This OLogy activity shows kids that there are simple, but very helpful things they can do to protect the ocean -- even if they live nowhere near the water. The activity opens by introducing kids to Gabby, a future marine biologist who wants to study dolphins. Then it has a checklist of 14 ways kids can be ocean helpers that includes asking for tap water instead of bottled water and leaving plants and animals where they find them.

In this 1-2 week engineering design lesson, students will design and build water filters out of natural materials to simulate a filter system (bioswales) that cleans storm-water runoff before it soaks into the ground or enters a city’s storm-drain system. Their ultimate goal is to determine the combination and sequence of materials that best clean polluted water. Using materials easily found in pet stores and garden centers, students use the scientific method, students design to test and retest their designs and record, display and analyze their results.

Design of shoreline protection along rivers, canals and the sea; load on bed and shoreline by currents, wind waves and ship motion; stability of elements under current and wave conditions; stability of shore protection elements; design methods, construction methods. Flow: recapitulation of basics from fluid mechanics (flow, turbulence), stability of individual grains (sand, but also rock) in different type of flow conditions (weirs, jets), scour and erosion. Porous Media: basic equation, pressures and velocities on the stability on the boundary layer; groundwater flow with impermeable and semi-impermeable structures; granular filters and geotextiles. Waves: recapitulation of the basics of waves, focus on wave forces on the land-water boundary, specific aspects of ship induced waves, stability of elements under wave action (loose rock, placed blocks, impermeable layers) Design: overview of the various types of protections, construction and maintenance; design requirements, deterministic and probabilistic design; case studies, examples Materials and environment: overview of materials to be used, interaction with the aquatic environment, role of the land-water boundary as part of the ecosystem; environmentally sound shoreline design.

In this lesson students will learn about the different types of bees, the bee life cycle, and the importance of bees for our local ecosystems. Includes some background information about bees and instructions for the pollination simulation activity.

Time: 45-50 minutes

Materials: "The Honeybee Man" or other book about bees and pollination, small bag of cheetos, pip cleaners, various colors of construction paper, pompoms (small and medium), small dixie cups for water, straws (15 per group), jewerly bags, and yarn

