We're in Hot Water Now: Hydrothermal Vents
In this National Geographic lesson, students will use National Geographic's Yellowstone internet module to learn about the processes that drive geysers. The activity involves learning about hydrothermal vents and uniquely adapted animals that live near the vents with the aid of pictures and maps. The activity concludes with an opportunity to create an aquarium exhibit which showcases some of these animals and their special adaptations. The website also includes related links and extensions for t
Elementary Linear Algebra & Solutions to Elementary Linear Algebra
This book is an introduction to linear algebra, based on lectures given by me over 17 years, in the (now defunct) first year course MP103 at the University of Queensland.
Drinking water treatment 2
This course deals with the design of drinking water treatment plants. We discuss theory and design exercises.
Tardigrada (Water Bears)
This reference page offers a brief description of Tardigrades, also known as water bears. It includes information about their physical appearance, an explanation of their name, likely habitats, internal organs and other distinguishing features, and a few images. A diagram of a common tardigrade, Macrobiotus macronyx, is also provided via an internal link.
Guide to Identification of Fresh Water Microorganisms
This seven-page guide can be used to identify freshwater microorganisms. Categories include microscopic autotrophic organisms (i.e. algae), heterotrophic protozoa, other freshwater plankton (Animalia, Monera, etc), and arthropods. The guide is in the form of a table, with columns for name, picture, characteristic, and taxonomy.
Modeling Your Water Balance
The purpose of this resource is to model a soil's water storage over a year. Students will model the changes in soil water storage over a year.
Water Transparency Protocol
The purpose of this resource is to determine the transparency of water. Students measure water transparency at their undisturbed study site using a transparency tube or Secchi disk.
Water Detectives
The purpose of this resource is to help students understand that some substances can be identified safely with your senses. Students will investigate how they use their senses for observation and why we use instruments to collect data.
Water Temperature Protocol
The purpose of this resource is to measure the temperature of a water sample. Students use an alcohol-filled thermometer or meter to measure the temperature of water. The meter requires calibration before use; the accuracy of the thermometer needs to be checked before use.
Water Vapor Protocol
The purpose of this activity is to measure the total precipitable water vapor (column water vapor) in the atmosphere above an observer's site. Students point a GLOBE/GIFTS water vapor instrument at the sun and record the voltage readings from a digital voltmeter. They observe sky conditions near the Sun and perform the Cloud Protocols. Intended outcomes are that students understand the concept that the atmosphere prevents some of the sun's light from reaching Earth's surface, how water vapor mea
Water Walk
The purpose of this resource is to become familiar with the hydrology of your locale. Students will study and visit the Hydrology Study Site, conduct a visual survey to discover information about local land cover, water quality, and document their findings. They will use this initial investigation to raise questions about local land cover and/or water chemistry issues that may require further investigation.
Soils as Sponges: How Much Water Does Soil Hold?
The purpose of this resource is to introduce students to gravemetric measurements - calculating the amount of water in a soil sample or other substance by weighting it before and after drying.
Your Regional to Global Connection
The purpose of this resource is to identify specifically how one's own region is connected with others, and to discover the interconnected nature of the Earth's regions as systems. Students brainstorm about the nature of connections between their region and others, across oceans and on different continents. On a black-line map of the world, they trace possible pathways of water and wind currents from their part of the continent to other continents, and identify what the wind and water carry. The
Global Patterns in Green-Up and Green-Down
The purpose of this resource is to investigate the annual cycle of plant growth and decline using visualizations and graphs. Students will analyze visualizations and graphs that show the annual cycle of plant growth and decline. Students will explore patterns of annual change for the globe and each hemisphere in several regions that have different land cover and will match graphs that show annual green-up and green-down patterns with a specific land cover type.
Seasonal Change on Land and Water
The purpose of this resource is to further students' understanding of the causes of seasonal change using visualizations to compare the effects of incoming solar energy in the two hemispheres. The class reviews global visualizations of incoming sunlight and surface temperature and discusses seasonal change. Students use the visualizations to support inquiry on the differences in seasonal change in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, culminating in an evidence-based argument about why one hemi
GLOBE -- Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment
This site is a worldwide network of students, teachers, and scientists working together to study and understand the global environment. Students and teachers from more than 9,500 schools in over 90 countries collect data that are then used by scientists and other researchers. It provides teacher guides, workshops, views of the data and the research, a resource library and more.
Ground Water Atlas of the United States: Idaho, Oregon, Washington
This website contains a complete hydro-geologic summary of the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System. The summary includes thirteen maps and figures that are accompanied by text descriptions. All texts and figures are available for download.
Water Pollution and Food Chains
Developed for sixth grade. There are two key concepts covered in this lesson: first, how pollution can affect plants, and, second, how polluted plants affect the rest of the food cycle. In sum, this lesson teaches students about "Bioaccumulation".
Biology In Elementary Schools is a Saint Michael's College student project. The teaching ideas on this page have been found, refined, and developed by students in a college-level course on the teaching of biology at the elementary level. Unless otherw
Water Cycle in a Bottle
Developed for second grade. In this activity students will be able to view the different ways water travels and the different forms in which water can be found. The experiment focuses mainly on evaporation, transpiration, condensation and precipitation within the 3 different soda bottle chambers. Students will create their own water cycle chambers by using 3 soda bottles (2 with the bottoms cut off) turned upside down and placed one inside the other. The bottom soda bottle will be filled with th
