Teek and Tom
It’s all about the ocean-weather-climate connection!
Join intrepid student explorer Teek from planet Queloz and NOAA climate scientist Tom Di Liberto as they explore planet Earth’s weather and climate. This five-part science series covers a range of scientific topics, including how the ocean influences weather and climate on Earth, and the technologies scientists use to gather information about our planet and its changing climate.
Each episode is supplemented by two lesson plans designed for students in the fourth through sixth grades — all of which are compiled in a single Educator’s Guide. Each lesson allows students to explore and investigate NOAA data, visualizations, and content, allowing them to build knowledge of and skills associated with important Earth science concepts.
An understanding of how the Earth works as a system and how humans interact with the Earth is important for all inhabitants of our planet. Teek and Tom are a fun and engaging way to grow that understanding!
Lesson Plans
The following lesson plans — developed for students at the fourth through sixth grade levels — supplement this episode of Teek and Tom. The lessons allow students to build knowledge of and skills associated with important Earth science concepts. Through the exploration and investigation of NOAA data, visualizations, and content, the lessons support the videos in telling a cohesive story of key Earth systems, and how those systems impact each other.
Each lesson is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, national standards for math, national standards for English and language arts, as well as the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies Standards. These standards reinforce the interdisciplinary nature of ocean, weather, and climate studies, and support the teaching of these topics. The lessons engage students in content that is locally relevant and use the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) to provide a structure for students to connect science ideas with their own experiences and apply their learning to new contexts.
Episode 1: What’s the Difference Between Weather and Climate? (16:07)
Lesson 1: What Should I Wear Today?
Lesson 2: It’s All About the Weather... and Climate
“I’m Teek from planet Queloz...I come in peace...can you help me understand your planet for a school project?” With trusty spaceship BARY (Bioluminescent Alien Research Yacht), Teek travels to planet Earth and meets NOAA climate scientist Tom Di Liberto. Together, they team up to explore Earth’s ocean and atmosphere to learn the difference between weather and climate. Along their journey, the extraterrestrial-earthly duo visit a farm to discover how climate outlooks help farmers make decisions. After a quick stop at the ocean, Teek heads back to Queloz eager for their next adventure!
Episode 2: The Ocean is Key to the Weather and Climate We See! (10:27)
"The ocean has a huge influence on our weather and climate!" Teek and Tom activate “beach mode” and return to the ocean to explore how it impacts coastal temperatures and weather systems — like thunderstorms — even a thousand miles away. Tom explains how water absorbs energy, like heat, differently than land and air and how everything is interconnected!
Episode 3: Weather and Climate EXTREMES! (9:09)
Lesson 5: There’s Something in the Air
Lesson 6: Recipes for Disasters: Tornadoes and Hurricanes
⚡ “It’s bonkers, right?!” 🌀 Teek and Tom explore how the ocean influences weather and climate to the EXTREME, causing weather events like hurricanes, thunderstorms, and floods; and climate trends, such as more or less rain than normal during a season. Looking down at the jet stream — Earth’s storm highway — from space, the two discuss how the patterns of warm water in the ocean determine where extreme weather events can form…or not.
Episode 4: An Ocean of Data from Cool Technology! (11:59)
Lesson 7: Planetary Toolbox: Eyes in the Sky
Lesson 8: Planetary Toolbox: Eyes in the Ocean
“They’re like eyes in the sky!” Teek and Tom journey through space, and kick back at a movie theater, to learn all about the cool technologies scientists use to monitor Earth’s ocean and atmosphere! With the help of BARY (Teek’s Bioluminescent Alien Research Yacht) the two explore important gizmos and gadgets like satellites, weather balloons, hurricane hunter aircrafts, drones, and underwater instruments and vehicles.
Episode 5: Our Planet is Changing and We Can All Help! (12:32)
Lesson 10: Taking Care of Earth
“Earth is such an amazing place and it’s the only home humans have!” Teek gives a final project to the rest of the class with a focus on how Earth’s climate is changing, what those changes mean for the health of the planet, and what humans are doing to tackle climate change. Teek’s classmates share the actions they’re taking to help the environment on Queloz and how by working together we can solve big problems!
Bonus Episode: Behind the Scenes of 'Teek and Tom' (4:23)
“You just start off simple and the most important thing is to have fun with it!” Go behind the scenes with NOAA illustrator and animator Michael Pai as he, and our team of NOAA creatives, used hand drawings and high powered computer software to bring the Teek and Tom adventure to life.