Begin Research“Where Do I Start?”Do you have an assignment to write a research paper but you’re not sure where to start? Take a deep breath and begin by carefully reading the assignment requirements. This will help you understand the work you need to do.First, let’s think about what we mean when we say “research.”HOW MUCH DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?What makes a good topic?It is broad enough that you can find enough information on the subject.It is focused enough that you are not overwhelmed with too much information.The topic is interesting to you.All of the above.If you don’t know much about your topic, what resources would be most helpful when you being your research?Encyclopedias and websitesScholarly articlesNewspapers and magazinesStatistical informationIt is always a good idea to brainstorm different words for similar ideas when you first begin to research your topic.TrueFalseWhat statement below is generally true about beginning research?It is pretty easy to find information on any topic.As long as you have a good topic, researching for it will not take a long time.No matter t he assignment, good research takes time and effort.None of the above.ANSWERSAll of the above.2.1True4.3Read Your Assignment CarefullyBefore you can even begin your research, though, you need to read the assignment instructions carefully—more than once! This will help you understand the work you need to do.Highlight topic guidelines, required length, and the types of information sources allowed.Let’s take a look at a sample assignment.UNDERSTAND YOUR ASSIGNMENTLily is taking a University Studies class and must complete this assignment:In this paper, you will analyze the scientific aspects of a known environmental problem and identify and discuss at least two proposed solutions.Now, analyze this assignment step by step.Find the words that tell you what to do (think verbs!): analyze, identify, and discuss.Find the limits of the assignment: scientific aspects and two proposed solutions.Find the key theme: a known environmental problemBy reading the assignment carefully, we know that Lily has to analyze an environmental problem and identify and discuss at least two proposed solutions.Pick a Good TopicLily’s assignment is broad enough to give her some choices when picking a topic. So, what makes a good topic?It interests you! You’ll enjoy it and do a better job.It meets the requirements of your assignment.It’s broad enough to give you several search options.It’s focused enough that you’re not overwhelmed with information.HOT TIP!Explore the library’s databases to get you started.Browse newspapers and news sources.Talk to your instructors and fellow students.Consult with a librarian.TOO BROAD, TOO NARROW, OR JUST RIGHT?Air pollution in urban areasToo broadToo narrowJust rightRespiratory diseases in children in high-density urban areasToo broadToo narrowJust rightEnvironmental consequences of California’s October 2007 forest firesToo broadToo narrowJust rightPolar bear adaptation to global warming in the ArcticToo broadToo narrowJust rightRenewable energy in the United StatesToo broadToo narrowJust rightThe design and implementation of Cal-Cars—the California Cars InitiativeToo broadToo narrowJust rightANSWERSToo broad. You’d need to identify an aspect of air pollution to narrow down the scopeJust right! This is a good topic. You’ll continue to refine your ideas as you learn more about the topic.A bit narrow. It will be hard to find information on just one event. Look more broadly for information on forest fires in California or the West.Just right. There should be just enough information to get you started. You will continue to refine your ideas as you learn more about the topic.Too broad. This is a good starting place, but you’d want to focus the topic by selecting a specific renewable energy like solar power or wind.Too narrow. It’s going to be difficult to find information on such a narrow topic. Broaden the focus to look at initiatives like this one that are less regional.Identify Potential IdeasNow it’s time to really focus your topic. Browse a few resources for ideas and identify different aspects of the topic.Remember, if you pick a subject that interests you, you’ll enjoy the research process much more!Customize Your TopicLet’s say your assignment is to research an environmental issue. This is a broad starting point, which is a normal first step.One way to customize your topic is to consider how different disciplines approach the same topic in different ways. For example, here’s how your broad topic of “environmental issues” might be approached from different perspectives.Social Sciences: Economics of Using Wind to Produce Energy in the United StatesSciences: Impact of Climate Change on the Habitat of Desert Animals in ArizonaArts and Humanities: Analysis of the Rhetoric of Environmental Protest LiteratureTurn Your Topic into a QuestionWhen you’ve chosen a topic, it’s time to ask some questions. Using “environmental issues” as our general research interest, let’s ask some questions about environmental issues and agriculture.How: How do government agricultural subsidies impact the price of food?  How does the use of pesticides affect food safety?Who: Consumers, farmers, farm workersWhat: Food safety, pesticides, food prices, genetically modified food, organic farmingWhere: United States, developing nations, European UnionWhy: Why does the European Union ban the sale and distribution of genetically modified food?What’s Your Angle?Let’s say that the most interesting question that emerged from the last exercise was: “How does repeated pesticide use in agriculture impact soil and groundwater pollution?”Find Your KeywordsNow that we have our sample research question, we need to identify the key concepts and their related keywords.Using our research question, “How does repeated pesticide use in agriculture impact soil and groundwater pollution?” we might consider these keywords:A SYMPHONY OF SYNONYMSLet’s examine our research question again:How does repeated pesticide use in agriculture impact soil and groundwater pollution?Now analyze this assignment step by step:Find important words and phrases that describe this topic (you can ignore common words that don’t have a lot of meaning, such as prepositions, articles, and adjectives): pesticide, agriculture, soil, and pollution.Now, think of some synonyms for the keywords you found:pesticideagrochemicals, pest management, weed management,diazinan, malathionagriculturefarming, food crops, specific types of cropssoilclay, organic componentsgroundwater watershed, water resources, water table, aquaticspollutionenvironmental impact, degradation, exposure, acid rainWhy are synonyms necessary? You’ll often need to search for different words relating to the same concept.Dive Into a Sea of Resources!Browse through general sources to get familiar with your topic. You