DATA: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Images.
TOOL: ImageJ.
SUMMARY: Process and measure time-series SAR images to analyze the rate of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Produce a color composite image showing the oldest to most recently deforested areas.

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DATA: Forest Inventory and Analysis data, TOOLS: isee Player, Spreadsheet application. SUMMARY: Compare field collected data with results produced by a forest biomass model to understand the process and challenges scientists face when doing terrestrial carbon cycle research.

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DATA: North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). TOOL: FieldScope GIS. SUMMARY: Use an online GIS from the National Geographic Society, to investigate the relationship between precipitation, evaporation, and surface runoff.

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DATA: Ocean Buoy Data, MODIS Images TOOLS: GoMOOS Online Graphing Tool SUMMARY: Learn about conditions that influence the spring phytoplankton bloom. Use an online graphing tool to predict the date of the bloom.

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DATA: Topography, EQs, volcanoes, seafloor ages. TOOL: Browser, Learning with Data CD-ROM. SUMMARY: Examine and interpret images to write a paper supporting the Theory of Plate Tectonics.

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Formative assessment questions using a classroom response system ("clickers") can be used to reveal students' spatial understanding.
Students are shown this diagram and instructed to "Click within the layer that is entirely liquid."

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This activity is based around Macintosh software that I wrote to display near real-time seismograms in classrooms with projection systems and internet communications. I use the display in courses at all levels, from large non-science courses to advanced graduate courses in seismology. In my introductory course, I have been fortunate to have a room with two projectors and large screens. That allows me to display the seismic monitor on one screen and use the other for that day's material. In smaller advanced courses I often project the real-time display on one screen while I use the chalk board during that part of the class that I use to cover new material. Although you might think that it's rare that an earthquake would occur during any given class, that's not true (have the students estimates the odds using the Gutenberg Richter relation if you doubt it). If needed, you can load specific earthquake signals (say from the night before) to talk about it at the beginning of a class period. Activity that occurs during class often leads to interesting discussions of earthquakes and tectonics.
This activity uses online and/or real-time data, has minimal/no quantitative component, and can be used to address student misconceptions.

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Earth Observation is an activity where students observe and patterns in datasets of the different Earth spheres. Correlations between datasets are examined to stimulate student thinking of the interrelations in the Earth system. This activity is connect to process and concepts covered later in the class.

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This is a writing assignment intended to get to students to think about the relevance of Earth Science to their everyday lives. Students are asked to read a short news article, selecting 1 of 3 articles provided as choices, that discusses a specific earth science topic. Students write a 1-page report summarizing the article and use the write-up to summarize their familiarity with the topics presented. Students will re-evaluate their understanding of the article and associated earth science topic at the end of the course.

This is a series of three lessons that focus on two and three dimensional thinking, modeling, and earth structure. The main goal of the lessons is to develop a sense of two- and three-dimensional models of earth's surface, pros/cons and accuracy of those models, and a sense for why accuracy (and understanding inaccuracies) is important. The lessons were developed for upper-level elementary students, and include suggestions and/or links to other related resources for scaling up to middle or high school levels.

Lesson 1: Earth Surface Models in 2- and 3-Dimensions (globes vs maps)
Lesson 2: Visualizing and Modeling Earth Structure in 2- and 3-Dimensions
Lesson 3: Understanding Wave Motion in 2- and 3-Dimensions

Rationale: Three-dimensional thinking is difficult for students from the elementary through the college level. Introducing activities that incorporate spatial models in the elementary levels helps to create a foundation for lessons in spatial awareness and modeling.

These lessons were developed as part of NSF CSEDI grant #1458184, awarded to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 2014-2017, in collaboration with Abigail Christensen and Alexis Miller (UWW education students, 2016-17).

