As a high school or undergraduate Geography, Earth Sciences, or Physics teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to help you in teaching about heat transport in the atmosphere, atmospheric circulation, and the Hadley Cell and Hadley Circulation
Geography/Earth Sciences: The lesson plan also helps students to understand the effects of Hadley Circulation on global precipitation patterns, the geographical distribution of deserts, and trade winds
Physics: The lesson plan also helps students to apply the law of conservation of angular momentum and understand the concept of a thermally direct cell.
Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in Geography, Earth Sciences, or Physics
The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Micro-lecture (video) (~7 min)
Introduce the topic of heat transport in the atmosphere and Hadley Cell by playing the micro-lecture “Hadley Circulation Cell” by Prof. Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland (content developed for the TROP ICSU project at Science Media Center, IISER Pune).
Reading (~20 – 30 min)
Discuss the Hadley Cell and a simple atmospheric circulation model in more detail by using the reading “Hadley Cells” from Harvard University.
The reading applies the law of conservation of angular momentum to explain a simple model for the Hadley cell and also introduces a possible explanation for equable climates in the past (Cretaceous period).
Classroom/Laboratry activity (40 – 80min)
Explore the topic in a more engaging matter by conducting the classroom/laboratory activity “Hadley Circulation using NASA MERRA Reanalysis Model” from the Program on Climate Change, University of Washington
In this activity, students will analyze and map real data through the NASA MERRA reanalysis model to understand the actual impact of the Hadley Cell on Earth’s climate system (e.g., geographical distribution 2 Step-by-step User Guide of deserts, global precipitation patterns, trade winds). Students will visualize 30-year-average data on winds and their vertical velocity to understand the Hadley circulation and its influence on regional climates.
Use the tools and the concepts learned so far to discuss and determine answers to the following questions:
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Reading, Videos | A reading and embedded videos, “Global circulation patterns”, from the Met Office, UK: This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Reading | A reading, “Hadley Cells”, from Harvard University:. This can be accessed here . |
| 1 | Micro-lecture (video), “Hadley Circulation Cell” | Prof. Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland (content developed for the TROP ICSU project, at the Science Media Center, IISER Pune) |
| 2 | Reading, “Hadley Cells” | Harvard University |
| 3 | Classroom/Laboratory Activity, “Hadley Circulation using NASA MERRA Reanalysis Model” | Stephen Po-Chedley and Chris Terai, Atmospheric Sciences (2012) for the UW in the High School Climate Science Course; Program on Climate Change, University of Washington |
| 4 | Additional Resources | The Met Office, UK; Harvard University |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Micro-lecture (video) (~7 min)
Introduce the topic of heat transport in the atmosphere and Hadley Cell by playing the micro-lecture“Hadley Circulation Cell” by Prof. Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland (content developed for the TROP ICSU project at Science Media Center, IISER Pune).
Reading (~20 – 30 min)
Discuss the Hadley Cell and a simple atmospheric circulation model in more detail by using the reading“Hadley Cells” from Harvard University.
The reading applies the law of conservation of angular momentum to explain a simple model for the Hadley cell and also introduces a possible explanation for equable climates in the past (Cretaceous period).
Classroom/Laboratry activity (40 – 80min)
Explore the topic in a more engaging matter by conducting the classroom/laboratory activity “Hadley Circulation using NASA MERRA Reanalysis Model” from the Program on Climate Change, University of Washington
In this activity, students will analyze and map real data through the NASA MERRA reanalysis model to understand the actual impact of the Hadley Cell on Earth’s climate system (e.g., geographical distribution of deserts, global precipitation patterns, trade winds). Students will visualize 30-year-average data on winds and their vertical velocity to understand the Hadley circulation and its influence on regional climates.
Use the tools and the concepts learned so far to discuss and determine answers to the following questions:
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | . Reading, Videos | A reading and embedded videos, “Global circulation patterns”, from the Met Office, UK: This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Reading | A reading, “Hadley Cells”, from Harvard University:. This can be accessed here . |
| 1 | Micro-lecture (video), “Hadley Circulation Cell” | Prof. Raghu Murtugudde, University of Maryland (content developed for the TROP ICSU project, at the Science Media Center, IISER Pune) |
| 2 | Reading, “Hadley Cells” | Harvard University |
| 3 | Classroom/Laboratory Activity, “Hadley Circulation using NASA MERRA Reanalysis Model” | Stephen Po-Chedley and Chris Terai, Atmospheric Sciences (2012) for the UW in the High School Climate Science Course; Program on Climate Change, University of Washington |
| 4 | Additional Resources | The Met Office, UK; Harvard University |