will find many sources for locating background information. Remember our point from earlier in this tutorial: the source you select will determine what you find. Make sure you spend your time looking in the right places.HOT TIP!Is there enough info on your topic? If not, review the earlier steps for starting your research. It’s normal to refine and revise your topic multiple times.What Do You Know?Once you’ve established your focused topic, you need to get familiar with it by doing some reading. Start with more general sources and then work up to more specific and detailed sources. Where you go next depends on how much you know.So, just how much do you know about your topic?Not All That MuchI’ve Got the BasicsI’m Ready for DetailsSounds like you need the type of information typically found in encyclopedias and websites.Sounds like you’ve got a basic understanding of your topic and just need to learn more. Check out books, magazines, and newspapers.Specific information is what you need. You’ll want to find relevant scholarly articles, statistical sources, and government publications.Matching Resources to Your Information NeedNewspaper: Current regional or local informationScholarly journal article: Detailed analysis of a complex problem.Book or book chapter: Summary of what is known about a topic.Encyclopedia or website: Factual information like names, dates, and definitions.TEST YOURSELF: WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?What are the characteristics of a good topic?(Select all that apply) It interests you.It meets the requirements of your assignment.It’s broad enough to give you several search options.It’s focused enough that you’re not overwhelmed with information.Rank the following questions in order from most general to most specific (1 being the most general):Are pesticides bad?Do video games cause violent behavior in adolescent males?Are agricultural workers in Mexico at a higher risk of health problems due to pesticide exposure because of lax government safety standards?Is there a relationship between fast food consumption and obesity?What is the best way to focus  your topic?Think about the discipline that you are researching for.Tailor your topic to the requirements of your assignment.Talk to a librarian about the resources that are available for your topic.All of the above.Pick the best set of keywords to begin searching for information on global warming.Rising ocean levels, air pollution, greenhouse gasesBiodiversity, atmospheric temperature, ozone layerGlobal climate change, greenhouse effect, atmospheric carbon dioxideEnvironment sustainability, alternative energy, biofuelsWhy is it a good idea to use different words to describe similar ideas when you are beginning research?(Select all that apply) Because there is only one right answer and you can find it by trial and error.Because  using different words will help you cast a broader net than just using the same term over and over.Different researchers might use different terms to describe the same idea.You might spell some of the words wrong and not get any results.What is the most difficult aspect of beginning to research a topic that you don’t know very much about?You don’t know enough about the topic to know what is important and what is not.You don’t understand the technical aspects of the topic.It takes a lot of time to do research.All of the above.For you, what the most difficult part about beginning your research?ANSWERSA good topic will incorporate all these characteristics.1 = Are pesticides bad?2 = Is there a relationship between fast food consumption and obesity?3 = Do video games cause violent behavior in adolescent males?4 = Are agricultural workers in Mexico at a higher risk of health problems due to pesticide exposure because of lax government safety standards?The more a research question incorporates the concepts of Who, What, When, Where, Why, and  How the more specific it will be.All of the above.4.3; think carefully about which terms are closely related to global warming.5.2 and 5.3; there may be many ways to describe a single topic. Using as many related words as possible will help you find the most information!All of the above; remember that research takes time and energy and isn’t an easy thing to do!No matter what, coming to the library and talking to a librarian will help you get started. Finding information effectively and efficientlyLevel 2 teaches you how to structure a search for the information you need to write a paper, for example. You will learn the following:how to construct a search strategy using the aspects defined in level 1how to perform a smart search using the information sources available at TU Delft LibraryDetermining search termsNow it is time to do an actual search! In level 1 you divided the search topic into its different aspects. What’s next? Are you going to use Google and type in all the aspects, like you probably do every day? What will you do with all the search results? Are you going to study them all? No, there is a smarter way!Exercise 1Plug in your earphones or turn down the volume and watch the clip ‘Web Search Strategies Explained in Plain English‘ by Commoncraft about smart searching on the web.Searching the web is very similar to searching other information sources such as Worldcat Discovery. Doing the following exercise will teach you how to apply the aspects of your search topic in a smart search. Complete the exercise on how to find suitable search terms matching the aspects of the search topic. Determining search strategyNow you are going to convert the synonyms you have found into a smart search strategy. You have to use search operators to use all the synonyms properly.Exercise 2Study the TUlib module Search operators.If you want to perform a smart search, you must combine your search terms. Complete thisexercise on combining search terms with Boolean operators.Towards information sourcesNow you have formulated a search strategy, which you will use to search the various information sources. But where to start? How do you choose which information source you want to use? This table gives an overview of the differences between Worldcat Discovery, Scopus and Google Scholar and helps you determine when to use each one.Exercise 3Watch the first two sections (“Basic searching” and “Retrieving documents”) of this video about searching in WorldCat Discovery (which includes the TU Delft Library catalogue).Watch this video with an example of a search strategy carried out in article database Scopus.Complete the exercise on carrying out your search strategy in various information sources.Now you have learned how to convert the aspects of your search topic into a search strategy and how to apply this strategy in a number of information sources.You can find other relevant information sources for your subject area in the “Useful links” overview in the section “What’s next”.

