Student Resources
Are you interested in finding out more about the GOES-R series satellites, meteorology, weather phenomena, and forecasting? Learn about weather, climate, geoscience, and meteorology and discover how weather satellites work, compare weather on the Earth to that of other planets, find out the scientific facts behind weather folklore, and get an introduction to weather forecasting through the links below.
Click on the thumbnail images or links below to launch/redirect to each resource.
| + Space Place | + SciJinks | + COMET | + NCAR / UCAR | + NOAA | + Additional Resources |
NASA'S SPACE PLACE
The Space Place (in English and Spanish) is an award-winning NASA and NOAA site targeting elementary-age students, teachers, and parents. It imparts a rich breadth and depth of space and Earth science and technology content, with GOES and GOES-R playing their parts. It speaks directly to its audience of 8 -11 year olds in a playful and appropriate way and also offers relevant content for educators and adults. The site makes the science of Earth and space exploration approachable and appealing to both aspiring scientists and kids who are just plain curious. It has several classroom activity articles related to weather, as well as downloadable posters and a fun GOES-R activity book for the youngest kids. Check out the links below and visit The Space Place for a full list of activities!
Uh-oh! Solar indigestion!
Uh-oh! Solar Indigestion! Learn about how weather on the sun affects Earth.
How Do Hurricanes Form?
How Do Hurricanes Form? Hurricanes are called by other names, such as typhoons or cyclones, depending on where they occur. The scientific term for all these storms is tropical cyclone. Only tropical cyclones that form over the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean are called "hurricanes."
How Do You Build a Weather Satellite?
How Do You Build a Weather Satellite? How does a satellite stay up in space without falling back to Earth? How is a weather satellite able to take pictures or measure surface temperatures from space? How does a satellite communicate with Earth? These questions and more are answered in the booklet "How Do You Make a Weather Satellite."
Planet X-treme Weather
Planet X-treme Weather How is the weather on other planets? Take a weather tour of the solar system!
Bad (space) weather cancels pigeon races!
Bad (space) weather cancels pigeon races! How does the Earth’s magnetic field affect a homing pigeon’s ability to navigate? Learn how space weather impacts pigeon racing!
Taking the Search out of Search and Rescue
Taking the Search out of Search and Rescue Satellites can help in rescuing people in emergency situations. Learn more!
SciJinks
SciJinks is the GOES and GOES-R website for middle- and high-school students and educators. It is all about weather, climate, and other Earth science and technology topics, made interesting and easy to understand by games, simple and colorful explanations, fun facts, lots of images, and videos. SciJinks explains the reasons for the seasons, the tides, and other mysteries in colorful "now I get it!" pages. SciJinks also has resources for teachers, downloadable posters, postcards, bookmarks, and more. Check out the links below and visit SciJinks to experience everything the site has to offer!
Answers
What is La Niña?
What is La Niña?: What is La Niña and why does it cause drier than average years in some regions of the United States? Learn more about this weather pattern.
Why Does Wind Blow?
Why Does Wind Blow?: Wind is a part of weather we experience all the time, but why does it actually happen? It’s all about temperature.
Watch Out for Gust Fronts
Watch Out for Gust Fronts: What is a gust front? Learn more about these fast winds that fall from thunderstorms.
Storm Surge
Storm Surge: Often when we think of powerful hurricanes, we picture strong winds. But the biggest danger in a hurricane is not always damage from strong wind, it’s often from storm surge.
Weather Forged by Fire
Weather Forged by Fire: Wildfires can create their own wind system! Learn how firestorms form and how they can be detected and monitored from space.
What is the Coriolis Effect?
What is the Coriolis Effect? It affects weather patterns, it affects ocean currents and it even affects air travel. Learn more about this phenomenon.
Why Does the Sun Have Temper Tantrums?
Why Does the Sun Have Temper Tantrums? The sun is the worst place in the solar system when it comes to stormy weather. Learn all about the solar cycle, solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
The California Drought
The California Drought: It’s the worst drought in 1,200 years. How do we monitor drought and what can we do?
A Brief History of Lightning Detection
A Brief History of Lightning Detection: The first lightning detector made the invention of the radio possible. Lightning and radio may sound like unrelated concepts but they are more similar than you might think.
What is El Niño?
What is El Niño? El Niño is a weather pattern that occurs in the Pacific Ocean, but it is so big it affects weather all over the world. Learn about El Niño conditions and how we can take the ocean’s temperature from space!
El Niño and Lightning
El Niño and Lightning: El Niño conditions affect more than just clouds and rainfall. Scientists have discovered that increased lightning and even tornado activity go along with El Niño.
What Causes Lightning and Thunder?
