The activities presented here were developed by pre-college science teachers for use in
their own classrooms. The contributing teachers are all participants in a NASA-spon-
sored project to enhance science education through expanded knowledge of Earth
system science and the use of satellite technology and remote-sensing techniques. The
NASA series, , was published to provide a comprehensive
resource for educators who want to utilize data from environmental satellites in their
classroom. Refer to the other publications in this series for additional information.
These innovative activities reflect creative approaches to specific classroom needs, yet
they have virtually universal application. The activities enable multi-disciplinary learning,
engage higher-level thinking skills, and present real-life applications. The activities sug-
gest appropriate grade levels; minor adjustments for ability and time constraints will
broaden their use.
We advocate the excitement that is generated by using ground stations in the classro o m.
H o w e v e r, the lessons can be used with the satellite imagery contained in this publication,
and/or supplemented with imagery from the Internet. Many of the images that accompa-
ny the activities have pages, that is, images with additional information to assist
you with analysis. These images are all labeled with an , such as image 1 and 1a. Some
of the lessons have visible and infrared image pairs (indicated by and ). See pages 94,
95, and 192 for more information about these two types of images.
Satellite imagery may be both a new resource and new frontier for you. The following
notes should help.
- The activities were developed by teachers from Maryland and Washington, D.C.
and emphasize local weather conditions, topography, and in the one case, the
home team. You are encouraged to make these lessons equally relevant for your
students by substituting local scenery and focusing on weather (good and
bad) common to your area. - You are encouraged to duplicate and use the worksheets and other materials in
the lessons. Some of the illustrations will make effective transparencies. - Satellite imagery doesn’t always duplicate well. When multiples of the images are
needed, copies made on a high-resolution copy machine (type commercial copying
companies use) may prove adequate. Photographing the images in the book to
obtain slides may be more effective than copying. Classrooms with ground stations
and/or Internet access can print appropriate images in needed quantities. - Tap local and electronic resources for support. Local Weather Service Field Offices,
weather forecasters, and newspaper and television predictions can assist with and
confirm your interpretations of the imagery. The Internet allows access to both
satellite imagery and experts who can help with image analysis. - The weather symbols and cloud abbreviations used in the activities are listed in the
glossary at the back of this publication. - A complete citation of the references listed with individual activities can be found in
the bibliography.