Investigate Sky Color with New Science Literacy Resources Engage students in authentic science practices with NASA’s new Sky Color Storybook. This free book integrates science inquiry and literacy to inspire amateur sky observers. Presentation by: NASA Langley Research Center November 20, 2015, 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM Westfield Marriott, Jeffersonian I

What Color is the Sky?

Agenda Introduce Elementary GLOBE New Elementary GLOBE Storybook: What’s Up in the Atmosphere? Exploring Colors in the Sky 4 New Learning Activities Implementation Strategies & Discussion How to Access Materials

About The GLOBE Program Elementary GLOBE Join the GLOBE Kids as they explore and investigate the natural world! A worldwide community of students, teachers, scientists, and citizens working together to better understand, sustain, and improve Earth's environment at local, regional, and global scales.

Elementary GLOBE Resources Teacher Implementation Guide Storybooks Learning Activities All are FREE online – View or Print

Elementary GLOBE Storybooks 1.Seasons 2.Water 3.Soil 4.Clouds 5.Earth as a System 6.NEW - Aerosols

Science Inquiry & Literacy Skills Overlapping skills and behaviors: – note details – compare and contrast – predict – sequence events – link cause and effect – distinguish fact from opinions – link words with precise meanings – make inferences – draw conclusions

Science and Engineering Practice Skills 1.Asking Questions 2.Developing and using models 3.Planning and carrying out investigations 4.Analyzing and interpreting data 5.Using mathematics and computational thinking 6.Constructing explanations 7.Engaging in argument from evidence 8.Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information

Purpose of Sky Color Resources Encourage students’ curiosity about natural world Practice making observations Practice recording observations Help better understand why we should study our atmosphere, the air we breathe

Our World: Sunsets and Atmospheres Watch online at: gov/skycolor/video

Online Webstory Compliment to Storybook Purpose: How to make sky color and visibility observations

Introducing New Aerosols Storybook What color is the sky today? Anita, Simon, and Dennis want to know why the sky isn't always blue. They learn that there's a lot more than air in the atmosphere, which can affect the colors we see in the sky.

Storybook Summary

Aerosols – Learning Activities 1.Sky Observers. Students make observations of the sky, record their findings and share their observation reports with their peers. View webstory, Become an Atmosphere Observer. 2.Why (Not) So Blue? Students conduct an experiment to see how drops of milk will affect color and visibility in cups of water representing the atmosphere. 3.See the Light. Students use prisms and glue sticks to explore the properties of light. 4.Up in the Air. Students make an aerosol sampler, a simple adhesive tool that allows students to collect data and estimate the extent of aerosols present at their school.

Sky Observers Purpose To engage students in active observation and recording skills. To help students observe sky color, recognize that sky color changes.

Why (Not) So Blue Purpose To help students understand that aerosols in the atmosphere have an effect on sky conditions, including sky color and visibility. To provide students the opportunity to become more familiar with the classification categories for daytime sky color and visibility.

See the Light Purpose To introduce students to properties of light. To demonstrate that white light is made up of seven colors that represent different wavelengths. To illustrate why the sky is blue during the day and red at sunset.

Up in the Air Purpose To introduce students to aerosols and help students understand that there are small particulates in the atmosphere. To engage students in collecting, analyzing, interpreting data, and making predictions. To introduce students to the concept of random sampling.

Implementation Strategies

Inquiry Skills Checklist

Using Journals or Science Notebooks

Reading Comprehension Strategy: Five Finger Retell Thumb – Who were the main characters? Forefinger – Where did the story take place? Middle finger – What was the series of events in this story? Ring finger – What was the problem? Pinky finger – What was the solution? Optional additions: – Palm of hand – What was the main idea of the story? – Back of hand – What connections can you make between this story and something in your life?

Vocabulary Development: Word Wall Before reading the Elementary GLOBE Storybooks, list key vocabulary words on a word wall. As you read the storybooks or learning activities, continue to add to the word wall as you and your students encounter new vocabulary words. Encourage your students to refer to the word wall when they write in their journals.

Connections with Art Kim Abeles, Los Angeles artist Cross discipline installations and community projects explore geography and environment Smog Collector plates 60 Days of Sky ColorShare Skies

Resources available on GLOBE Find resources online at “Do GLOBE” “Elementary GLOBE” “Aerosols”

Resources available at NASA Can access the Webstory and Video from here

Your Feedback What did you like? How would you implement it with your teachers or students? What else do you need to implement New Aerosols Storybook?

Contact Us Kristyn Damadeo – NASA Langley Partnership Webpage: langley-research-center/overview

Back Up Slides – Aerosol Science

Why is the Sky Blue during the Day When sunlight enters the atmosphere, it encounters air molecules which scatter the light. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves.

Why is the Sky Red at Sunset As the Sun gets lower in the sky, its light is passing through more of the atmosphere to reach you. Even more of the blue light is scattered, allowing the reds and yellows to pass straight through to your eyes.

Aerosols Particles (aerosols) in our atmosphere can scatter certain wavelengths of light causing the sky color to look different.

Why Study Aerosols Aerosols, both natural and human-made: – impact cloud formation, – directly impact air quality, – and drive climate change. These tiny particles don’t stay in one spot, Earth’s winds transport aerosols around the world.

How We Study Aerosols Most are too small to see with your eyes Some aerosols are large enough to see, like ash from forest fire NASA uses space craft to measure and monitor aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere NASA also measures aerosols from planes and ground based instruments

Why Study Aerosols Aerosols play an important role in Earth’s climate. Although most aerosols reflect sunlight, some absorb it. Aerosols can influence climate directly by either reflecting or absorbing the sun's radiation as it moves through the atmosphere. CNES Aerosol Video (EN): =doc&id_doc= =doc&id_doc=32564