What Causes Lightning and Thunder? Learn how lightning strikes, what causes thunder, and see what lightning looks like from space!
What's the Difference Between Weather and Climate?
What's the Difference Between Weather and Climate? Learn how climate differs from weather
Whats the Difference between Fog and Clouds?
Whats the Difference between Fog and Clouds? Both fog and clouds are formed when water vapor condenses or freezes to form tiny droplets or crystals in the air. So why are they two different things?
Why Do Satellites Have Different Orbits?
Why Do Satellites Have Different Orbits? Learn how geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites work together to monitor Earth’s weather, climate, and the environment.
Multimedia
GOES-R Animated Videos
GOES-R Animated Videos: Three animated videos, I’m GOES-R, Getting GOES-R to Orbit, and Making a Weather Forecast with GOES-R tell the story of the GOES-R satellite. Learn about all the new things GOES-R will do, follow the satellite’s travels from construction to orbit, and learn how GOES-R’s data is used to make your local weather forecast. Meet GOES-R, GOES-R Gets Launched and Making a Weather Forecast with GOES-R downloadable posters are also available.
GOES-R Comic
GOES-R Comic: From 22,000 miles above Earth, GOES-R can see amazing detail of weather on Earth, watching forming storms and helping with hurricane, tornado and flood warnings and more! Follow the satellite’s journey from construction to orbit and learn how GOES-R data is used in your local weather forecasts. Read the Comic. Download the Comic.
SciJinks in a Snap: Lightning
SciJinks in a Snap: Lightning: What’s the deal with crackling and flashing clouds? This animation explains lightning and how the GOES-R series satellites will better monitor in-cloud lightning to help alert people to dangerous and intensifying storms. A downloadable poster is also available.
Stormy Space Weather
Stormy Space Weather: The sun isn’t only a burning ball of immensely hot gas. It’s a burning ball of immensely hot gas with a temper! This animation explains space weather and how the GOES-R series satellites will help monitor it. A downloadable poster is also available.
SciJinks School Year Calendar
Link to Calendar: This calendar remembers some of the world’s worst weather!
Fog and Low Clouds: Using Satellite Data to Improve Transportation Safety
This great resource for students explains fog and low stratus clouds, how they form, and how weather satellites can accurately detect fog from space, improving transportation safety. The poster also includes an activity to make fog in a bottle, plus discussion questions and a link to answers. Poster Front
Fog and Low Clouds: Using Satellite Data to Improve Transportation Safety
This great resource for students explains fog and low stratus clouds, how they form, and how weather satellites can accurately detect fog from space, improving transportation safety. The poster also includes an activity to make fog in a bottle, plus discussion questions and a link to answers. Poster Back
People
Systems Engineer
Systems Engineer: It’s very important to make sure that a satellite is ready for the extreme environment it will experience in space. Learn how Levi Smith shakes and blasts brand new satellites to make sure they’ll hold up in space!
Researching the Weather
Researching the Weather: Learn how Arlene Laing looks for patterns in the weather and turns research results into forecasting tools.
Satellite Controller
Satellite Controller: Imagine controlling a satellite orbiting earth. Much like a remote-controlled airplane, you send messages and tell it what to do. That’s what weather satellite controller Tom Boyd gets to do every day.
Smooth Flying
Smooth Flying: Mike Eckert is a National Aviation Meteorologist. He provides weather information to the Federal Aviation Administration, airlines and pilots. National Aviation Meteorologist focus on weather that will impact planes in the sky as well as those about to take off or land.
How Do You Become an Air Force Meteorologist?
How Do You Become an Air Force Meteorologist? In this installment of Wild Weather Jobs, Meteorology student and Air Force Recruit Britta Gjermo explains how she’s preparing to become an Air Force weather officer. After completing her training, Gjermo will be responsible for putting together weather briefings for training missions and possibly even actual military operations.
Can Meteorologists Help Fight Wildfires?
Can Meteorologists Help Fight Wildfires? In this installment of Wild Weather Jobs, incident meteorologist Lisa Kriederman explains how she uses her expertise to help firefighters, emergency planners and residents stay as safe as possible during a wildfire.
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How do Satellites Help Save Lives?
How do Satellites Help Save Lives? In this installment of Wild Weather Jobs, SARSAT Search and Rescue Specialist Christopher Eddy explains how he uses distress signals to organize and oversee search and rescue attempts. Learn how satellites like GOES-R play an important role in search and rescue efforts.
Keeping a Watchful Eye on Dangerous Ice
Keeping a Watchful Eye on Dangerous Ice: In this installment of Wild Weather Jobs, Chief Scientist for the National Ice Center, Dr. Pablo Clemente-Colón uses his expertise as an oceanographer to provide analysis and forecasts about dangerous ice conditions anywhere in the ocean as well as global snow cover on land.
