2015 METEOROLOGY RESOURCE LINKS
ALL LINKS ACTIVE AS OF NOVEMBER 12, 2014
The topic for the 2015 Meteorology Event is climate. The resource links provided below are categorized
by the key event topics listed in the 2015 Meteorology Event Rules.
GENERAL METEOROLOGY RESOURCES
http://www.met.nps.edu/~psguest/polarmet/geninfo/index.html
A great polar meteorology primer from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey, California. The site
includes loads of information relating to polar climates, global climate models and web resources.
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/288978main_Meteorology_Guide.pdf
Link to a NASA PDF Meteorology: An Educator’s Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. An
excellent resource for all three strands of the Meteorology Event Cycle.
https://www.climate.gov/teaching
NOAA resource page for teaching about climate.
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/climatechange/index.html
The more I studied this resource page from Carleton College, the more I liked about it. The site provides
lots of great lessons and tools for designing curriculum related to teaching about climate change.
http://www.pinterest.com/sassyslippers/meteorology-unit/
Pinterest site providing lots of great links for all three strands of the Meteorology event rotation.
Appropriate for late elementary and middle school.
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satmet/resources.html
A great resource for meteorology/climate related satellite imagery. The site is provided by the University
of Wisconsin-Madison.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/glossary.html
EPA glossary of terms related to climate change.
WEATHER vs. CLIMATE
http://www.noaa.gov/climate.html
NOAA general discussion of what climate is with limited resource links.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/noaa-n/climate/climate_weather.html#.VGO6C_nF-So
NASA webpage that discusses differences between weather and climate.
UNDERSTANDING EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/lesson_plans/
An excellent NOAA resource page that includes many lessons related to climate change and other key
event topics of the 2015 Meteorology and Dynamic Planet Events.
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http://www.atmos.illinois.edu/earths_atmosphere/
University of Illinois webpage with resources for teaching about the atmosphere. The organization of
the site is well suited to all three strands of the Meteorology Event.
http://www.geosociety.org/educate/LessonPlans/Layers_of_Atmosphere.pdf
A great out-of-the-box lesson from the Geological Society of America to help students understand
layering of the Earth’s atmosphere.
https://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_1_2_1t.htm
If you want an extraterrestrial flavor added to your next practice session, this might be the activity for
you. In the Goldilock’s Principle: A Model of Atmospheric Gases students use jelly beans to model
differences in the atmospheric composition of Venus, Earth and Mars.
http://teachertech.rice.edu/Participants/louviere/atmos.html
A nice, simple webpage describing how the atmosphere formed, its composition and structure. The site
also incudes some problem solving activities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaikvaAw2nk
A nice visual discussion of earth’s atmosphere. It also includes some discussion of meteorites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlDqJUjh38Q
A more detailed discussion of the atmosphere that is well illustrated in a lecture format.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWPgzlEDp8k
Discussion of the impact of aerosols on Earth’s climate.
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/infodata/lesson_plans/Volcanoes%20and%20Climate%20Change.pdf
NOAA teaching activity relating the effect of volcanic eruptions on Earth’s climate.
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/volcanic_ash.html
Carleton College discussion of the effects of volcanic ash on Earth’s climate.
SOLAR RADIATION/ EARTH ENERGY BALANCE
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/SORCE/sorce_04.php
NASA Earth Observatory discussion of the Sun’s effect on global climate. This is a good place to start
discussion of this key event topic area.
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7y.html
Physical Geography page discussing causes of climate change, the Milankovitch Cycle, and many other
variables affecting climate.
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/6i.html
Physical Geography page describing insolation and Sun-Earth relationships.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20carbgO45I
A brief description of solar insolation. It also describes the difference between insolation and insulation.
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CLIMATE ZONES
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/lesson_plans/Worldwide%20Climate%20Zones.pdf
A great NOAA activity to introduce the concept of climate zones. The categorization of climates
presented is minimal (tropical, temperate and polar), but again, this is a great introductory activity.
http://www.slideshare.net/Roseenglobal/climate-factors-ppt-presentation?related=2
An excellent Slideshare presentation that discusses factors affecting climate.
http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/162263/
Encyclopedia of the Earth discussion of the Koppen Climate Classification system. It is a very clear and
direct description of the basic categories and sub-categories.
