NCBI More Information: Similarity
This page summarizes the basic concept and vocabulary of sequence similarity searching. It is included for those new to the field who may not appreciate the importance of this technique in biology, who lack the vocabulary to understand the BLAST guide and tutorial or who require a basic rather than a sophisticated understanding of the methods involved. Sections include introduction, premise, terms, general approach, the BLAST algorithm, quantification, gaps, significance, and databases. Users ca
Microbiology Unit
This College level Unit in Microbiology explores microbes on five levels, their architecture, ecology, physiology, lifecycles and pathology. Students will be given an interactive tour of the world of microbes and learn more about their impact on Humans, animals, plants and on the environment in general. They will become aware of pathogenic (harmful) and non-pathogenic (helpful) microbes and develop an understanding of how microbiologists devise methods to study microbes in order to understand th
Optional Barometric Pressure Protocol
The purpose of this activity is to measure air pressure. Students record atmospheric pressure using a barometer or altimeter. Intended outcomes are that students gain an understanding that barometric or altimeter pressure varies and its increase or decrease indicates an upcoming change in the weather. Students also learn that the air has weight. Supporting background materials for both student and teacher are included.
Studying the Instrument Shelter
The purpose of this activity is to discover why an instrument shelter is built the way it is. Students construct shelters that have varying properties and place them in the same location or place similar shelters in different locations and compare temperature data taken in each shelter. Students should predict what will happen for each of the different shelter designs or placements and perform the steps of student research. Intended outcomes are that students gain an understanding of GLOBE speci
Just Passing Through
The purpose of this resource is to develop an understanding of some of the relationships between soils of different types and water. Students will time the flow of water through soils with different properties and measure the amount of water held in these soils. They will also experiment with the filtering ability of soils by testing the pH of the water before and after it passes through the soil and observing changes to the clarity of the water and to the characteristics of the soil.
Just Passing Through (Beginner version)
The purpose of this resource is to develop an understanding of how water flows through different soils and how it is transformed when it flows through these soils. Students time the flow of water through different soils and observe the amount of water held and also the filtering ability of the soils. They will also observe the filtering ability of soils by noting the clarity of the water before and after it passes through the soil.
Comparing the Study Site to One in Another Region
The purpose of this resource is to deepen students understanding of the Earth as a system, and their appreciation for the value of diagrams as tools. Students visit a study site, where they observe and recall their existing knowledge of air, water, soil, and living things to make a list of interconnections among the four Earth system components. They make predictions about the effects of a change in a system, inferring ways these changes affect the characteristics of other related components.
A Sneak-Preview of Budburst
The purpose of this resource is to develop an understanding of the relationship between budburst and the environment and to help students recognize actual budburst when they are doing the Green-Up protocol. Students will do simple explorations to observe the relationship between budburst and temperature. This is a winter or dry season activity to be done prior to green-up observations.
A First Look At Phenology
The purpose of this resource is to increase students' awareness of the qualitative changes in plants during green-up and green-down from which they will be collecting quantitative leaf change data, and to develop an understanding of the patterns and differences among plants at the same location. Students will observe, compare, and classify plants during green-up or green-down and then make inferences based on the patterns they observe.
A Beginning Look at Photosynthesis: Plants Need Light
The purpose of this resource is to develop an understanding of plants' response to light. Students will do simple investigations to observe plant responses to light.
Science for All Americans
This website is the homepage for Science for All Americans, a publication that advocates science literacy by recommending essential knowledge and ways of thinking for all citizens in a world shaped by science and technology. The book briefly discusses the recommendations and takes up the question of why such recommendations are needed. It presents a vision that emphasizes meanings, connections, and contexts rather than bits and pieces of information and favors quality of understanding over quant
GEOLogic: Volcanologists
GEOLogic questions are puzzles that were developed to support students understanding of geoscience concepts while challenging them to develop better logic and problem solving skills. In this exercise, students are asked to resolve how many days each of five volcanologists spent at a given volcano and what day they started for the volcano. There is also a second part where students are asked to do some additional research about volcanoes on the web. This activity is appropriate for a high school
GEOLogic: The Three Stooges and Their Pet Dinosaurs
GEOLogic questions are puzzles that were developed to support students understanding of geoscience concepts while challenging them to develop better logic and problem solving skills. In this exercise, students are asked to match up each of the Stooges with their favorite group and species of dinosaur based on clues given about which order and group each Stooge prefers. This activity is appropriate for a high school science class or an introductory level undergraduate geoscience course, and can b
GEOLogic: The Big Five Mass Extinctions
GEOLogic questions are puzzles that were developed to support students understanding of geoscience concepts while challenging them to develop better logic and problem solving skills. In this exercise, students are asked to match up the five largest mass extinction events with their relative dates, approximate duration, and severity (percentage of species that became extinct) based on clues given from various perspectives. This activity is appropriate for a high school science class or an introdu
GEOLogic: State Fossils
GEOLogic questions are puzzles that were developed to support students understanding of geoscience concepts while challenging them to develop better logic and problem solving skills. In this exercise, students are asked to identify states with their state fossil and the year in which it was declared, based on clues given from various points of view. Learning goals, context for use, teaching tips, materials, assessment tips and related resources are provided.
GEOLogic: Lagerstatten and Unique Fossils
GEOLogic questions are puzzles that were developed to support students understanding of geoscience concepts while challenging them to develop better logic and problem solving skills. In this exercise, students are asked to match up several unique fossils with the sites and locations where they were found, as well as their geologic age. This activity is appropriate for a high school science class or an introductory level undergraduate geoscience course, and can be given as an in-class assignment
GEOLogic: Stream Discharge Rates - Rappahannock River Station
This webpage from SERC features GEOLogic questions, which are puzzles that were developed to support students understanding of geoscience concepts while challenging them to develop better logic and problem solving skills. In this example, students are asked to convert measurements in cubic feet per hour (cfh) to cubic feet per second (cfs) and then match up the names of the researchers measuring the flows at the river station with the correct flow rate. There is also a second part in which stude
GEOLogic: How Well Do You Know Your National Parks and Memorials
GEOLogic questions are puzzles that were developed to support students understanding of geoscience concepts while challenging them to develop better logic and problem solving skills. Using a game show format, this exercise asks students to associate historical figures with a particular National Park or Memorial, as well as the number of points each student contestant scored on the show. This activity is appropriate for a high school science class or an introductory level undergraduate geoscience
Atmospheric Vertical Structure and the First Law of Thermodynamics
This sequential set of in-class and homework problems concerns applications of the First Law of Thermodynamics. In the homework, students are first asked to compute and plot potential temperatures of specified adiabats. In a second assignment, the potential temperature from an observed sounding is computed and plotted to develop a framework for understanding the stratification of the atmosphere. These activities are intended to help students discover the importance and utility of conservation pr
22.091 Nuclear Reactor Safety (MIT)
Problems in nuclear engineering often involve applying knowledge from many disciplines simultaneously in achieving satisfactory solutions. The course will focus on understanding the complete nuclear reactor system including the balance of plant, support systems and resulting interdependencies affecting the overall safety of the plant and regulatory oversight. Both the Seabrook and Pilgrim nuclear plant simulators will be used as part of the educational experience to provide as realistic as possi
