Earth & Weather Mission
Investigate Earth's systems — from weather patterns and the water cycle to plate tectonics, rock layers, and ecosystem matter cycles.
7 activities · Work through in order for a complete lesson arc
Atmosphere Explorer
Explore atmosphere layers, temperature profiles, pressure changes with altitude, temperature inversions, ozone chemistry, and planetary energy balance. Visualize the troposphere through thermosphere.
Weather & Water Cycle Explorer
Explore the water cycle with an animated diagram, predict weather from temperature/humidity/wind/clouds, identify cloud types, and compare seasonal patterns across climates
Rock Layers & Landscape Change Explorer
Tap rock layers to discover their age, rock type, and fossils. Arrange layers in order from oldest to newest and reconstruct what events — eruptions, floods, erosion — formed each one.
Plate Tectonics Explorer
Explore plate boundary types, the rock cycle, radiometric dating with decay curves, and Earth's internal layers. View cross-sections of divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries with seismic velocity profiles.
Ecosystem Matter Cycle Explorer
Interactive ecosystem model showing matter flow between sun, plants, animals, and decomposers. Build food webs, explore organism roles, and simulate what happens when species disappear.
Weather Station & Forecast Lab
Observe 7 days of virtual weather station data, find temperature and cloud patterns, then forecast days 8 and 9. Grades 2-5.
Greenhouse Effect & Climate Lab
Investigate Earth's energy budget and greenhouse effect. Adjust CO2 levels and albedo, measure temperature response, explore feedback loops, and compare emission scenarios from pre-industrial to RCP 8.5
Capstone — analyze real climate data trends.