Constructing a model of ppbv of surface ozone
This activity is associated with studies of surface ozone
but can serve studies of stratospheric ozone as well.
The purpose of the activity is to construct a model that
will provide students with a visual representation of
parts per billion. Students work in teams to construct
cubes of different volumes and to compare them to get a
feel for parts per million by volume and parts per
billion by volume. The intended outcome is that students
gain a feeling for the small quantities of gases, such as
ozone, present in the Earth's atmosphere.
Grade level: Middle (6-8), High (9-12)
UV menace
UV Menace is one module among several on-line, problem-based
modules developed by NASA's
Classroom of the Future.
Students evaluate the latest status of the Montreal Protocol
and determine if it adequately considers the
interrelationship of Earth's spheres. To do this, they must
investigate how an event in one sphere may have an effect in
a second sphere, which may, in turn, affect a third sphere.
Students must be prepared to defend their recommendations.
Grade level: Middle (6-8), High (9-12)
Ozone depletion
Ozone depletion information from the United States
Environmental Protection Agency. The site contains
sections on ozone science, the regulatory approach to
protecting the ozone layer, and educational information on
sun safety.
Grade level: Middle (6-8), High (9-12), Informal, General public
The ozone hole tour
A University of Cambridge (UK) site that describes the
discovery of the ozone hole and the science of the ozone
hole.
Grade level: Middle (6-8), High (9-12), Informal, General public
Earth update
Earth Update is a graphical interface, distributed via
CD-ROM, which allows access to Earth science information,
animations, and games. It is organized by
spheres—atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere,
hydrosphere, and cryosphere. Each sphere contains
libraries of hot topics, general topics, and updatable
images that can be updated over the internet, as well as
who, what, and why sections. Each module can stand alone
or run as a linked system. It includes three interactive
educational games.
Grade level: Middle (6-8), High (9-12), College (13-14), Informal
Global atmosphere watch
World Meteorological Organization Antarctic Ozone
Bulletins 2000–present.
Grade level: High (9-12), College (13-16)
International ozone-layer assessments
A NOAA Aeronomy lab site that contains information on the
international assessments of ozone depletion. High level
documents for scientists and policy makers.
Grade level: High (9-12), College (13-16)
Stratospheric ozone
Studying Earth's Environment from Space (SEES) includes a
module on Stratospheric Ozone. The module is designed to
increase the use of satellite data in science classrooms by
providing lecture materials in HTML for the classroom
(including full-color, printable graphics) that are linked
to guided-inquiry computer exercises.
Grade level: High (9-12), College (13-16)
Ozone in the stratosphere
Most ozone resides in the stratosphere, where it acts as a
shield to protect Earth's surface from the sun's harmful
ultraviolet radiation. With a weakening of this shield, we
would be more susceptible to skin cancer, cataracts, and
impaired immune systems.
Grade level: All
Measuring ozone from Space Shuttle Columbia
New remote-sensing technology called limb viewing allows
observation of the atmosphere from the side rather than
straight down, as with current earth observation
satellites. From the side, the layers of the atmosphere
appear like layers in a cake, allowing instruments like
SOLSE-2 to see the lower layers of the stratosphere. A
successful science mission by the Space Shuttle Columbia
crew before their tragic loss during re-entry into
Earth’s atmosphere established limb-viewing as a
valid approach to studying Earth's ozone.
Grade level: All
Tango in the Atmosphere: Ozone & climate change
Over recent decades the stratosphere has cooled while
stratospheric ozone has decreased. Low temperatures could
be causing further ozone depletion, which may delay
recovery of the ozone layer.
Grade level: All
A violent Sun affects Earth's ozone
Massive solar flares that erupted during July, 2000
emitted high energy protons which stripped away some of
the ozone in the Earth's atmosphere.
Grade level: All
