Teaching Overview
Learning Points
- The European Space Agency’s BIOMASS satellite was launched into space in April.
- It uses P-band radar to scan the Earth’s forests and estimate their biomass—that is, the amount of organic matter they contain.
- This will help scientists understand how much carbon forests store, and the role they play in regulating climate.
Curriculum Keywords
- biomass
- climate change
- satellite
Spark a Discussion
- What is biomass?
- How do forests affect climate change?
- What is the BIOMASS satellite’s mission?
More From Twig Science Reporter
Watch This Episode in Spanish
Use this version of the episode in Spanish to support the teaching of bilingual classes.
Credits
- European Space Agency - ESA
Discover More About Topics Covered in This Week's Episode
Classroom Resources
Use these resources to get the most out of the episode and engage your class in topical science!
Video Viewing Guide
This graphic organizer supports your students to capture their thoughts and questions as they watch the episode.
Access the GuideMake Your Own Science Episode
This simple guide helps your students to create their very own science episodes.
Access the GuideLanguage and Literacy Activities
This guide gives you ideas for how the episode can be used to support language and literacy activities.
Access the GuideTwig Science: A Complete Pre-K–8 Program for the NGSS
Immersive Investigations With High-Quality Multimedia
- Investigating, designing, building, and understanding phenomena
- Hands-on, digital, video, and print investigations
- Synchronous/asynchronous distance learning
