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Students should understand solar radiation and that it can be absorbed or reflected.
This video (linked at the bottom) can be used to introduce students to the concepts prior to looking at the graphic.
Differentiation & Implementation
This activity can introduce the concept of geoengineering, particularly the engineering of clouds, as a proposed solution to climate change.
Advanced students can first interpret the graphic without having the questions to consider, simply asking what they notice and what they think it means. Then, after a period of time, teachers can provide students with the questions, asking them to answer those they haven't already addressed in their initial analysis.
Teachers can pair this activity with this video about clouds, the different types, and how they absorb or reflect radiation.
There are mini lessons linked at the bottom of the page for extensions.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
My NASA Data
NASA offers petabytes of global Earth science data collected from satellites, but accessing these data in a traditional (or virtual) science classroom can be tricky. Since 2004, My NASA Data has supported students and teachers of grades 3-12 in analyzing and interpreting NASA mission data.
Related Teaching Resources
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