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7v.html
A more detailed discussion of the Koppen Climate Classification system that includes lots of illustrated
examples.
http://www.utexas.edu/depts/grg/kimmel/GRG301K/grg301kkoppen.html
Lecture notes provided by University of Texas at Austin Instructor Troy Kimmel that provides brief
descriptions of the climate zones and lists examples.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBuQc1OL1xE
A visual discussion of climate classification.
http://agron-www.agron.iastate.edu/courses/Agron541/classes/541/lesson08a/8a.3.html
Iowa State University Department of Agronomy discussion of the Thornwaite Climate classification
system.
http://www.cengage.com/resource_uploads/downloads/0495555061_137431.pdf
Detailed textbook discussion of both the Thornwaite and Koppen systems. High reading level, but well
illustrated.
http://www.slideshare.net/rmsimpson/climate-classification
An excellent Slideshare presentation of climate zones and factors affecting climate change.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFGhwxVImcg
Basic introductory level for reading climatographs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l5uQQTqxz4
Video showing how to draw a climate graph on graph paper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhPVMrg1fGY
How to make a climatograph on Excel.
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/pd/oceans_weather_climate/media/climate_zones.swf
NOAA interactive website that describes climate zones throughout the world.
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OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
http://www.indiana.edu/~geol105/1425chap4.htm
University of Indiana website that discusses global energy transfer as it relates to oceanic and
atmospheric circulation.
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/Natural_Disasters/oceanatmos.htm
A very comprehensive PDF handout from Tulane University that addresses most key event topics of the
2015 Meteorology Event. It includes a discussion of atmospheric and oceanic circulation.
https://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.atmosphere_circulation
North Carolina State University Climate Education for K-12 that includes a discussion of atmospheric
circulation with background links.
http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/edu.html
NOAA website for teaching about El Nino.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FVZrw7bk1w
Good, brief discussion of how El Nino forms. The second half of the presentation is less well illustrated
and more of a historical discussion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyPq86yM_Ic
A very well animated explanation of El Nino and La Nina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye45DGkqUkE
Good explanation of global air circulation including rising and sinking air.
NATURAL CLIMACTIC VARIATIONS AND FEEDBACK
http://202.82.16.155/bss/geography/notes/climate_variation.pdf
Discussion of natural climate variations.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast20oct_1/
NASA Science News discussion of natural and other factors affecting global climate and what causes
variations.
http://mhs.wcpss.net/teachers/murphy/earthscience/textbook/este213.pdf
Textbook discussion of factors causing natural variations in climate.
http://climate.nasa.gov/resources/education/pbs_modules/lesson2Engage/
NASA discussion of Sea Ice Albedo Feedback.
https://www.climate.gov/climate-and-energy-topics/albedo
NOAA discussion of albedo and the role of arctic ice in global climate. Includes engaging videos and
activities.
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ANTHROPOGENIC EFFECTS ON CLIMATE
https://www.climate.gov/teaching/teaching-essential-principle-6-human-activities-are-impactingclimate-system
NOAA reviewed resources for teaching about climate. Includes five key concepts for understanding
climate change.
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.watcyc.lp_global2/global-climate-change-theeffects-of-global-warming/
PBS activity in which students determine CO2 levels in four different gases and examine evidence of
global warming.
http://heatisland.lbl.gov/coolscience/cool-science-urban-heat-islands
Cool Science page describing the Heat Island Effect and comparative satellite images to illustrate it.
http://www.climate.gov/teaching/resources/urban-heat-islands
NOAA discussion of heat islands which also includes an interactive activity.
SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS
http://www.nsta.org/elementaryschool/connections/200712TorresHandoutParentNSTAConn.pdf
PDF from the National Science Teacher’s Association that can serve as an excellent model for developing
science process skills in students.
http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/images/sec6.processskills.pdf
Excellent PDF that discusses many of the science process skills needed by students to succeed in this and
other Science Olympiad events.
http://www.eduplace.com/science/profdev/articles/valentino2.html
Good strategies for developing science process skills in students by Catherine Valentino.
http://www.pinterest.com/explore/science-process-skills/
Pinterest pins for science process skills.
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