1. A Trip to the NASA Lab
Do people have an effect on clouds and radiation, or are these forces beyond our control? Take a trip to the NASA Earth Observatory and find out. Follow the links below http://www.physicalscience.college/hmco.com/students to study clouds and investigate cloud forcing, high and low clouds.

Consider This Before Answering the Questions
We have an advantage today that our ancestors never had in terms of being able to view the Earth from above-virtually everyone who flies at some time or another will fly through clouds and we all are able to fly above them and see the Earth from that vantage point.

• Let's go to the NASA Earth Observatory at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ for another look at clouds.
• Feel free to explore the various options there, but we're going to link to the Experiments icon on the far right of the top menu.
• When you're at the Experiments page, glance through the different activities and have fun with any or all of them, but for this exercise you'll click on the first one, "Patterns of Change" http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Datasets/ (note that you'll have to download QuickTime, but it's at the Global Dataset Comparisons site and it's free and only takes a few minutes).
• From here you can look at the various activities and might want to make a mental note of those you'd like to go back and try later, but for now let's go to Activity #7 "Comparing Cloud Fraction to Reflected Shortwave Radiation."
• Read the description of the activity as well as the background information, then watch the animation (note that the "play" button is at the bottom left of the first June 1988 graphic) and answer the three questions posed.
• Now, click on the first link, "Clouds and Radiation" http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Clouds/ and learn about the five topics presented: Cloud Forcing, High Clouds, Low Clouds, Deep Convective Clouds, and Radiation.

After You Answer the Questions
Note that you can print out a hard copy of the above articles. See the printer icon on the appropriate pages.

2. Recreating the Greenhouse Effect
Why has the "greenhouse effect" become a major political issue around the globe? Follow the links below to try a little experiment. What could happen if this greenhouse effect changed the Earth's climate?

Consider This Before Answering the Questions
This is a simple experiment to demonstrate the much-discussed "greenhouse effect," which has become a major political issue around the globe.

• You can get your own first-hand view at http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/greenhouse.html
• Read the two-paragraph introduction and see if you can answer the questions before you do the experiment. Then gather "what you'll need" and follow the instructions.
• What did you discover? Answer the question posed, "What could happen if this greenhouse effect changed the Earth's climate?"
• Note the last paragraph and write a statement about leaving children and pets in a vehicle when the sun is shining-even if it's not a hot summer day. See if you can use this information to help those who may not be able to help themselves.

After You Answer the Questions
Did you know that parents could be prosecuted if their children die from being left in a hot car during summer?