What's it Like Being a Broadcast Meteorologist?
What's it Like Being a Broadcast Meteorologist? In this installment of Wild Weather Jobs, Carrie Rose of Richmond's CBS 6 TV explains a day in the life of a broadcast meteorologist.
Simulations
Precipitation Simulator
Precipitation Simulator: Make it rain and snow! Set the air temperature and dew point in different altitude and see what type of precipitation will fall to the ground.
Simulate a Hurricane
Simulate a Hurricane: Explore the relationship between sea surface temperature and hurricane strength.
Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training (COMET)
The Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training (COMET) Program supports, enhances, and stimulates the communication and application of scientific knowledge of the atmospheric and related sciences for the operational and educational communities. In addition to forecaster training modules, the program has a variety of resources for use in teaching geosciences to K-12 students.
Climate Change: Fitting the Pieces together
Climate Change: Fitting the Pieces together: This module discusses climate change, particularly as it is currently being affected by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases emitted by human activities. It also covers signs of climate change, how scientists study climate, the current thinking on future changes, and what can be done to minimize the effects.
Understanding the Hydrologic Cycle
Understanding the Hydrologic Cycle: This module helps students gain a basic understanding of the elements of the hydrologic cycle. Making use of illustrations, animations, and interactions, this module examines the basic concepts of the hydrologic cycle including water distribution, atmospheric water, surface water, groundwater, and snowpack/snowmelt.
Hurricane Strike
Hurricane Strike!: Designed primarily for middle school students and funded by FEMA and the NWS, this module creates a scenario to frame learning activities that focus on hurricane science and safety. Versions are also available for hearing, motor, and visually impaired students, as well as Spanish-speaking.
Remote Sensing Using Satellites, 2nd Edition
Remote Sensing Using Satellites, 2nd Edition: In this MetEd module, learn about remote sensing in general and then more specifically about how it is done from satellites. The module focuses on the visible and infrared channels, those commonly seen on television broadcasts. Come explore the view of Earth from space and see what we see. The suggested audience for this module is high school and undergraduate students.
NCAR / UCAR
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) offer a range of educational resources, programs, and events to support teachers and students. Learning resources include activities, curriculum modules, video clips, educational games, interactive simulations, and a variety of web pages with background info on weather, climate, the atmosphere, Sun and space weather, computer modeling, and Earth system science.
Weather:
Weather: This collection of resources includes information on weather basics, air pressure, wind, atmosphere, humidity, cloud formation, the water cycle, and specifics on severe weather.
Sun and Space Weather
Sun and Space Weather: This collection of resources includes information about the Sun and Space Weather, including Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections.
Earth’s Atmosphere:
Earth’s Atmosphere: Learn about the Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere and Exosphere and explore the atmosphere through interactive games.
Climate
Climate: This collection of resources defines climate and explains climate change and how it impacts earth.
NOAA Education Resources
NOAA Education Resources provide information for students from K-12 as well as undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of weather, climate change and our planet, oceans and coasts, and satellites and space. A collection of resources is listed below and includes multimedia, lessons and activities, data and background information. Visit NOAA Education to explore all resources available.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes: This collection focuses on education resources about hurricane science, dangers, safety, and preparedness.
El Nino
El Nino: Education resources about the characteristics, measurements, and impacts of El Nino, La Nina and ENSO.
Space Weather
Space Weather: Education resources about space weather forecasting and related solar events.
Weather Observations
Weather Observations: This Collection provides educational resources and lesson plans that will support educators as they teach about daily weather observations, measurements and forecasts. The collection includes resources on weather data, weather station instrumentation, satellites, radar, weather maps, cloud charts, severe weather and weather safety
Weather Systems and Patterns
Weather Systems and Patterns: This collection highlights the patterns and major factors that influence global weather systems. Educational resources help build understanding of how these global systems link to regional and local weather. Includes information on global winds, pressure systems, jetstreams, and weather fronts.
Additional Resources
CIMSS Satellite Meteorology for Grades 7-12
CIMSS Satellite Meteorology for Grades 7-12: Meteorology is an excellent topic to introduce middle and high school students to geoscience, physics, chemistry and applied mathematics.
Science On a Sphere TM (SOS)
Science On a Sphere TM (SOS): A large visualization system that uses computers and video projectors to display animated data onto the outside of a sphere. SOS is an animated globe that can show dynamic, animated images of the atmosphere, oceans, and land of a planet. NOAA primarily uses SOS as an education and outreach tool to describe the environmental processes of Earth.
NASA Education Resources
NASA Education Resources: Information for students from K-12 as well as undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of air, space, the universe, technology, engineering, mathematics, and NASA missions.