atmosphere

This week you will read about the atmosphere. At the end of class you will need to teach the class one fascinating fact about the atmosphere, so make sure you are ready!

**Fun Facts About the Atmosphere**
=NASA layers of the atmosphere=
 * There are five layers within the atmosphere. The troposphere, the stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere and exosphere are the layers of the atmosphere.
 * The troposphere lies closest to the Earth and is about 11 miles thick. This layer contains most of the air and oxygen in the atmosphere. Our weather is formed in the troposphere. Water evaporates from land to become rain or snow. Winds bring warm or cool weather.
 * The stratosphere lies above the troposphere and goes up about 30 miles high. The ozone layer is in the stratosphere. The ozone protects us from harmful rays from the Sun.
 * The mesosphere is the next layer, reaching 50 miles from the Earth. This layer of the atmosphere is very cold – about -180 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrr! Here is where most meteors burn up. Without this layer, our Earth would be pocked like the Moon and other planets.