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)