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.

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=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">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=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">The Case of the Leaky Gyre</a>, explores the circulation in <a href="/earth/Water/ocean_gyres.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">ocean gyres</a>  and the potential <a href="/earth/climate/cli_effects.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">climate impacts</a>. Watch the <a href="/earth/changing_planet/freshwater_arctic.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">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><b><i>Looking for online resources to use in support of climate change education?</i></b>  Our <a href="/teacher_resources/climate.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">Climate Change Educator Resources page</a> provides links to online content, classroom activities, interactives, and videos as well as resources provided by other leading organizations and agencies on this topic.  Our <a href="/teacher_resources/climate_change_course.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">Climate Change Course Content page</a> provides links to online content for a range of climate change associated topics.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of   Mila Zinkova, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license</em></small></p>Our <a href="/teacher_resources/teach_co2spew.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">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=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">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>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=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">methane</a>, a powerful <a href="/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">greenhouse gas</a>.
Watch the NBC Learn video - <a href="/earth/changing_planet/permafrost_methane_intro.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">Thawing Permafrost and Methane</a> to find out more.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of the    USGS</em></small></p>Our staff conducts numerous workshops and presentations at conferences and 
other venues for the professional development of geoscience educators. You can 
access the materials from these workshops <a 
href="/teacher_resources/main/w2u_workshops.html&dev=1/earth/Atmosphere/moons/=/earth/climate/cli_greengas.html">
here</a>.<p><small><em> Windows to the Universe original image</em></small></p>Does Earth science matter?  The power outage experienced by residents in New York City on 10/30/2012 due to Hurricane Sandy demonstrates the interconnectedness of our society, and the power of the Earth system.  Every person should have an understanding of how the Earth system works so they can live better lives, protect those they love, and make wise choices.  Earth science education is critical!<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Hybirdd, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.</em></small></p>

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