Educator Guide: How Venus is Morphing and a Lightning Lab

About this guide

Use these lesson plans paired to articles from the December/January issue of Science News Explores to learn about how the geology of Venus compares to Earth’s and do a short electrostatics lab to help students understand what causes lightning and how it compares to a megaflash.

This Guide Includes:

The case of the surface-morphing planet

Scientists noticed Venus’s weirdly shaped mountain ranges decades ago, but until recently their origin has remained a mystery. Learn how researchers apply computer-modeling technology to existing data, revealing patterns suggesting what might have created such geological features. Answer questions about plate tectonics and discuss how our knowledge of Earth-like processes can help us understand the mysterious geology of other planets.

Lightning lab

Lightning is a familiar natural phenomenon, but what causes it? In this activity, students will do a short electrostatics lab with sticky tape. They will also compare what happens in regular lightning with what happens in a megaflash.