Groups of 3-4 students work in parallel on different radiocarbon data sets …
Groups of 3-4 students work in parallel on different radiocarbon data sets in this project assignment; the content described here would comprise one group data set including a brief descriptive statement and bibliographic reference, raw data including errors, background lecture notes, and an example final poster presentation.
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This activity leads students through derivations of the equations associated with radiometric …
This activity leads students through derivations of the equations associated with radiometric dating.
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This exercise introduces students to the use of isochron diagrams & the …
This exercise introduces students to the use of isochron diagrams & the math behind them, by using, plotting, and analyzing a real data set.
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This activity is a guided inquiry investigation where students gather data on …
This activity is a guided inquiry investigation where students gather data on rate of water falling on erosion. Student will interpret their data, and develop a conclusion from the data. The data will lead to further questions, which can be developed by the students.
The nature and scientific measurement of geological and cosmological time are among …
The nature and scientific measurement of geological and cosmological time are among the most misunderstood and difficult to teach concepts in all of K-12 science education. To address this issue, a multi-disciplinary team of geologists, astronomers and education professionals at Western Kentucky University developed a series of professional development workshops for pre- and in-service middle grades teachers. The goals of those workshops were to 1) to develop teacher's content understanding of rates of change and the ages of the earth and universe; and 2) to provide teachers with materials, activities and teaching strategies to help them more effectively educate students about rates of change and the concepts of deep time. Two four-day workshops were held, with each workshop divided into two two-day sessions. Each workshop day consisted of a blend of in-depth content discussions, hands-on activities, and classroom implementation forums. The teachers were provided with all the materials necessary to implement the lessons learned during the workshops as well as publications pertaining to deep time and evolution. Teachers were assessed prior to and immediately after each workshop day and were required to submit a classroom implementation plan as part of their involvement in the workshops.
We have been successful in meeting our workshop goals. The participants clearly advanced their content understanding of geological and cosmological time and the implementation plans received clearly show a desire to apply many of the activities learned in the workshop. Ironically, and despite state science standards mandating coverage of concepts of rates of change and deep time, teachers find that they do not have the time to fully educate their students about geological and cosmological time. We are currently assessment results and are working to disseminate the workshop materials (http://astro.wku.edu/universe).
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Students observe an in-classroom visual representation of a volcanic eruption. The water-powered …
Students observe an in-classroom visual representation of a volcanic eruption. The water-powered volcano demonstration is made in advance, using sand, hoses and a waterballoon, representing the main components of all volcanoes. During the activity, students observe, measure and sketch the volcano, seeing how its behavior provides engineers with indicators used to predict an eruption.
Really Ancient Fossils STEM Kit. The Natural Sciences Education & Outreach Center …
Really Ancient Fossils STEM Kit. The Natural Sciences Education & Outreach Center collaborates with CSU faculty, National Parks and citizen science programs to translate their current scientific research into unique STEM experiences for students in the form of Educational Kits that can be checked out. Each kit contains just about all of the materials needed (minus common things like water and paper towels) to explore some really interesting scientific research topics.The kits are available for teachers and informal educators in Colorado to check out for a duration of a week by submitting either a local pickup form or a delivery form available at the linked website. Due to the extreme weight of the sand used in this Kit, local pickup is the only option. This kit is provided free for educational use. This kit is also available in Spanish.
Red Cliff, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary …
Red Cliff, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary of Colorado's Historical Mining Towns with links to additional Colorado resources for a mining town database and mines by county. Western Mining History is an historical site that provides information on mining, mining towns, the gold and silver rush, and Photos and maps of the western United States. This is a strong primary source resource that can be used for a variety of class research projects. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
Red Mountain Town, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief …
Red Mountain Town, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary of Colorado's Historical Mining Towns with links to additional Colorado resources for a mining town database and mines by county. Western Mining History is an historical site that provides information on mining, mining towns, the gold and silver rush, and Photos and maps of the western United States. This is a strong primary source resource that can be used for a variety of class research projects. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
Redstone, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary of …
Redstone, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary of Colorado's Historical Mining Towns with links to additional Colorado resources for a mining town database and mines by county. Western Mining History is an historical site that provides information on mining, mining towns, the gold and silver rush, and Photos and maps of the western United States. This is a strong primary source resource that can be used for a variety of class research projects. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
The purpose of this exercise is to introduce students to how simple …
The purpose of this exercise is to introduce students to how simple relative age correlation principles can be used to reliable determine the relative ages of rock units and other geologic features. Students will apply the principles of original horizontality, superposition, cross-cutting relationships and inclusion to determine the relative ages of sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks and metamorphic rocks, as well as unconformities and faults.
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When piecing together the geologic history of the Earth, geologists rely on …
When piecing together the geologic history of the Earth, geologists rely on several key relative age-dating principles that allow us to determine the relative ages of rocks and the timing of significant geologic events. In a typical Historical Geology class or textbook, instructors/authors briefly discuss the important early researchers in the geological sciences, and then give the name of the stratigraphic principle, useful for relative age-dating of rocks and events, that these 17th and 18th century scientists are credited with discovering. After the instructor/author defines these principles, students are usually shown several examples so they can see how the principle can be applied.
But why not start with the examples and let students discover these principles for themselves?
