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Getting along With Others
Learners examine character traits to find the most positive behaviors. In this getting along lesson, students identify behaviors that are beneficial to getting along. Learners evaluate their own behaviors and target three that could...
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Building on Ground Zero
Students research safety feature and building code changes that were recommended in response to major disasters, including fire, hurricanes, and terrorist acts. They understand how knowledge gained from disasters has influenced changes...
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Being P-Waves and S-Waves
Students participate in a demonstration in which they, themselves, represent seismic P-waves and S-waves.
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Global Temperatures
Students analyze the global temperature record from 1867 to the present. Long-term trends and shorter-term fluctuations are both evaluated. The data is examined for evidence of the impact of natural and anthropogenic climate forcing...
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Mass Balance Model
Students explore the concept of mass balance, flow rates, and equilibrium using a simple water bucket model. For this JAVA based online interactive modeling activity, they vary flow rate into the bucket, initial water level in the...
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The Modern Atmospheric CO2 Record
Students compare carbon dioxide (CO2) data from the Mauna Loa Observatory , Barrow (Alaska) , and the South Pole over the past 40 years to help them better understand what controls atmospheric (CO2).
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Mock Environmental Summit
Students increase understanding of human impact on Earth's sytems and the climate. They develop persuasive and critical skills as writers and presenters. They become familiar with political decision making processes.
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Earth's Radiation Budget
Twelfth graders explore the Earth's radiation budget using Earth radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) data archived at the IRI/LDEO Climate Data Library. They use photometers and light sources to work through several hands-on activities...
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Wheel of...Geology!
Students participate in a group review activity in order to prepare for an exam. Students study together in their teams prior to the review activity. During the game, the teacher spins a wheel with subject categories written on it and...
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Using Mass Balance to Understand Atmospheric CFCs
Students use an interactive online mass balance model to observe levels of chlorofluorocarbons over the past few years. Students evaluate the influence protocol emissions will have on the future levels of CFCs.
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Virtual Oil Well Game
Students play an online strategy game working with a limited budget. They collect and interpret seismic data to search for oil traps, file environmental impact statements before drilling and use drill logs to determine when to start...
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Opening Doors to Social Studies with Children's Literature
Third graders use the Decision Tree strategy to brainstorm ideas about two decisions that must be made. They predict what will happen in the rest of the story. Students discuss the time period the story takes place in. They study the...
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"Adopt an Outcrop"
Students "adopts" a different outcrop or road cut, describing and interpreting both the outcrop scale features and hand specimens. They build their confidence in their ability to describe and interpret outcrop geology. Students are...
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Post-settlement landscape evolution
Students use this example, a field laboratory in introductory geology becomes a test of a hypothesis: Does the model proposed by Stanley Trimble for Coon Creek, Wisconsin adequately describe the history of post-European-settlement...
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Studying Aquifers in Outcrop
Students describe two or more different rock types found in outcrop. Students look specifically at the hydro-geologic properties of the rocks and complete the lab with a paper explaining a scientific phenomenon in layperson terms.
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Groundwater Pump Test
Students observe groundwater flowing to a pump, changes in groundwater table as a result of pumping, and the quantity and quality of water in the groundwater system. Students must graph and interpret their data, and quantify orders of...
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Cemetery Geology
Young scholars examine the chemical and physical weathering process of different rocks in a cemetery based on dates on the stones. Students discover the susceptibility of different rock types to weathering.
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Glacial Geology in the Field
Students examine the origin of glaciers, how glacial sediments are deposited, and what sedimentary records of glaciation provide about source and process of glaciers in a field lab.
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Floodplains in the Field
Students measure a topographic and geologic cross-section across a floodplain using simple surveying and auguring techniques in a field lab. Students also reconstruct the history of a river system.
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GPS Treasure Hunt
Students practice using a GPS receiver and reading directions in an on-campus field trip. Students can identify a building stone, tree, or plant at each stop depending on which area of science is being studied.
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Sea Floor Spreading II
Students import ocean bathymetry data form either the topex web site or text files. They then graph these observations along with model predictions to assess the model's ability to sumulate the observed topographic features of the North...