Orange Snow in Eastern Europe

WEATHER Sand storms in the Sahara influence snowfall over the Black Sea. (Smithsonian) What else makes for “strange rains”? Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas View this post on Instagram Марс атакует 🌔 #smurygins_family_trip A post shared by Alina Smurygina (@sinyaya_ptiza) on Mar 23, 2018 at 11:55pm PDT Take a look at the photo above. … Continue reading Orange Snow in Eastern Europe

Africa Is Rifting Apart, But This ‘Crack’ in Kenya Doesn’t Have Much to Do With It

SCIENCE A widely reported crack in the Great Rift Valley was not formed by tectonic movement, but by erosion of soil from recent heavy rains. (The Guardian) What is the Great Rift Valley? Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit. Discussion Ideas Enormous earthen cracks have emerged around Mai Mahiu, an area in Kenya’s Rift Valley Province, making people … Continue reading Africa Is Rifting Apart, But This ‘Crack’ in Kenya Doesn’t Have Much to Do With It

Michigan OKs Nestlé’s Water Extraction Plan

UNITED STATES Considering Michiganders’ ongoing water woes, Nestlé’s request to pump 576,000 gallons of water each day from the Great Lakes Basin was highly controversial. But despite deep public opposition, the state concluded that the company’s plan met with legal standards. (Detroit Free Press) Health, hygiene, commerce … use our activity to help students understand how people use freshwater. Teachers, scroll down for a quick … Continue reading Michigan OKs Nestlé’s Water Extraction Plan

Iceland Is Growing New Forests for the First Time in 1,000 Years

ENVIRONMENT Within a few centuries, Iceland became “among the worst examples in the world of deforestation.” Today, the Icelandic Forest Service has taken on the mammoth task of bringing back the woodlands. (National Geographic) Use today’s simple MapMaker Interactive map to help students understand land-use patterns in Iceland. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers Toolkit, including a link … Continue reading Iceland Is Growing New Forests for the First Time in 1,000 Years

Once Written Off for Dead, the Aral Sea Is Now Full of Life

ENVIRONMENT Thanks to large-scale restoration efforts, the North Aral Sea has seen a resurgence of fish—a boon to the communities that rely on it. (National Geographic) Use our resources to learn more about how the Aral Sea was written off for dead to begin with, and why it won’t ever fully recover. Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers … Continue reading Once Written Off for Dead, the Aral Sea Is Now Full of Life