In this visualization, students can explore North American fossil fuel CO2 emissions …
In this visualization, students can explore North American fossil fuel CO2 emissions at very fine resolutions of both space and time. The data is provided by the Vulcan emissions data project, a NASA/DOE funded effort under the North American Carbon Program.
This collection of photos from the NASA Climate website features images of …
This collection of photos from the NASA Climate website features images of global change, such as floods, wildfires, and retreating glaciers. Not all images show change caused directly by climate change and energy use, and descriptive captions indicate causes for change in most of the images.
This is a five-activity module that explores the evidence for and impacts …
This is a five-activity module that explores the evidence for and impacts of melting glacial ice, with resources from major institutions and scientists who study glaciers -- primarily in Arctic areas. The suite of activities includes both glaciers and melting ice, as well as the impact of melt water downstream. Each activity follows the 5E model of Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation.
Marine mammals rely on sound for their daily existence. Therefore, the introduction …
Marine mammals rely on sound for their daily existence. Therefore, the introduction of anthropogenic noise in the marine environment can have a profound impact on their behavior. Listening to sounds in the ocean is not only important to understand marine mammals behaviour, but also how their behaviour may be influenced by the changing anthropogenic soundscape. In this activity you will use MATLAB to visualise marine mammals and anthropogenic sound with a spectrogram and answer a few questions regarding the the impacts anthropogenic noise on marine mammals.
(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.)
In this activity, college level students learning fundamental concepts in Environmental Chemistry …
In this activity, college level students learning fundamental concepts in Environmental Chemistry apply their knowledge either in carrying out a research project or in designing a hands-on mini-workshop with the key objective of teaching middle-school students topics relevant to water quality and stormwater. College-level students also take part in a restoration activity on a local watershed three miles away, working side by side with the middle-school students and the members of the community.
The project aims to bring together middle-school students, college-level students, and local citizens on a monitoring and restoration program of a local creek; improve the public's understanding and engagement on local environmental issues such as stormwater; improve the educational experience of both middle-school and college-level students; and motivate middle-school students to pursue further education in the field of science. This project is an example of environmental education bringing together two different levels of students, as well as the community as a whole.
(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 video is one of a seven, Climate Change: Lines of Evidence …
This video is one of a seven, Climate Change: Lines of Evidence series, produced by the the National Research Council. It outlines and explains what evidence currently exists in support of humans playing a role in contributing to the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
In this activity, students explore the way that human activities have changed …
In this activity, students explore the way that human activities have changed the way that carbon is distributed in Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere.
This course invites learners into deeper thinking, reflection and content pertaining to …
This course invites learners into deeper thinking, reflection and content pertaining to Indigenous perspectives in climate adaptation and mitigation. Ultimately, this course provides a space for you to consider how and where Indigenous leadership can not only restore better-practice across social and political landscapes, but also heal relationships with our shared planet for future generations to come.
While the ionic composition of surface seawater is basically the same anywhere …
While the ionic composition of surface seawater is basically the same anywhere in the world's oceans, the chemistry of inland waters can vary by orders of magnitude over short distances. In this activity we explore a data set on surface water chemistry in almost 5000 lakes across the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland). Water chemistry of lakes in this mostly sparsely populated region does not carry a strong signal from local human activity. This allows us to explore large-scale gradients related to distance to the ocean, soil and landscape characteristics, post-glacial history, and effects of long-distance pollutant transport processes.
(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 in our online, introductory geoscience courses are given the opportunity to …
Students in our online, introductory geoscience courses are given the opportunity to participate in an environmental service learning project, led by the Center for Earth and Environmental Science (cees.iupui.edu), and reflect on the local and global impact of their service in a short writing assignment. The goals of the optional service learning participation are to (1) provide hands-on field experiences to students in online classes, (2) allow opportunities to connect course concepts to real-life environmental issues, and (3) increase students' environmental awareness, and (4) apply an understanding of sustainability to participation in environmental restoration projects. As part of a larger study with CEES, students complete a pre- and post-environmental awareness survey.
(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.)
In this learning activity, students use a web-based geologic timeline to examine …
In this learning activity, students use a web-based geologic timeline to examine temperature, CO2 concentration, and ice cover data to investigate how climate has changed during the last 715 million years.
Students are assigned unique roles and work independently to solve a complex …
Students are assigned unique roles and work independently to solve a complex problem from the perspective of their role (i.e. sociologist, educator, historian, etc.) Students then work collaboratively to present their findings and action plan to the "tribal council".
(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.)
In this activity, students graph and analyze methane data, extracted from an …
In this activity, students graph and analyze methane data, extracted from an ice core, to examine how atmospheric methane has changed over the past 109,000 years in a case study format. Calculating the rate of change of modern methane concentrations, they compare the radiative forcing of methane and carbon dioxide and make predictions about the future, based on what they have learned from the data and man's role in that future.
Learn how scientists have pieced together a continuous 800,000-year record of atmospheric …
Learn how scientists have pieced together a continuous 800,000-year record of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and ocean temperatures in these videos from NOVA: Decoding the Weather Machine. Use this resource to review the difference between inference and observation and to consider the relationships between carbon dioxide, Earth's temperature, and climate change.
Students are provided several fossiliferous samples to analyze in detail. I provide …
Students are provided several fossiliferous samples to analyze in detail. I provide more than they need to snalyze so everyone in the class can be working. I give a range of specimens of different geologic ages, diversities, abundances, taxonomic compositions, depositional environments and taphonomic grades. The goal is for the students to identify all of the different fossil types to the lowest taxonomic level. I provide some that are well preserved and some that are highly fragmented making identification difficult. Next, students are tasked with assigning an age range of the sample by combining the age ranges of individual taxa, and make taphonomic descriptions and paleoecological analyses.
(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.)
Local changes in climate, flora, fauna, and the human population can be …
Local changes in climate, flora, fauna, and the human population can be anecdotally explored through interviews with long time locals.
(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 is the first of nine lessons in the Visualizing and Understanding …
This is the first of nine lessons in the Visualizing and Understanding the Science of Climate Change website. This lesson is an introduction to Earth's climate and covers key principles regarding Earth's unique climate, atmosphere, and regional and temporal climate differences.
In this activity, students are introduced to locating and reading peer-reviewed scientific …
In this activity, students are introduced to locating and reading peer-reviewed scientific journal articles. It helps ease students into the process of locating, reading, and using journal publications. This activity can be done entirely in class or a combination of in-class with homework assigned. It is a helpful way to lead students toward searching for and using the peer-reviewed literature in their own research.
(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.)
No restrictions on your remixing, redistributing, or making derivative works. Give credit to the author, as required.
Your remixing, redistributing, or making derivatives works comes with some restrictions, including how it is shared.
Your redistributing comes with some restrictions. Do not remix or make derivative works.
Most restrictive license type. Prohibits most uses, sharing, and any changes.
Copyrighted materials, available under Fair Use and the TEACH Act for US-based educators, or other custom arrangements. Go to the resource provider to see their individual restrictions.
