Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Danger in the Air
In this learning module, young scholars are involved in an observational study of air pollutants in the atmosphere. The students collect and examine air quality and weather data, looking for correlations between weather and air quality.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Low Level Nuclear Waste: A Geographic Analysis
In this lesson plan, students will learn what nuclear waste is and how to analyze the problems surrounding it. They will compare and contrast low- and high-level nuclear waste, and make decisions concerning how to dispose of low-level...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Radioactivity Activity
This activity is part of Planet Diary and contains an online exploration of waste in different states. Students investigate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Priorities site for sources of nuclear waste and then see...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Flight to Mars: How Long? Along What Path?
Demonstrate how, with the use of orbital mechanics, a space mission to Mars can be planned. Using no more than algebra, Kepler's laws and the formula for the energy of an object in a Kepler orbit, the exercise derives the time for an...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: American Field Guide: Relative Dating Telling Time Using Fossils
This website integrates video footage and information with lesson plans and activities to teach young scholars about the concept of relative dating. Students will graph a range chart for ammonites, determine the geologic age for several...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Epa's Environmental Education Center
A collection of fact sheets, brochures, and web pages about environmental issues. Topics include acid rain and air pollution, ecosystems, human health, waste and recycling, conservation, and water-related concepts and issues.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Geophysical Demos Properties and Processes of Earth's Interior
These demonstrations allow young scholars to develop a conceptual understanding of geophysical principles. Each demonstration provides background information and a complete explanation of how to use and discuss the demo in class.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Boiling Water Below Its Boiling Point
Mars has such low atmospheric pressure that any water at the surface would boil away. In this activity, students see that they can get water to boil below its "typical" boiling temperature when they drop the pressure in a closed...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Atmospheric Processes: Radiation
In this activity, students investigate how different surfaces absorb heat and apply their experience with the surfaces to interpret real-world situations. From this information, they come to understand that the physical characteristics...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Climate Variability
Learners simulate climate variability and come to understand that long-term climate averages are the result of significant annual climate variability.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Carbon Dioxide: The Heat Is On
In this activity, students will observe the effect of the gases resulting from a burned fossil fuel on the heat absorption of air and determine the ability of phytoplankton to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. This activity is...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Analyzing Greenhouse Gases and Global Temperature Data Over Time
For this activity, learners plot data on the concentrations of various greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere and look for trends. They will learn that greenhouse gases allow the Sun's light to pass through them to the surface of Earth,...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Microbial Evolution: Part 4
YouTube video continues the discussion of molecular phylogenetics and reconstruction of the tree of life.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Introduction to Exobiology
Featured is a tutorial on exobiology and the origins of life. The tutorial covers the nature of prebiotic Earth, the Miller-Urey experiment, possible sites for the origin of life, the search for extraterrestrial life, politics in...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Activity 1: Evolution and Antibiotic Resistance
This page contains three student activities for learning about evolution of antibiotic resistance. The first activity involves two videos (freely available on the website), follow-up questions, and classroom discussion. The second...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Evolution From a Virus's View
This page is a brief tutorial on viral evolution which focuses on the evolutionary pressures that balance transmission and virulence. There are additional sections with further recommended reading, resources for teachers, and a brief...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: American Field Guide: Teacher Resources
American Field Guide is a tremendous resource for you and your students. Embedded within this site you will find lesson plans that weave segments of video together into units of inquiry around specific topics. The lessons in the units of...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Hands on Geology: K 12 Activities and Resources
A collection of twenty-two geology activities with teacher's guides. The activities range from basic sedimentary geology and paleontology to applied geology. A material and information resource list is included.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Uk Geological Society: Earth Science Education Network: Resources K 16
Scientifically based information on Kentucky's geology and mineral and water resource from the Kentucky Geological Surveys.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Epa Water Science and Technology for Students and Educators
Discover water science lesson plans, games, and other resources as well as links to EPA's online training academies.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Choosing Between Home Appliances: Benefits to the Planet and Your Wallet
Students compare various options for purchasing new home appliances by comparing the energy usage of more efficient models to less energy efficient models. They calculate the payback period in cases for which the purchase price for the...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Biking vs Driving
This exercise asks a series of questions about the benefits of biking to work one day per week instead of driving, stressing estimation and unit conversions.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Plastic Waste Production
Plastic waste is a huge problem with many potential solutions. In this lab exercise, students will use data to predict the amount of plastic waste in the next ten years and engage in communication that leads to effective decisions for...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Population Growth, Ecological Footprints, and Overshoot
For this three-part activity, students apply linear, exponential, and rational functions to explore past and projected U.S. population growth, carbon footprint trend, ecological overshoot, and effectiveness of hypothetical carbon dioxide...