The Living Edens: Virtual Yellowstone Tour
This Starting Point page describes a virtual tour of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming featured on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) website. In this tour, students act as park rangers to research geological features of Yellowstone, locate these features on maps, and describe and define associated geologic terms. The features discussed include geysers, hot springs, canyons, waterfalls and mudpots. On this page, users can find learning goals, teaching notes and tips, teaching materials, as
Developing a Local Stratigraphy
In this lab activity students describe rock types in a variety of exposures to construct a regional stratigraphy. Learning goals, teaching notes and materials, equipment lists, and assessment recommendations are all provided on this website. Additionally, there are links to useful references and resources, including related field labs.
"Adopt an Outcrop"
In this lab, each student or small student group "adopts" a different outcrop or road cut, describing and interpreting both the outcrop scale features and hand specimens. This website provides a context for the use of this lab, and describes learning goals, teaching notes and assessment. It also includes downloadable handouts and other teaching materials.
Post-Settlement Erosion and Deposition
In this example, a field laboratory in introductory geology becomes a test of a hypothesis: Does the model proposed by Stanley Trimble for Coon Creek, Wisconsin adequately describe the history of post-European-settlement erosion and deposition in a small drainage in southeast Minnesota? This field lab is detailed on the site, which describes leaning goals, a context for this lab's use, teaching notes and downloadable handouts, and assessment recommendations. There are additional references and l
Biodiversity stuff to do: Endangered!
This Ology game site contains rules and a board for a board game dealing with extinction, particularly the modern biodiversity crisis. The players need to read endangered species facts from the board to answer questions on the spaces that they land in so that they can progress. Users can follow links to what to do and materials needed for the game.
Borders
'Borders' begins with a short dramatic piece that introduces the issues of complicity, resistance, and boundaries. This work continues to investigate these themes in the style of a documentary. In the prologue, actor Steve Buscemi plays Ted, a young scientist who goes to work at a large scientific research facility. Here he develops ideas that, much to the dismay and rebuff of his jealous fellow researchers who gather around a vending machine, are embraced by his supervisors. The young scientist
Aeros
Created by video artist Burt Barr, 'Aeros' is an impressionistic behind-the-scenes look at the Trisha Brown Dance Company as they rehearse, stage, and perform her choreographed work in a variety of settings, including Moscow, New York, France, and Florida. Here we see members of the Tricia Brown Dance Company during a rehearsal for the performance piece.
Amazing Space
Amazing Space consists of web-based educational presentations for young children about space, which were developed at the Space Telescope Science and Technology Institute. Teachers teamed up with scientists and engineers from the institute and staff members from the Office of Public Outreach to develop interactive lessons. All lessons include spectacular photographs taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and many high quality graphics, videos, and animation designed to enhance student understanding
Multiwavelength Astronomy
presents images of our own galaxy and sun, other galaxies and stars, and other heavenly bodies as viewed from different portions (or frequencies) of the electromagnetic spectrum.
FoilSim and CurveBall
FoilSim II computes the theoretical lift of a variety of airfoil shapes. The user can control the shape, size, and inclination of the airfoil and the atmospheric conditions in which the airfoil is flying. The program includes a stall model for the airfoil, a model of the Martian atmosphere, and the ability to specify a variety of fluids for lift comparisons. The program has graphical and numerical output, including an interactive probe which you can use to investigate the details of flow around
Drilling for the Ocean's Secrets
This NASA site (for kids) features the career of oceanographer Will Sager, who narrates how the Ocean Drilling Program is involved in drilling and interpreting rocks and sediments from the ocean floor. Color images are also included.
Hodges Health Career - Care Domains - Model
Hodges’ Health Career (Care Domains) Model provides a conceptual framework upon which users can map problems, issues and solutions across four knowledge domains: Interpersonal; Sociological; Scientific; & Political (Autonomy). The public may also be taught to use the model, enabling engagement, understanding and concordance in planning and outcome evaluation.
Brian Hodges' original notes, a resources page and links (800+) are included. Additional material on health informatics and the potenti
X-Ray Vision, Crystallography
This site features a tutorial designed to allow students to gain an appreciation of how X-ray crystallography works. Using X-ray diffraction patterns to determine the arrangement of atoms in a molecule requires sophisticated mathematics. This activity depends only on light from an overhead projector passing through a ball-and-stick molecular model placed on the stage of the projector, making it an ideal introduction to x-ray diffraction.
Physical Weathering
This site features a collection of visual resources that can be used to help illustrate the process of physical weathering. Visualizations demonstrate different styles of mechanical weathering and the resulting impact on the landscape. Resources include animations, interactive graphics and photographs showing the effects of physical weathering. These visualizations are suitable for use in an introductory level geology lecture, lab, or other activity.
The Plow that Broke the Plains
This thirties era US Government film from Kansas State University chronicles the boom and bust agriculture on the High Plains. The first section of the film is devoted to the establishment of mechanized agriculture and how it contributed to crop productivity gains. The final section of the film recounts bleak dust bowl conditions, including the migration of displaced farmers.
The Great Chief Justice at Home
offers photos of John Marshall's residence in Richmond, Virginia. This website also describes how Marshall, who wrote 519 opinions in his 34 years as chief justice (1801-1835), transformed the Supreme Court from obscurity into a prominent, powerful institution.
Thaw in the Cold War: Eisenhower and Khrushchev at Gettysburg
describes how President Eisenhower's personal diplomacy at his Gettysburg farm helped ease the tensions of the Cold War. The site offers photos and maps of the home as well as readings and suggestions for student assignments.
Will the Real Cinderella Please Stand Up?
Students learn that folk stories can be told in many ways and learn to write their own Cinderella story and script according to their own gender or culture. They also become aware of the steps that are necessary to make a film as they learn the various parts that go into the process.
Modeling Research Skills
The fifth lesson in the Family, History and Memory module centers on developing students' research skills. Using the book The Diary of Anne Frank as a starting point, it guides students through the necessary steps for conducting good-quality research and developing a subsequent presentation. Students work as a group to develop their presentation. The lessons can be delivered as a module or as individual units.
The Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NFSC) Harmful Algal Blooms Program
This website features the NFSC Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) Program, which works cooperatively with other NOAA agencies and provides information concerning HABs and marine biotoxins to the public, state and federal agencies, tribes, university, and others in the Eastern Pacific region. A 20 minute video: "Science at Sea - The Hunt for Killer Algae"
is presented with a classroom curriculum for download.
