This classroom activity helps students understand how the angle of the Sun affects temperatures around the globe. After experimenting with a heat lamp and thermometers at differing angles, students apply what they learned to explain temperature variations on Earth. The printable six-page handout includes a series of inquiry-based questions to get students thinking about what they already know about temperature patterns, detailed experiment directions and a worksheet that helps students use the experiment results to gain a deeper understanding of seasonal temperature changes and why Antarctica is always so cold.

This classroom activity helps students understand the benefits and drawback of globes, Mercator maps, and polar map projections. After closely examining all three, students discuss how we represent a spherical object like the Earth on flat surface. The printable five-page handout includes a series of inquiry-based questions related to the representation of Antarctica on the three types of maps.

Students learn about the subtractive nature of white light in this Moveable Museum unit. It contains two procedures in which students "take apart" white light and then "put it back together again." The six-page PDF guide includes suggested general background readings for educators, activity notes, step-by-step directions, an easy-to-assemble color wheel, and information about where to obtain supplies. Students use special glasses to see that white light is made up of all the colors of the rainbow and then create a colorful top and spin it to see how the different colors blend into white.

In this Moveable Museum lesson plan, students write a research proposal, drawing on their knowledge of a nomadic culture. Then they submit their proposals to you - the governing agency that determines what fieldwork will be supported. The 12-page PDF guide has educator materials including background information, teacher strategies, assessment guidelines, and detailed notes about the curriculum standards addressed. The Writing the Research Proposal activity worksheet has six questions designed to guide students' research and help them gather the information needed for their proposals.