials addressing:
C) Energy.
Notes From Our Reviewers
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Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
Teaching Tips
- Have students write out their hypothesis/prediction before they begin. Let students choose other materials to determine the albedo that exist in nature, i.e. different leaf types, substrates, etc.
- Instructors need to emphasize that color affects albedo but is not albedo. Albedo is a measure of the reflectivity of a surface.
- Most appropriate for middle school.
About the Content
- Students compare albedo of dark and light surfaces and relate to albedo in Antarctica.
- Albedo impacts average global and local temperature, but sun angle (and the tilt of the Earth) is the driving force for temperature regimes in any location.
- Other related AMNH resources complement this lesson: http://www.amnh.org/explore/curriculum-collections/antarctica/extreme-temperatures
- Comments from expert scientist: Albedo is an incredibly important concept in understanding Earth's climate and this activity certainly highlights its importance.
- The activity is very hands on, involves making and testing hypotheses, and asks the students to take measurements and plot their results.
- All in all, a very productive and useful activity.
About the Pedagogy
- Roles for team members are described. Good questions for lab.
- This lesson should be paired with related activities, also available from AMNH, that have students conduct an experiment in how sun angle and length of day affects temperature. See http://www.amnh.org/explore/curriculum-collections/antarctica/extreme-temperatures
