NASA Wavelength Resources Collection

NASA Wavelength is a collection of resources that incorporate NASA content and have been subject to peer review. You can search this collection using key words and/or the drop down menus to pinpoint resources to use with your audience of learners.
1604 result(s)

Measuring Temperature

This is a lesson about measuring temperature. Learners will apply their knowledge of how temperature affects matter to understand how a thermometer works. They then read about the history of the thermometer and the temperature scales that make the information from the thermometer meaningful.
Audience: Middle school
Topic: Mathematics, Measurement, Physical sciences, Heat and thermodynamics
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Lunar Phases: A Dance under the Sun

Learners use a Styrofoam ball, sunlight, and the motions of their bodies to model the Moon's phases outdoors. An extension is to have children predict future Moon phases. This activity is part of Explore! Marvel Moon, a series of activities developed specifically for use in libraries.
Audience: Informal education, Elementary school programming, Informal education, Middle school programming, Informal education, General public, Informal education, Youth public, Informal education, Families
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth, moon and sun, Earth and space science, Earth, moon and sun, Seasons, Earth and space science, Solar system, The moon
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1
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The Mystery of the Missing Hummingbirds

in this science-based storybook, students learn about seasonal migration of hummingbirds as they are exposed to the scientific process. Students Anita, Simon and Dennis and the rest of Ms. Patel's class research when the hummingbirds have gone and when they might return.
Keywords: Seasons, Reading, Earth system science, Graphic novel
Audience: Elementary school, Grades K-2, Elementary school, Elementary school, Elementary school, Grades 3-5, Elementary school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth, moon and sun, Seasons
Materials Cost: Free
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Ice Has Structure: H2O

Learners will explore the molecular geometry and mechanics of ice. They will create a model of H2O, investigate its molecular structure and its consistent shape. Faraday's experiment is used as background. Activities include small group miming, speaking, drawing, and/or writing.
Audience: Pre-kindergarten, Elementary school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth structure, Ocean and water, Physical sciences, Chemistry, Physical sciences, States of matter, The nature of science, The scientific process
Materials Cost: $1 - $5
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Earth Exploration Toolbook: Investigating Earthquakes with ArcExplorer GIS

This chapter describes the technique of preparing GIS-ready data and shows how to map that data and conduct basic analyses using a geographic information system (GIS). First, the user will download and format near real-time and historical earthquake data from the USGS.
Keywords: Earthquakes, Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Audience: Middle school, Grades 6-8, High school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth processes, Geologic processes, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Geology, Engineering and technology
Materials Cost: Free
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How Did They Form? Solving a Mystery

Learners will conduct an investigation, observe and record the physical characteristics of an unknown rock (meteorite), determine the mass of the unknown rock using math skills, determine the density of the rock, describe and classify a meteorite, apply observations and knowledge to the process o
Keywords: meteorite, density
Audience: Elementary school, Grades 3-5, Middle school, High school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth structure, Geology, Earth and space science, Solar system, Comparative planetology, Earth and space science, Solar system, Planetary geology, Mathematics, Algebra, Mathematics, Problem solving, The nature of science, The scientific process
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Ice is Water, Water is Ice: Melting and Freezing

Learners will observe ice melting and freezing under a variety of conditions and relate that to the Messenger mission. This is lesson 1 of 12 in Exploring Ice in the Solar System.
Audience: Pre-kindergarten, Elementary school
Topic: Earth and space science, Solar system, Planets, Physical sciences, States of matter
Materials Cost: Free
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Getting to the Core: Understanding Lakes through Sediment Coring

Designed as a five-lesson curriculum to introduce students to limnology, this program explores the structure, history and biology of lakes. Students analyze models, images, and a core sample from a lake case study before engineering a device for collecting lake bottom sediment samples.
Keywords: Paleolimnology, Limnology, Water cycles, Bathymetric map
Audience: Middle school, Grades 6-8, Middle school, High school, Grade 9, High school, Grade 10
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth structure, Landforms/geography, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Ocean and water, Life sciences, Ecology and ecosystems, The nature of technology, The design process
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1
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Polar Studies: Using Data and Images to Understand Albedo

In this learning activity, students compare polar data from the Arctic and Antarctic, explore Earth’s albedo and its effect on arctic sea ice, and examine graphed data and scientific visualizations of remotely-sensed satellite data.
Keywords: Scientific visualization, Image analysis, Polar ice, Antarctic, Arctic
Audience: Elementary school, Grades 3-5, Middle school, High school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth processes, Earth's energy budget, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Cryosphere, Engineering and technology, Image processing and visualization, Mathematics, Data collection, analysis and probability
Materials Cost: Free
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Ice is a Mineral

This is a lesson about the characteristics of ice as a mineral and how it compares to other minerals with respect to hardness. Learners will observe ice crystals, develop a hardness scale and position ice on it. Learners will also practice working collaboratively in a team.
Keywords: Kinesthetic activity
Audience: Pre-kindergarten, Elementary school, Grades K-2
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth structure, Geology, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Landforms/geography, Physical sciences, States of matter, Physical sciences, Structure and properties of matter, The nature of science, The scientific process
Materials Cost: Over $20
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