This online set of activities help students learn properties of ocean waves, …
This online set of activities help students learn properties of ocean waves, wind-wave relationships and properties of tsunamis.
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In this two-part activity, students/participants first: - Complete a Hazard Inventory for …
In this two-part activity, students/participants first: - Complete a Hazard Inventory for their city or area of interest in the event of a magnitude 7 or larger earthquake and tsunami. - Identify what critical structures and infrastructure will be affected. Then: - Write a summary statement assessing strengths and vulnerabilities of essential services or infrastructure. - Propose actions for mitigating vulnerabilities. - Create an Action Plan to address identified needs.
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This activity introduces students to high precision GPS as it is used …
This activity introduces students to high precision GPS as it is used in geoscience research. Students build "gumdrop" GPS units and study data from three Alaska GPS stations from the Plate Boundary Observatory network. They learn how Alaska's south central region is "locked and loading" as the Pacific Plate pushes into North America and builds up energy that will be released in the future in other earthquakes such as the 1964 Alaska earthquake.
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Tribal communities in southeastern Alaska are partnering with federal and state agencies …
Tribal communities in southeastern Alaska are partnering with federal and state agencies to investigate increasing harmful algal bloomsevents that pose human health risks to subsistence harvesters.
In this Interactive Lecture Demonstration, students will predict the main issues that …
In this Interactive Lecture Demonstration, students will predict the main issues that might be included in short French language videos treating topics such as endangered species, organic farming, the effect of aerosols on the environment, pollution and sustainable development. They will then view short videos on the topics and reflect on how their prior assumptions meshed with reality.
Students are introduced to biofuels, biological engineers, algae and how they grow …
Students are introduced to biofuels, biological engineers, algae and how they grow (photosynthesis), and what parts of algae can be used for biofuel (biomass from oils, starches, cell wall sugars). Through this lesson, plants—and specifically algae—are presented as an energy solution. Students learn that breaking apart algal cell walls enables access to oil, starch, and cell wall sugars for biofuel production. Students compare/contrast biofuels and fossil fuels. They learn about the field of biological engineering, including what biological engineers do. A 20-slide PowerPoint® presentation is provided that supports students taking notes in the Cornell format. Short pre- and post-quizzes are provided. This lesson prepares students to conduct the associated activity in which they make and then eat edible algal cell models.
The Algae-in-a-Bottle Experiment provides an engaging and flexible high-impact teaching tool for …
The Algae-in-a-Bottle Experiment provides an engaging and flexible high-impact teaching tool for helping students to know, understand, and apply a number of concepts related to the biology and ecology of aquatic plants and their environments.
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Join Simon, Anita, Emily and the rest of Ms. Patel's class as …
Join Simon, Anita, Emily and the rest of Ms. Patel's class as they gain an understanding of how the Earth works as a system while preparing their end of the school year play.
Commercial fishing nets often trap "unprofitable" animals in the process of catching …
Commercial fishing nets often trap "unprofitable" animals in the process of catching target species. In this activity, students experience the difficulty that fishermen experience while trying to isolate a target species when a variety of sea animals are found in the area of interest. Then the class discusses the large magnitude of this problem. Students practice data acquisition and analysis skills by collecting data and processing it to deduce trends on target species distribution. They conclude by discussing how bycatch impacts their lives and whether or not it is an important environmental issue that needs attention. As an extension, students use their creativity and innovative skills to design nets or other methods, theoretically and/or through hands-on prototyping, that fisherman could use to help avoid bycatch.
Bycatch, the unintended capture of animals in commercial fishing gear, is a …
Bycatch, the unintended capture of animals in commercial fishing gear, is a hot topic in marine conservation today. The surprisingly high level of bycatch about 25% of the entire global catch is responsible for the decline of hundreds of thousands of dolphins, whales, porpoises, seabirds and sea turtles each year. Through this curricular unit, students analyze the significance of bycatch in the global ecosystem and propose solutions to help reduce bycatch. They become familiar with current attempts to reduce the fishing mortality of these animals. Through the associated activities, the challenges faced today are reinforced and students are stimulated to brainstorm about possible engineering designs or policy changes that could reduce the magnitude of bycatch.
In this inquiry activity students work in groups to investigate allelopathy via …
In this inquiry activity students work in groups to investigate allelopathy via research, using the scientific method to plan and carry out an experiment, and creating a formal written report and oral presentation.
