An attempt to help students better understand both the nature of river …
An attempt to help students better understand both the nature of river flow and its significance to human society, this lab follows the historic efforts of the Army Corps of Engineers to 'improve' the Mississippi River channel for commercial navigation. Students start by taking a section of the natural river channel and designing a river management program of wing dam and riprap construction that would manipulate the river's natural erosion and deposition processes to force the river itself to carve a deeper, more navigable channel. They then compare their plan to the one designed by the Corps and consider the implications of any significant differences between the two schemes. They are then asked to determine the environmental consequences of their proposed plan on the greater river system.
After this initial exploration, students compare the Corp's early efforts at wing dam and riprap management with its later plan of lock and dam construction and again investigate the impact of the two management schemes on the greater river system. The lab also considers differences in the cultural perspectives of 19th century Dakota and Euro-American communities regarding river systems. In concluding essays, the students must consider the environmental aspects of river management, specifically recognizing what was lost from the river system the Dakota originally knew.
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Images of the James River in Virginia, including one at flood stage, …
Images of the James River in Virginia, including one at flood stage, and of potholes, all of which can be used to have the students make observations, estimates, and interpretations.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
Student materials for this exercise include a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with peak …
Student materials for this exercise include a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with peak discharge data for the Hillsborough River and Curiosity Creek, a .zip file containing two versions (PDF and JPG) of the topographic map of the Sulphur Springs quadrangle, and a simplified sketch map of the quadrangle. The exercise is divided into three parts. In Part I, students study the Sulphur Springs topographic quadrangle to gain a general idea of the landscape. The students identify drainage divides on the quadrangle and outline the drainage basins on the sketch map. Part II includes calculating the frequency and probability of various sized floods and creating a recurrence curve using Microsoft Excel charts. Students apply their knowledge to decide whether to buy a house on the floodplain of the Hillsborough River. In Part III, students use their results to interpret the potential for flooding along the main river and one of its tributaries. Students compare recurrence curves to deduce that having more years of data leads to a more reliable flood forecast. They search online to determine the reasons for particular floods and contrast the effects on the two streams.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
After collecting stream flow data in the field earlier in the semester, …
After collecting stream flow data in the field earlier in the semester, students collect new data to compare flow variations of an on-campus stream. Students collect data in the field then calculate flow velocity, and discharge. Students also use maps to calculate stream gradient. Additional activities include plotting clast size data collected in the field on a Hjulstrom Diagram to make connections between stream flow properties and erosion-deposition-and transport in streams. This activity gives students the opportunity to collect and analyze data as they practice quantitative skills by graphing data and calculating unit conversions.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
This activity provides an approach to teach field methods that is programmed …
This activity provides an approach to teach field methods that is programmed to avoid common pitfalls in teaching field methods to students. The two common problems that are avoided is familiarity with equipment and improved group function.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
This activity could be part of a bigger theme under pollution. The …
This activity could be part of a bigger theme under pollution. The activity could be the water part and the bigger focus could contain all other types of pollution.
Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum module/Geology of National Parks course. Students work with …
Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum module/Geology of National Parks course. Students work with salmon-trace streambed data to study whether removal of a spawning run barrier was effective
Student teams practice water quality analysis through turbidity measurement and coliform bacteria …
Student teams practice water quality analysis through turbidity measurement and coliform bacteria counts. They use information about water treatment processes to design prototype small-scale water treatment systems and test the influent (incoming) and effluent (outgoing) water to assess how well their prototypes produce safe water to prevent water-borne illnesses.
In this activity, you will use the scientific method and secondary data …
In this activity, you will use the scientific method and secondary data to build a dataset and answer the following question: Is Ohio getting wetter or drier?
In order to answer this question, you will follow these steps:
1) Make a prediction (hypothesis) �� with justification �� based on fact sheets available about the question topic;
2) After you have made a prediction, you will collect secondary data online (from the USGS WaterWatch program) and build a database on MS-Excel;
3) You will then explore trends on your data and create graphs/visual representations of these trends using MS-Excel;
4) Finally, you will compile all your conclusions, evaluate the accuracy of your prediction (hypothesis), and create a report of your findings.
In this worksheet-based activity, students review global visualizations of incoming sunlight and …
In this worksheet-based activity, students review global visualizations of incoming sunlight and surface temperature and discuss seasonal change. Students use the visualizations to support inquiry on the differences in seasonal change in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and how land and water absorb and release heat differently. The activity culminates in an argument about why one hemisphere experiences warmer summers although it receives less total solar energy.
An activity/lab where students determine the changes in 100-year flood determinations for …
An activity/lab where students determine the changes in 100-year flood determinations for 2 streams over time.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
This project is designed to introduce students to a local hydrogeologic problem …
This project is designed to introduce students to a local hydrogeologic problem or issue of interest to the community. The project requires the students to learn about their local groundwater environment and apply principles and concepts that they learn in the classroom to an issue that is of concern to the public. This project provides a good introduction to "real world" problems that the students are likely to encounter as professionals. Students are required to synthesize information from a variety of sources and develop their own assessment of the problem and also to make recommendations based on their professional opinions.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
Students are introduced to a simple approach to scientific writing. To make …
Students are introduced to a simple approach to scientific writing. To make the writing process immediately relevant to them, I present the approach after they have started the first assignment of the semester (whether lab or homework) but before it is due. Thus, students are more attentive to the presentation and are more invested in trying to apply the approach to a current assignment. As a class, we begin by answering the question "what did you do?" followed by answering the questions "who, what, where, when, how, and why?" as appropriate to develop the first paragraph/section. Next, we answer the question "what did you find?" followed by the questions "who, what, where, when, how, and why?" as appropriate to develop the second paragraph/section. Finally, we review what we have written and add the finishing touches (e.g., title, references, figures, etc.). Thus, students learn how to pose and answer basic questions that form the basis of a scientific report.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
Based on their locations, many water and wastewater utilities face an inherent …
Based on their locations, many water and wastewater utilities face an inherent risk of flooding. Here’s how a small drinking water utility recognized its risk and took steps to reduce it.
Engineers work in many fields associated with precipitation. Engineers study glaciers to …
Engineers work in many fields associated with precipitation. Engineers study glaciers to better understand their dates of formation and current demise. They deal with issues of pollution transport and water yield, and they monitor reservoirs and dams to prevent flooding.
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