An elementary review activity for chemistry vocabulary, tools, and concepts used with the classroom science curriculum.
This tool provides a summary of daily records broken in several weather parameters (temperature, precipitation, snow fall, snow depth), over various time intervals, in the US and globally.
Students use a JAVA interface design by R.M. MacKay to explore the Daisy World model. The JAVA interface comes with a link to a 6-page student activity page in PDF format.
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After constructing a Stella model of Daisyworld students perform guided experiments to explore the behavior of Daisyworld to changes in model parameters and assumptions.
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This short, engaging video created by NASA presents a complex topic via a simple analogy. The idea of positive and negative feedback is demonstrated by Daisyworld - a world with black and white flowers growing on it.
Student must synthesize the data that go into the construction and operation of a large hydroelectric dam. Students must strive to develop a design that minimizes or mitigates the impacts of the dam on the existing watershed. Students divide the analysis and frequently present to each other their findings. These findings are then synthesized into independent reports produced by each student.
Designed for a geomorphology course
Uses online and/or real-time data
Uses geomorphology to solve problems in other fields
Addresses student misconceptions
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This nonfiction article, written for students in grades 4-5, explores the life and seasonal migration of the sanderling bird. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.
Students choose one of four short articles to read about mineral mining, including the impacts of mining on the Native American community in the region. Each article highlights a specific example where the Indigenous community's interests are in conflict with the mining company's interests. After reading one of the articles, students post a short reflection to a discussion board, then respond to at least one classmate's reflection.
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The AMNH Darwin Manuscripts Project is a historical and textual edition of Charles Darwin's scientific manuscripts, designed from its inception as an online project. The database at its coreŰÓDARBASEŰÓcatalogues some 45,000 Darwin scientific manuscripts. These are currently represented by 15,125 high resolution digital images. Thus far 7,428 manuscript pages have been transcribed to exacting standards and all are presented in easy to read format. New material will be added.
To prepare for this assignment, the students read the Chapter 17
"Galapagos Archipelago" from The Voyage of the Beagle. In class we have
discussed Darwin's theory of evolution as outlined in the first edition
of the Origin of Species. The students need to examine Chapter 17 to
find those observations that Darwin made in 1835 that support the his
theory of evolution that was published 24 years later in 1859.
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In Jigsaw format, groups of 3 students divide up and each collects topographic data for a small landform using a different technique (tape and level; handheld GPS; Total Station). When they re-group they compare data quantity and quality using spreadsheets and a mapping program. They write a group report comparing the strengths and weaknesses of the three methods.
Designed for a geomorphology course
Addresses student fear of quantitative aspect and/or inadequate quantitative skills
Addresses student misconceptions
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This lab utilizes the computer program, Excel. In this exercise students will generate synthetic data sets based on a simplified model of daily high temperatures in Boone, NC and apply several filtering techniques to the data. A key to this lab is that the students must use Excel in an efficient manner; otherwise, this exercise may take a long time to complete. Thus, the synthetic data sets are intentionally large in size. The overarching purpose of this lab is two-fold: 1) Perform some quantitative data processing and determine the effectiveness of several types of simple mathematical noise filters, and 2) Make a professional interpretation and recommendation based on quantitative results.
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This visualization tool shows sea ice data from 1978 to the present. Selected data can be animated to show changes in sea ice extent over time. Data is added by the National Snow and Ice Data Center as it becomes available.
Activities
This lesson incorporates sea surface data collected by NASA satellites. Data for three surface characteristics- height, temperature and speed- are used for several activities. Students examine the differences in speed of currents relative to distance from the Equator. Sea surface data anomalies are charted and further analyzed. In addition, surface current data is presented to examine patterns related to El Niño. Note that this is lesson three of five on the Ocean Motion website. Each lesson investigates ocean surface circulation using satellite and model data and can be done independently. See Related URL's for links to the Ocean Motion Website that provide science background information, data resources, teacher material, student guides and a lesson matrix.
In this video segment adapted from NOVA, scientists search for carbonized remains of plants preserved in lava flows to find out how long it has taken rain forests on Hawaii to regenerate after a volcanic eruption.
In this lab, students are introduced to the difference between relative and absolute dating, using the students themselves as the material to be ordered. Initially, the students are asked to develop physical clues to put themselves in order from youngest to oldest (exposing the inferences we make unconsciously about people's ages), and this will be refined/modified using a list of current events from an appropriate historical period that more and more of the students will remember, depending on their age (among other variables). Absolute age is introduced by having the students order themselves by birth decade, year, month, and day, and comparing the absolute age order to the order worked out in the relative-dating exercise, with a discussion of dating precision and accuracy.
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The students get to be climate detectives as they make a model of sediment cores using different kinds of glass beads and sand. They learn how to examine the types, numbers, and conditions of diatom skeletons in the model sediment cores and tell something about the hypothetical paleoclimate that existed when they were deposited.
In this activity, students will choose a topic relating to the triple bottom line, which has to do with environmental, social and economic issues.
The students as a whole will choose a topic of debate having to do with the triple bottom line of sustainability: healthier ecosystems, social systems and economies. The class then splits up into two groups. The purpose of this activity is for the students to then have a group debate, one side for a topic and one side against the topic. Each group will try to sway the opposing side to their point of view. If one side does not win the debate, then the students will have to come to a compromise and find a solution acceptable to both sides. After the acceptable solution is identified, students should write a letter to the mayor, or a governmental figure of their choice on how they came to an agreement and how this could be achieved by our government today.
Students compare mineral structures shown in ball-and-stick, space filling, and polyhedral diagrams.
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