This article provides elementary school teachers with background knowledge about science concepts needed to understand the first of seven essential principles of climate literacy--the sun is the primary source of energy for our climate system. Graphs, diagrams, and oneline resources provide more background for the teacher. The article appears in a free online magazine that focuses on the seven essential princples of the climate sciences.

This list of children's books recommends nonfiction titles that supplement basic information found in lessons and activities of this themed issue of the online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle. The books are grouped by topic -- water, weather and climate, and atmosphere. Each book is described by its content, reading level, and possible uses in the classroom. Covers are pictured. The online magazine is produced for elementary school teachers and is structured around the essential principles of climate sciences and climate literacy.

Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, develop the molecular models of both substances and determine where the missing carbon atom might be going.

What questions do you still have about trees and their relationship with Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere?

In this article, teachers find two unit plans (grades K-2 and 3-5) that use resources featured in the science and literacy articles in the magazine. The unit plans are modeled after the five key steps in the learning cycle: engage, explore, explain, expand, and assess, or evaluate. The plans are aligned with the science content standards of the National Science Education Standards and the English language arts standards of the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association. The plans appear in the free, online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle.

This game is suitable for play both within and outside of the classroom, and although designed for children ages 9-13, it offers a fun, learning opportunity for the entire family. In addition to being a game, it is an eye-catching poster showing continents, oceans and all of the major ocean currents. On the reverse, there are black and white educational activities designed to be reproduced directly from the poster for use in the classroom.

This water cycle lesson includes a 3-day module on the water cycle with formative assessments (warm-ups & exit tickets), flashcards, and a project. The project helps students recognize local water cycle stages that happen in/around their home, community, or state. The project also challenges students to collaboratively create their own water cycle diagram. The Google Slides format allows educators to copy and modify the materials to fit their needs and can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/localwatercycle.

In this unit, students learn the basics about weather and the atmosphere. They investigate materials engineering as it applies to weather and the choices available to us for clothing to counteract the effects of weather. Students have the opportunity to design and analyze combinations of materials for use in specific weather conditions. In the next lesson, students also are introduced to air masses and weather forecasting instrumentation and how engineers work to improve these instruments for atmospheric measurements on Earth and in space. Then, students learn the distinguishing features of the four main types of weather fronts that accompany high and low pressure air masses and how those fronts are depicted on a weather map. During this specific lesson, students learn different ways that engineers help with storm prediction, analysis and protection. In the final lesson, students consider how weather forecasting plays an important part in their daily lives by learning about the history of weather forecasting and how improvements in weather technology have saved lives by providing advance warning of natural disasters.

Students develop awareness and understanding of the daily air quality using the Air Quality Index (AQI) listed in the newspaper. They explore what engineers can do to help reduce poor air quality.

In this lesson, students develop an understanding of the effects of invisible air pollutants with a rubber band and hanger air test and a bean plant experiment. They also learn about methods of reducing invisible air pollutants.

This is an encyclopedia entry for "biosphere." The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees, to the dark environment of ocean trenches, to lush rain forests and high mountaintops. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.

This encyclopedia entry is for the term "ozone layer." The ozone layer is one layer of the stratosphere, the second layer of the Earth?s atmosphere. The stratosphere is the mass of protective gases clinging to our planet. This entry discusses what the ozone layer does for us and how we are impacting the layer. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.

This encyclopedia entry is for the term "precipitation." Precipitation is any type of water that forms in the Earth's atmosphere and then drops onto the surface of the Earth. Water vapor, droplets of water suspended in the air, builds up in the Earth's atmosphere. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.

This is an encyclopedia entry for the term "rain." Rain is liquid precipitation: water falling from the sky. Raindrops fall to Earth when clouds become saturated, or filled, with water droplets. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.