The Eemian age was the last time the Earth is believed to have been warmer than today. However, this warm period occurred with Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere that were similar to those during the pre-industrial era. Students will use a simplified climate model and with Eemian orbital conditions to try and reproduce this previous warm period. Students will then use modern orbital forcing but elevated greenhouse gas concentrations to look at the modern and future climates. Students will try and understand the differences between these two contrasting warm climates.
Eemian and modern warm climates (Acrobat (PDF) 241kB Nov10 16)

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In this activity students manipulate materials in order to better understand the concepts of core sampling using candy bars and straws. They work individually and then in groups in order to compare their results. Next they research the websites www.jpl.nasa.gov (more info) or www.mars.asu.edu to find more information about missions to Mars and what we have gathered from sampling rocks on Mars. They also will search the website for examples of core sampling used by geologists when drilling or digging (engineering and geology).

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To focus their research, students are presented with the following hypothetical situation:
Suppose you and your classmates are members of an organization that is looking for a site to build a new headquarters. As the Society for Earthquake Enthusiasts (SEE), you plan to put your headquarters at the site of a historically significant earthquake. You are not looking to put yourselves at risk, however, and are therefore looking for a safe location. You have decided that a safe site is one that will not produce a deadly earthquake in your lifetime (i.e., in the next 80 years).

Students complete a series of assignments throughout the semester to demonstrate their understanding of structural geology by writing papers and giving an oral presentation. First, a letter proposing a site is due early in the semester, next a historical background paper is due mid-semester, and finally a persuasive report and oral presentation are due at the end of the semester.
Has minimal/no quantitative component

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Learning outcomes for this activity include learning earthquake basics. The larger context of the inequity of earthquake impacts provides a social/environmental justice lens that encourages students to examine earthquake hazards with a broader perspective.

Students work in a jigsaw format, they start in an expert group analyzing one particular aspect of the earthquake that occurred (e.g., tsunami, geologic maps, damage assessment). After analyzing the data/information provided, students get into their new groups, which are a "consulting team" to make recommendations to key governmental officials about the earthquake they studied and implications for future development. These are presented in a poster session style event, which then leads to individual papers that are written about the same topic, which are peer reviewed and revised. Students are asked to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses in the process and to consider changes for future opportunities, as well as connect the curriculum to the overall process of science.

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Students will write a research paper comparing the Sumatran (2004) and Tohoku (2011) tsunami generating earthquakes.

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This demonstration uses an "earthquake machine" constructed from bricks, sand paper, and a winch, to simulate the buildup of elastic strain energy prior to a seismic event and the release of that energy during an earthquake.

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This hands-on demonstration illustrates how GPS instruments can be used in earthquake early warning systems to alert people of impending shaking. The same principles can be applied to other types of early warning systems (such as tsunami) or to early warning systems using a different type of geophysical sensor (such as a seismometer instead of a GPS).This demo is essentially a game that works best with a large audience (ideally over 30 people) in an auditorium. A few people are selected to be either surgeons, GPS stations, or a warning siren, with everyone else forming an earthquake "wave."

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Students in groups of two are giving access to 3 component seismograms from four locations through Google Earth. They are then asked to pick the P-wave and S-wave arrivals using OneNote and convert the time lag into a distance to epicenter. A circle drawing application in Google Earth then allows them to plot possible locations for the earthquake epicenter. This activity gives students practice in interpreting data, analyzing uncertainty and error in data or data analysis, and peer teaching Uses online and/or real-time data

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Ground shaking is the primary cause of earthquake damage to man-made structures. This exercise combines three related activities on the topic of shaking-induced ground instability: a ground shaking amplification demonstration, a seismic landslides demonstration, and a liquefaction experiment. The amplitude of ground shaking is affected by the type of near-surface rocks and soil. Earthquake ground shaking can cause even gently sloping areas to slide when those same areas would be stable under normal conditions. Liquefaction is a phenomenon where water-saturated sand and silt take on the characteristics of a dense liquid during the intense ground shaking of an earthquake and deform. Includes Alaska and San Francisco examples.

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