Students are split into small groups which each work to discover a different relative age-dating principle. The groups are shown photos and given handouts with drawings of rock outcrops illustrating the various principles. These handouts include worksheets for which they must answer a series of prompts that help lead them to the discovery of their relative age-dating principle. Groups must also invent a name for their principle, and select a spokesperson who will present the group's results to the rest of the class.
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Middle School Paleontology Kit Module from Museums of the West in Grand …
Middle School Paleontology Kit Module from Museums of the West in Grand Junction, CO. Lesson 2 on Relative Dating from the Middle School Paleontology Kit Module. The lesson provides students with an understanding of how geologists and paleontologists use the Law of Superposition about rock layers and stratigraphic mapping to provide a relative way of dating fossile finds and rock origins. Lessons 1, 2, 3 and 5 can be completed without access to the Fossil Kit from Museums of Western Colorado. Lesson 4 uses fossile from the kit. District 51 personnel can request a kit to complete Lesson 4. See this URL for an overview of the module and a link to the Teacher's guide to Paleontology: https://www.museumofwesternco.com/classroom-resources/stem-lessons/
When standing in front of an outcrop, geoscientists use relative dating principles …
When standing in front of an outcrop, geoscientists use relative dating principles to determine the sequence of events that occurred. These concepts are used by geoscientists to develop a narrative for an area. This activity gives students practice using their observational skills to develop a timeline for a piece of art in a college museum. It is particularly geared towards students who are taking GE-101 to fulfill a college distributive requirement and who may be intimidated by a college level science course. Students are split into small groups and given a worksheet that asks them to consider a single artwork carefully and develop a timeline for the lifespan of the piece from initial concept through the current display of the piece. Students were limited in their choice of artwork that could be used for the activity. (The pieces were chosen ahead of time, criteria included having obvious multiple steps in the creative process, relatively simple/identifiable art techniques or processes, some uncertainty as to the order of processes and/or gaps in time.) As a wrap up, the entire group gathered in front of each piece and the groups reported out on their timeline and rationale for the sequence they chose.
Students are given a short introduction to fossils, strata, Steno's law of …
Students are given a short introduction to fossils, strata, Steno's law of superposition, and the development of the geologic time scale from initial description of systems, through the realization that fossils could be used to correlate between systems, to the assembly of the modern geologic time scale. Then, each student in the course is given a sheet of paper with a simple stratigraphic column and associated fossils representing a geologic system on one side and a short description of the location and history of discovery of the system on the other. On a large wall, students then assemble four geologic columns from their systems representing mainland Europe, Great Britain, the Eastern U.S. and the Western U.S. using the fossils illustrated on their sheets to correlate systems. The instructor guides this process by placing the first system on the wall and by providing some narration as the columns take shape. Europe and Great Britain are assembled first, one sheet at a time, providing when completed the framework of the modern geologic time scale. Once this is up on the wall, the remaining students can assemble the other two columns in minutes using fossils to correlate between American and European systems. A temporal gap in the Grand Canyon sequence provides an opportunity to discuss the incompleteness of the rock record in any one place and a system composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks with no fossils is used to point out the difference between radiometric (absolute) and biostratigraphic (relative) dating.
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Students are expected to complete readings related to relative time principles prior …
Students are expected to complete readings related to relative time principles prior to class (most don't do it). This activity allows them to apply the rules and extend their knowledge by drawing their own diagram.
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In this document, we offer suggestions for developing and maintaining engagement agreements …
In this document, we offer suggestions for developing and maintaining engagement agreements that promote safe student-driven learning experiences in remote learning environments. Remote learning environments might be synchronous experiences enhanced by technology that allows educators and learners to see and talk with each other, asynchronous communications that may or may not be aided by technology, or somewhere in between. When technology is used in remote learning, there will be variation in the skill and comfort level among teachers and students. Whatever approach you use for digital technology, be aware of your district and school policies in selecting tools to use.
Students choose a project on an area of the geosciences in which …
Students choose a project on an area of the geosciences in which one or more mineral's chemistry and/or crystal structure is significant to understanding that geoscience problem. They then study that mineral in detail in both hand sample and on the SEM, XRF, XRD, and/or in thin section. Students may provide your own sample or use a sample from the student collection. For practicality sake, the sample must be available and not so valuable or rare that we cannot let you use pieces of it for the project. Additionally, the mineral studied in detail must be significantly different than those they will be tested on for the final exam.
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Rico, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary of …
Rico, CO Mining Town. Western Mining History presents a brief summary of Colorado's Historical Mining Towns with links to additional Colorado resources for a mining town database and mines by county. Western Mining History is an historical site that provides information on mining, mining towns, the gold and silver rush, and Photos and maps of the western United States. This is a strong primary source resource that can be used for a variety of class research projects. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
This Western Mining History database uses Mineral Resources Data System to list …
This Western Mining History database uses Mineral Resources Data System to list known Colorado historical mines by county. Each county site has links to the known mines within its borders. Some are known and named, others are unnamed. Mines should be assumed to be on private property unless other research is conducted. Data provided for each mine site include: Name, State, County, Elevation, Primary Mineral Mined, Latitude and Longitude and a link to Google Maps. Photos are provided where available. Additional information for some Mines are satellite photos, and ownership, business and historical records. Mining History is an historical site that provides information on mining, mining towns, the gold and silver rush, and Photos and maps of the western United States. This is a great database for student historical research or data and statistics classes. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help further the work of the site.
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