Climate Change Lesson 2 : Earth's Energy Balance

Students learn about the Earth’s energy balance.

Students will answer these essential questions:

How does the sun heat the Earth? 

How does the atmosphere help balance the energy received?

Subject/Target Grade

Science/Middle School and High School

Duration

One 45-50 minute period – Classroom setting

Materials

From MEECS Climate Change Resource DVD

• Radiation from the Sun and Earth (QuickTime Movie – 2:17 minutes)

• Earth’s Energy Balance (QuickTime Movie – 3:35 minutes)

• Earth’s Energy Budget (for option 1) PowerPoint 

• Balancing the Energy Budget by Percentage (for option 2) PowerPoint 

• Energy Budget Changes Since 1950 PowerPoint 

per class

• Electromagnetic Spectrum (transparency master) 

• Radiation from the Sun and Earth (answer key) 

• Energy Budget Changes Since 1950 (transparency master) 

• Option 1:

– Earth’s Energy Budget Parts 1-4 (transparency master) 

– Earth’s Energy Budget Parts 1-4 (answer key/teacher resource) 

• Option 2:

– NASA’s Earth’s Energy Budget (poster) 

– Balancing the Energy Budget (answer key) 

– Balancing the Energy Budget (teacher resource, found in kit) 

per student

• Radiation from the Sun and Earth (student activity) 

• Option 1:

– Earth’s Energy Budget Parts 1-4 (student activity) 

• Option 2:

– Balancing the Energy Budget (student activity) 

– Balancing the Energy Budget by Percentage (student handout, found in kit)