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)

NASA eClips™: Our World, ICESat-2 Measures Ice Sheets

Why is NASA interested in Earth's ice? The creation of ICESat-2 is allowing NASA's scientists to make accurate maps of polar ice sheets. These maps help them make informed predictions about weather patterns, climate change, and the effects of changing ice structures.
Keywords: Cryosphere, Ice
Audience: Elementary school, Informal education, Elementary school programming, Informal education, General public, Informal education, Families
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth processes, Climate, Earth and space science, Earth processes, Earth's energy budget, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Cryosphere, Engineering and technology, Remote sensing, Physical sciences, States of matter
Materials Cost: Free
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Why Do Some Molecules Absorb Infrared Energy?

In this demonstration activity, students make structural models of gas molecules using pipe cleaners and polystyrene balls and test their molecules for their resonant frequency. Students shake the models, count vibrations, and compare the resonance frequencies of different gases.
Keywords: Resonant frequency, Infrared light, Visible spectum, Wavelength, Resonance
Audience: High school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth processes, Climate, Earth and space science, Earth processes, Earth's energy budget, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Atmosphere, Physical sciences, Structure and properties of matter
Materials Cost: $1 - $5
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Fraction Operations

Students will learn about the Landsat spacecraft and its study of Earth from space through reading a NASA press release. By viewing a NASA eClips™ video segment, students will see how Landsat monitors conditions in the Chesapeake Bay.
Keywords: Chesapeake Bay
Audience: Middle school, Grades 6-8
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth structure, Landforms/geography, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Ocean and water, Mathematics, Number and operations
Materials Cost: Free
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Design Challenge - Stacking the Satellites

This is an activity about area and volume. Learners will use fabrication software to determine the optimal size of a satellite which can fit within a given rocket cylinder. To complete this activity, fabrication software is required (an example is suggested in the lesson).
Audience: Middle school, Middle school, Grades 6-8, Middle school, Middle school
Topic: Engineering and technology, Image processing and visualization, Engineering and technology, Aircraft, probes, satellites and/or spacecraft, Mathematics, Measurement, The nature of technology, The design process
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What I Know About the Aurora

In this introductory lesson, students will learn the basics of the aurora through small group discussions, reflection and reading. The lesson includes teacher notes and instructions, student workshops and an online, animated story, and related teacher resources on aurora.
Keywords: Language arts
Audience: Elementary school, Grades 3-5, Informal education, Elementary school programming
Topic: Earth and space science, Solar system, The sun, Solar-terrestrial interactions
Materials Cost: Free
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How Can We Compare Maps with Images from Space?

Maps and images are examined, compared and contrasted in this introductory lesson. Beginning with the school building map typically posted in their classroom, students analyze the information it contains, describe its features, and determine its purpose.
Keywords: Satellite images
Audience: Elementary school, Grades K-2, Elementary school, Grades 3-5, Elementary school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth structure, Landforms/geography, Engineering and technology, Aircraft, probes, satellites and/or spacecraft, Engineering and technology, Remote sensing
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1
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Soil Chapter-Soils as Sponges: How Much Water does Soil Hold?

Students determine the moisture content of a sponge after squeezing the water out of the sponge, and allowing water to evaporate from the sponge. Students also measure the amount of water that has evaporated from the soil samples.
Keywords: Gravimetric soil measure, Gravitational constant, Soil moisture content
Audience: Elementary school, Grades 3-5, Middle school, High school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth structure, Landforms/geography, Physical sciences, States of matter, The nature of science, The scientific process
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1
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Planet Designer: Kelvin Climb

This is an activity about the way distance, albedo, and atmosphere affect the temperature of a planet. Learners will create a planet using a computer game and change features of the planet to increase or decrease the planet's temperature.
Keywords: Mars, Energy budget, Climate
Audience: High school
Topic: Earth and space science, Solar system, Comparative planetology, Earth and space science, Solar system, Planetary atmospheres, Earth and space science, Solar system, Planetary science, Earth and space science, Solar system, Planets, Physical sciences, Energy
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1
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Soil Chapter-Soil: The Great Decomposer

In this hands-on activity, students conduct bottle experiments to learn about the conditions that best facilitate the decomposition of organic material in soil. In the lab, they observe changes in the decomposition of vegetable scraps by varying the temperature, moisture and light conditions.
Keywords: Control experiment, Variables, Organic matter, Soils
Audience: Elementary school, Grades 3-5, Middle school, High school
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth processes, Geochemical cycles, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Geology, The nature of science, The scientific process
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1
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SciJinks: What is the Polar Vortex?

This article explains the polar vortex: an area of low pressure (a wide expanse of swirling cold air) that is parked in polar regions. An explanation is also provided for high and low pressure systems.
Keywords: Meteorology, Polar vortex, High pressure systems, Low pressure systems
Audience: Middle school, Informal education, Youth public
Topic: Earth and space science, Earth processes, Weather, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Atmosphere, Earth and space science, Earth structure, Cryosphere
Materials Cost: Free
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