Dinosaur Journey is a part of the Museums of Western Colorado. Dinosaur …
Dinosaur Journey is a part of the Museums of Western Colorado. Dinosaur Journey Curator of Paleontology Dr. Julia McHugh talks about the findings from fossils collected at Mygatt-Moore Quarry and the research conducted by herself, Dr. Stephanie Drumheller (UT Knoxville), Miriam Kane (Colorado Mesa University), Anja Riedel (Colorado Mesa University), and Domenic D'Amore (Daemon College). Their open access research article is available at this link: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0233115
This activity follows a discussion in lecture about how to recognize various …
This activity follows a discussion in lecture about how to recognize various types of glacial landforms created through both erosional and depositional processes. It gives students practive in reading maps, interpreting landforms and synthesizing various types of landscapes. Designed for a geomorphology course Has minimal/no quantitative component
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Alternative futures studies are a valuable yet resource-intensive way in which environmental …
Alternative futures studies are a valuable yet resource-intensive way in which environmental scientists try to conduct informed debates about policies for specific geographic regions. These studies require modeling what the future would look like if different stakeholder groups had their way. The modeling is carried out by applying historical trend data to future projections that are rooted in the preferences of the different groups. Alternative future studies can be controversial due to the limitations of modeling and to the extent to which the models represent fully the different possible scenarios. Yet, they can be especially valuable for decision making about which areas in the region would be most appropriate and most acceptable for the applications of different policies such as development and restoration. Through a series of hands-on classroom activities that are the culmination of a variety of field trips, case studies, and analyses of GIS data about river systems and river restoration options, the students build deep understanding about what alternative futures studies entail and what are the applications of such studies to specific rivers in the Puget Sound area.
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Students learn how nanoparticles can be creatively used for medical diagnostic purposes. …
Students learn how nanoparticles can be creatively used for medical diagnostic purposes. They learn about buckminsterfullerenes, more commonly known as buckyballs, and about the potential for these complex carbon molecules to deliver drugs and other treatments into the human body. They brainstorm methods to track buckyballs in the body, then build a buckyball from pipe cleaners with a fluorescent tag to model how nanoparticles might be labeled and detected for use in a living organism. As an extension, students research and select appropriate radioisotopes for different medical applications.
Students will learn how to perform basic skills using a Garmin GPS …
Students will learn how to perform basic skills using a Garmin GPS unit; mark waypoints, navigate to a waypoint, use the compass and 'go to' functions to estimate distance to a pre-programmed point, change GPS data to find hidden locations. Students will work in teams and help each other as they learn new GPS skills and gain a working understanding of georeferenced data, using clues and team work to solve problems, and how objects are oriented in space.
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This video provides a detailed description of the habitat of the American …
This video provides a detailed description of the habitat of the American Pika and how this organism may serve as a climate indicator species because they have a relatively narrow ecological niche and specialized habitat.
This problem illustrates how numerical theories are developed, how we might test …
This problem illustrates how numerical theories are developed, how we might test this theory with an analog model, and how numerical models are constructed and the limitations of numerical modeling.
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This lab activity is designed for science students in an introductory climatology …
This lab activity is designed for science students in an introductory climatology course. Upon successful completion of the activity, students will have demonstrated an ability to:
Independently navigate and download climate data from online data libraries. Work with different file types (NetCDF and CSV). Write appropriate MATLAB code to read and manipulate climate data, and create plots (time series and maps) as instructed. Extract meaningful information from large 3-dimensional datasets. Understand and apply fundamental climatology concepts, such as:
Climate statistics (temporal and spatial mean and anomaly; trends; baselines) Ice-albedo feedback resulting in disproportionate sensitivity to climate change in polar regions
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Sidewalks provide a good analog for the study of fractures when outcrops …
Sidewalks provide a good analog for the study of fractures when outcrops are not available. This exercise is taught as the first lab of the semester in an undergraduate structural geology course. Students learn to make systematic observations, measure the orientation and location of fractures, manipulate and analyze data, and consider some kinematic and dynamic questions regarding the origin and significance of fractures. Their experiences are also used later in the course to reinforce key concepts of brittle deformation. Done as a group project, it emphasizes the importance of group work and encourages students to propose and defend their ideas.
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