Interactive map tool to assess how rising stream temperatures could affect native …
Interactive map tool to assess how rising stream temperatures could affect native fish of the Northwest. Lesson concepts include the relationship between water temperatures, dissolved oxygen levels in streams, and the impacts of changing temperatures on native fish. Focused skills include use of an interactive map to assess how stream temperatures are expected to change and the impacts on native fish.
Freshmen enrolled in the Spaceship Earth Living Learning Community conduct research on …
Freshmen enrolled in the Spaceship Earth Living Learning Community conduct research on a real project that is formulated and conducted during a 2-semester academic year.
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This activity introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of geoarchaeology through a …
This activity introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of geoarchaeology through a case study of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. It combines short lectures with questions requiring analyses of a variety of data sets relating to volcanic hazards. It requires no background in geoscience or archaeology and is aimed at students from both the physical sciences and the humanities, from high school through freshman year.
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This interactive visualization provides a clear, well-documented snapshot of current and projected …
This interactive visualization provides a clear, well-documented snapshot of current and projected values of several climate variables for local areas in California. The climate variables include observed and projected temperatures, projected snowpack, areas vulnerable to flooding due to sea level rise, and projected increase in wildfires. The projected values come from expert sources and well-established climate models.
This is a role-playing activity about the dioxin debate between Dr. Barry …
This is a role-playing activity about the dioxin debate between Dr. Barry Commoner and Dr. Robert Brown about the resource recovery plant in Ames, Iowa, and the Nunavut Inuit. It addresses issues of environmental justice, risk assessment, and ideology in relation to the management of solid waste.
Students research an organism/commodity in the colonial period of American history, and …
Students research an organism/commodity in the colonial period of American history, and write a first-person narrative/autobiography of its history as European settlers reshaped the environment (mental and physical) of North America.
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This video and accompanying essay review the impacts of rising surface air …
This video and accompanying essay review the impacts of rising surface air temperatures and thawing permafrost on ecosystems, geology, and native populations in Alaska.
This climate model simulates the Earth's climate system by allowing users to …
This climate model simulates the Earth's climate system by allowing users to toggle different influences on climate (e.g. oceans, atmospheric gases) based on model version used.
Dissolved ions are present in all freshwater systems, but humans can change …
Dissolved ions are present in all freshwater systems, but humans can change the chemical composition of freshwater in several ways. In this activity, students will examine the concentration of major ions in freshwater systems over time and reason about potential drivers of these changes.
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This is Unit 1 of a larger module and centers on the …
This is Unit 1 of a larger module and centers on the fundamental concepts of major storms and community resilience. In this unit, students acquire a vocabulary related to storm systems and risk, engage in practical exercises on event probability and frequency, and complete written activities and oral presentations that reinforce these concepts, using two case studies as examples.
Making Butter. This is the Lesson 3 Digging Deeper activity, from Unit …
Making Butter. This is the Lesson 3 Digging Deeper activity, from Unit 6 Food Products and Processing, from the DIGS (Developing Individuals, Growing Stewards) AmeriCorps Curriculum from CSU. The curriculum focuses on introducing students in grades 3-5 to Colorado agriculture, industry and environmental issues. The curriculum upon request. Visit: https://engagement.colostate.edu/programs-old/developing-individuals-growing-stewards/
In this learning activity, students analyze an actual dataset of the influence …
In this learning activity, students analyze an actual dataset of the influence of temperature on tree growth. They use mathematical and statistical concepts like slope equations and lines of best fit to determine the relationship. They are then asked to make predictions about future tree growth under different greenhouse gas emissions, interpreting data from climate models to make these predictions.
This activity from the Department of Energy provides background information about solar …
This activity from the Department of Energy provides background information about solar ovens and instructions on building a simple model solar cooker.
This is a group mapping exercise that examines the many factors that …
This is a group mapping exercise that examines the many factors that affect the distribution and possible future distribution of malaria in North and South America.
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This activity introduces students to Greenland ice-melt data derived from passive microwave …
This activity introduces students to Greenland ice-melt data derived from passive microwave remote sensing between the years 1979 and 2007. Students make a quantitative comparison between the two years using the mapping program ArcGIS. Students are provided with NASA raster images in GeoTiff form that show Greenland ice melt extent over two of the years on record (1979 ad 2007). Students then draw polygons over these raster files and calculate a change in area between the years on record. While tools exist in ArcGIS to quantify the extent of ice melt using the raster images themselves, drawing polygons is an important and often little-practiced skill in ArcGIS, and is therefore the focus of this activity. This activity can also be modified for more advanced map-makers working with raster files, who need practice using additional tools in the Arc Toolbox. However, raster calculations are not generally a skill covered in an introductory GIS course. The activity is meant to reinforce important map-making skills (like drawing polygons and creating new geodatabases) using a data set that explores a real-world application of ArcGIS for Earth Science students. While any two (or more!) years on record can be used, 1979 and 2007 have been used to explore extremes in the data. You can learn more about the data set and the GeoTiff images here: http://nsidc.org/greenland-today/. The activity was designed for students with prior mapping skills, but can be modified for those who have little to no mapping experience (step by step instructions can be provided, upon request).
In this activity, students will learn the difference between sea ice and …
In this activity, students will learn the difference between sea ice and glaciers in relation to sea level rise. They will create and explore topographic maps as a means of studying sea level rise and how it will affect Alaska's coastline.
Term-long course activity for student groups to map the flow of stormwater …
Term-long course activity for student groups to map the flow of stormwater runoff on newly developed or altered properties in and for the City of Bothell.
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This is a very simple but effective lesson that engages students with …
This is a very simple but effective lesson that engages students with drawing a map of their local environment, then annotating their map with environmental changes they've observed. The activity taps into higher order thinking because students are synthesizing physical, cultural, environmental, and personal factors and expressing them in a graphical format.
The goal of this assignment is threefold: 1) Reflect on the connection between social and ecological parts of the earth system that we observe in our own lives, 2) Gain experience with mapping change and using maps for sharing both data and personal stories of climate change, and 3) Provide a starting point for gauging our collective experience thinking about climate change.
Marble Cattle. This is the Lesson 3 Digging Deeper activity, from Unit …
Marble Cattle. This is the Lesson 3 Digging Deeper activity, from Unit 2 Power, Structure and Technology, from the DIGS (Developing Individuals, Growing Stewards) AmeriCorps Curriculum from CSU. The curriculum focuses on introducing students in grades 3-5 to Colorado agriculture, industry and environmental issues. The curriculum is matched to State Standards 2021. The curriculum upon request. Visit: https://engagement.colostate.edu/programs-old/developing-individuals-growing-stewards/
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