Surface Albedo and Global Change
Overview
Students will learn what albedo is and experiment with detecting the temperature of a surface and its reflectivity. They will then compare and contrast this temperature data across various surface types. Students will make predictions on how this global change will impact the earth’s albedo and temperature.
Activity Type:
Lesson
Target Grade Level:
3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Estimated Duration:
Varies
Topics:
Air
Possible Connections to NGSS |
Performance Expectations 4-ESS3-1: Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment. 5-ESS3-1: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment. MS-ESS2-6: Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. MS-ESS3-4: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems. MS-ESS3-5: Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century. HS-ESS2-4: Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in climate. HS-ESS3-1: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. |
Created by:
Adapted from the University of Iowa and CAICE
