Teacher Resources

Welcome to the Teacher Resources section of Windows to the Universe, where we try to collect resources of our own, as well as of partner organizations that we think you will be interested in. We regularly update this section with information about our web seminars, workshops and new classroom activities. We also provide links, below to several of our key resources, including motivational quotes, Earth science literacy frameworks, materials from our professional development workshops, our Teacher Opportunities calendar (Members Only), and a link to our free monthly Earth and Space Science Educator Newsletter. Windows to the Universe and its educational resources have been reviewed by NASA's Office of Space Sciences and Earth Science Enterprise, receiving exemplary status.

Teachers - Become an Educator Member of Windows to the Universe for special benefits and opportunities, including information about valuable special offers for classroom grants, professional development with travel and/or stipends, research grants, and more!

Windows to the Universe is now offering on-site professional development workshops for teachers. Find out more about this opportunity here. Information about our upcoming workshops and events at the NSTA conference in Indianapolis is available under 2012 on our Teacher Resources/Workshops page.

As permafrost thaws, the land, atmosphere, water resources, ecosystems, and human communities are affected. Coastal areas and hillsides are vulnerable to erosion by thawing of permafrost. Thawing permafrost also causes a positive feedback to global warming, as carbon trapped within the once-frozen soils is released as <a href="/physical_science/chemistry/methane.html&dev=">methane</a>, a powerful <a href="/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html&dev=">greenhouse gas</a>. Watch the NBC Learn video - <a href="/earth/changing_planet/permafrost_methane_intro.html&dev=">Thawing Permafrost and Methane</a> to find out more.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of the USGS</em></small></p>Our <a href="/teacher_resources/nitrogen_main.html&dev=">Traveling Nitrogen Game</a> makes a fun activity for students to learn about the <a href="/earth/Life/nitrogen_cycle.html&dev=">nitrogen cycle</a>. The activity includes a student worksheet ("Traveling Nitrogen Passport"), 11 reservoir signs, and stamps. The activity is available in our <a href="/php/teacher_resources/activity.php#8">Classroom Activities section</a>, including a free html version, and a pdf version free for <a href="/new_membership_services.html&dev=">Windows to the Universe subscribers</a>. The Traveling Nitrogen Game Kit is available in our <a href="/store/home.php">online store</a>, including laminated signs and a set of 11 dice.<p><small><em></em></small></p>Scientists are concerned that melting Arctic sea ice will increase the amount of fresh water in the <a href="/earth/polar/arctic_currents.html&dev=">Beaufort Gyre</a>, which could spill out into the Atlantic and cause major climate shifts in North America and Western Europe. Our new lesson plan, <a href="/teacher_resources/leaky_gyre.html&dev=">The Case of the Leaky Gyre</a>, explores the circulation in <a href="/earth/Water/ocean_gyres.html&dev=">ocean gyres</a> and the potential <a href="/earth/climate/cli_effects.html&dev=">climate impacts</a>. Watch the <a href="/earth/changing_planet/freshwater_arctic.html&dev=">Changing Planet: Fresh Water in the Arctic video</a>.<p><small><em> Courtesy of Jack Cook, WHOI (<a href="http://www.whoi.edu">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute</a>)</em></small></p>Our <a href="/teacher_resources/teach_co2spew.html&dev=">CO2: How Much Do You Spew?</a> activity lets students calculate annual CO2 emissions for different hypothetical families with different lifestyles. The activity is available in our <a href="/php/teacher_resources/activity.php#6">Classroom Activities section</a>, including a free html version and a pdf version free for <a href="/new_membership_services.html&dev=">Windows to the Universe members</a>. <a href="/store/product.php?productid=243&cat=27&page=1">CO2: How Much Do You Spew? Classroom Activity Kits</a> are available in our <a href="/store/home.php">online store</a>, including the activity description, student worksheet, and ten laminated family scenarios.<p><small><em></em></small></p><b><i>Looking for online resources about climate and climate change for your classroom?</i></b> Windows to the Universe is a free interlinked learning ecosystem to a wealth of resources on our site and elsewhere that support you on these topics, including <a href="/teacher_resources/climate_change_course.html&dev=">course readings</a>, <a href="/php/teacher_resources/activity.php#6">classroom activities and presentations</a>, and online interactives. Our <a href="/teacher_resources/climate.html&dev=">Climate Change Education Resources page</a> provides links to content you can use right away in the classroom!<p><small><em> Ute Kaden/PolarTREC</em></small></p>As temperatures rise and soil moisture decreases, plants are stressed, which can lead to <a href="/earth/climate/crops_withering.html&dev=">crop withering</a>. <a href="/teacher_resources/online_courses/health/events_health.html&dev=">Droughts</a> accompanied by increased temperatures can lead to famine, social and political disruptions. Scientists are helping with early identification of drought that might trigger food shortages. Watch the NBC Learn video - <a href="/earth/changing_planet/withering_crops_intro.html&dev=">Changing Planet: Withering Crops</a> to find out more.<p><small><em>Image taken by Tomas Castelazo, Creative Commons <a href=&quot;http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en&quot;>Attribution 3.0 Unported</a> license.</em></small></p>

Explore Teacher Resources

Web Seminars for Educators

Windows to the Universe and NESTA offer occasional web seminars on a variety of topics in Earth ...Read more

Literacy Frameworks for Earth Science Education

A set of conceptual frameworks have been developed to describe what we should know ...Read more

Classroom Activities

Click the topics below to find hands-on activites for your classroom ...Read more

Windows to the Universe Journal

Record your thoughts and discoveries with this on-line Journal. Your students can use this tool too! ...Read more

Workshops & Presentations by Windows to the Universe Staff

Our staff conducts workshops and presentations at conferences and other venues for the professional ...Read more

Earth and Space Science Educator E-Newsletter

...Read more

Research Highlights

Windows to the Universe is now highlighting breaking science news and cool multimedia from ...Read more

Motivational Quotes

Everyone needs some inspiration sometime! Here are some quotes that you may enjoy, or find useful in your work, play, or everyday life. ...Read more

More about Teacher Resources

Historical Events

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Did you know that we have tons of resources for Elementary School Science?

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Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

P-wave
xP-wave : A compressional wave (or pressure wave) in the Earth's surface that shakes the ground back and forth in the same direction and the opposite direction as the direction the wave is moving

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Unprecedented Warming in East Africa's Lake Tanganyika

Lake Tanganyika, the second-oldest and second-deepest lake in the world, could be in for some rough waters. Geologists have determined that the East African rift lake has experienced unprecedented warming...Read more


Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA