http://www.climate.gov/#understandingClimate
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA
Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»
See how this Simulation/Interactive
supports the Next Generation Science Standards»Middle School: 1 Disciplinary Core Idea, 1 Cross Cutting Concept
High School: 2 Disciplinary Core Ideas, 1 Cross Cutting Concept
Topics
Grade Level
Climate Literacy
About Teaching Climate Literacy
4c 
4cOther materials addressing 4c
Other materials addressing 5b
Notes From Our Reviewers
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Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
Teaching Tips
- The dashboard is on the bottom half of this page - scroll down to it.
- Point out that students can click the parameters listed below into one of the 3 viewing slots above. Up/down arrows show which parameters are in the viewing slots.
About the Science
- This site tracks real-time data from around the climate system. Nine different parameters are presented to give a snapshot of both the variability and the trends over time.
- Graphs are presented in a manner that allows students to compare and contrast different climate variables such as El Niño, temperature, CO2, solar energy levels, on the same time scales.
- Comments from expert scientist: The resource contains graphs of teleconnection indices that can be easily moved to view index changes in time (1950 to present). This is a really great concept and could be very useful in classroom settings to show students the variability of climate oscillations. The resource is also appropriately labeled as climate variability so that anyone who knows the difference between climate variability and climate change could easily find the indices if that is what they are looking for.
About the Pedagogy
- Resource offers educators a creative way to compare climate variables and outcomes and read more about the changes scientists are observing.
- The 'learn more' links describe how the data is collected and what it means.
- The graphs on the 'learn more' pages are also interactive.
- The 'learn more' pages do not always have up-to-date explanations for the data. They are best used for background information.
- This resource engages students in using scientific data.
See other data-rich activities
Next Generation Science Standards See how this Simulation/Interactive supports:
Middle School
Disciplinary Core Ideas: 1
MS-ESS2.D1:Weather and climate are influenced by interactions involving sunlight, the ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living things. These interactions vary with latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography, all of which can affect oceanic and atmospheric flow patterns.
High School
Disciplinary Core Ideas: 2
HS-ESS2.D1:The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space.
HS-ESS2.E1:The many dynamic and delicate feedbacks between the biosphere and other Earth systems cause a continual co-evolution of Earth’s surface and the life that exists on it.
