For complete lesson plans or more information on NPOESS, please visit our website at:

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1 For complete lesson plans or more information on P, please visit our website at: ctivities and illustrations created by rica Handleman and Jane Whitcomb, GD Feb 07. Have fun while learning about the next generation of weather satellites! his fun-filled activity book contains exciting games and puzzles as well as interesting facts. JDW

2 1 14 nswers here is a saying in ew ngland that goes f you don t like the weather, just wait an hour and it will change. While this is a bit of an exaggeration on most days there, it is true that the weather does change. But more than just the weather, the environment in which we live is also changing. atellites, circling over 800 kilometers above the earth, help us to detect and monitor weather changes; not just the changes we see daily, but also the less obvious changes to our environment. he ational Polar-orbiting peration nvironmental atellite ystem (P) is the future system that will provide this data. What ype of Cloud am? 1. Cirrus 2. Cumulus 3. tratus ecret Message P remotely senses the environment from space P Jumble 1. M 2. D 3. WD 4. CUD 5. C 6. MU Hidden Birds Crossword Puzzle cross 3. Global 4. Measurements 5. arth 6. ational 7. torm 9. tmosphere 11. bserve 10. Weather 12. Climate 13. atellite _ Down 1. Data 2. ensors 5. nvironment 8. Particles 11. rbit his is the P that is different P is a joint effort between the Department of Defense, the Department of Commerce (), and. hese three Government agencies have come to work together to create the next-generation weather satellite system. his future satellite system will remotely sense the environment from space. t will obtain a lot more information than the current satellites and be able to transmit that information much quicker than ever before. udoku 6 Word earch n this package, we have included some games and puzzles and what we hope are fun ways to learn about satellites in general, P, and the environment. ur goal is not only to help the students learn about these topics, but also to help make science a bit more fun and to turn you on to the wonders of the world in which we live.

3 What is the P nstrument ensing? P JUMB Unscramble the letters to create a new word Cloud Base Height cean Characteristics M Wind peed and Direction M (Microwave mager/ounder) detects ocean characteristics, wind speed and wind direction. D Vegetation ndex Cloud Particle ize he P (erosol Polarimeter ensor) instrument measures the amount of moisture or ice crystal formation within a cloud. he V (Visible/nfrared mager/adiometer uite) instrument will determine how deep and wide the clouds are either day or night. D W C D U C V will also see how much vegetation is growing on earth. U M 13 2 Get tuck? nswers can be found on page 14

4 DKU t s a bird. t s a plane. h, wait, it s P! t takes excellent math skills to become an aerospace engineer and work on satellites. Math can be fun. ry to solve the puzzle below: he object of this game is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in each of the empty cells so that each row, each column, and each 3X3 block contains all the numbers from one to nine. Hint: t is possible to determine the content of a single cell by taking account of the other numbers in the row, column, and 3X3 box in which it appears. hat will help you identify the only number that must appear in that cell. emember: Have fun and V guess! 3 12 Get tuck? nswers can be found on page 14

5 P CWD PUZZ CBG MZ WD D H M VM WH PC CM GB MUM B BV MPH P V and M instruments can identify sea ice breaking away to form icebergs. Help the P locate the newly-formed iceberg by maneuvering through the maze. C 3. UD H H 4. WH CKG, YU U DM HW MUCH GD G H BW 5. W V P 6. H HM 7. D GHG P F 9. UD H H 10. M,, W, D WD DFF YP F 11. UDY D K V MHG 12. WH CD PCU G V PD F M 13. DH F V CP DW 1. UMB UD F WH PDC 2. BUG UD 5. H, CM, D VG HG P F U 8. VY M P F M UCH MCU M 11. H H CCG UD H U XMP F WH Get tuck? nswers can be found on page

6 5 10 WH YP F CUD M? Write the name of the cloud on the dotted line 52 Clouds can help forecasters tell what type of weather can be expected for the next day or two at their location. P will send images of clouds from around the world so forecasts can be made for any spot on the arth ) ) ) Clouds come in three basic shapes: Cumulus: heaped and puffy clouds Cirrus: light, wispy clouds Connect the Dots to Find ut What s Detecting the arth s Weather Patterns tratus: layered clouds 4

7 Get tuck? nswers can be found on page 14 You can scan this picture with your eyes and, if you look carefully enough, you can spot 9 hidden sea birds. P will scan the environment and the earth. F H B G H P Y Y Y U P P U M V V G D P C C U C B Z B G W H W V F Y D V G U DY F FD GB HUC C GH M P BG Z PC P W YPH VG W WV WD 9 6 FD H HDD BD P WD CH P can detect all of the words in the box below. Find the words in the word search from the box below.

8 FD H P H DFF FM H P CYPGM Use the Chart Below to Decode the ecret Message 4 1 C F M 5 P V 2 Write the letters below the matching symbol to find the secret message. 6 3 Get tuck? he answer can be found on page Get tuck? nswers can be found on page 14