This activity is a scientific investigation focusing on inquiry after using the Foss Water Kit. The students will pose a question, create a procedure and produce a poster showing their findings.

Explore bending of light between two media with different indices of refraction. See how changing from air to water to glass changes the bending angle. Play with prisms of different shapes and make rainbows.

Cocos Island, a remote volcanic summit in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, serves as a beacon for hungry predators, including thousands of hammerhead sharks that travel here each year in search of prey. This video segment from NOVA: "Island of Sharks" depicts some of the common predator-prey interactions that take place in the nutrient-rich waters surrounding the island.

This curriculum builds upon many years of educating students in the garden and scales up content across grades and lessons for instructional scaffolding. It is designed as an interactive teaching tool to be co-taught with classroom teachers and garden instructors as leads. Each lesson connects directly to standards: Next Generation Science, Common Core State, Physical Education, and Environmental and Health Education. The concise and easy to-follow lessons are a packed 45 minutes for preschool through fifth grade. Flexibility is important, so some lessons include several activities that teachers can choose from to accommodate their lesson plans. Consistency is also important, so lessons follow themes and structures found in the Curriculum Map. 360 pages.

Bernoulli's principle relates the pressure of a fluid to its elevation and its speed. Bernoulli's equation can be used to approximate these parameters in water, air or any fluid that has very low viscosity. Students learn about the relationships between the components of the Bernoulli equation through real-life engineering examples and practice problems.

Have you ever asked what “biobased” means or wondered about the key aspects in developing and commercializing biobased products? This course will answer those questions and more; highlighting the opportunities, hurdles, and driving forces of the bioeconomy.

Today’s industries face enormous global challenges when it comes to the fossil-based economy. Fossil resources are no longer a desirable feedstock for many products and governments’ climate goals put various limitations to its usage. Moreover, consumer perception has become an increasingly important factor. With biobased products as an alternative to the fossil-based economy, the bioeconomy can provide viable solutions to these challenges.

The course describes the different types of biomass, the methods of refinery and typical conversion technologies used for biobased products. You’ll also engage in a study of the practical and real-life examples emerging in the market: biopolymers, bioenergy, bioflavours, and biosurfactants.

The course has been developed by a team of experts from seven different institutions and universities in three different countries, all sharing their personal perspectives on the opportunities and challenges faced by the biobased industry. The three top-ranked institutions Delft University of Technology, RWTH Aachen University, and Wageningen University & Research offer additional, more advanced courses to continue your learning journey:

Industrial Biotechnology: a more advanced course that digs deeper into engineering aspects of bio-based products.
MicroMasters Chemistry and Technology for Sustainability: Help drive the transition from fossil sources to renewable energy ones and engineer a biobased future.
Sustainable Development: The Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Introduction to sustainable development and its relation to the Water-Energy-Food Nexus.

Students learn how to manipulate the behavior of water by using biochar—a soil amendment used to improve soil functions. As a fluid, water interacts with soil in a variety of ways. It may drain though a soil’s non-solid states, or its “pores”; lay above the soil; or move across cell membranes via osmosis. In this experiment, students solve the specific problem of standing water by researching, designing, and engineering solutions that enable water to drain faster. This activity is designed for students to explore how biochar helps soils to act as “sponges” in order to retain more water.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand" is an essential educational resource tailored for environmental science and engineering students, aiming to deepen their understanding of water quality assessment and pollution control. This unit comprises a series of engaging lessons, each meticulously designed to explore the dynamics of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and its implications for aquatic ecosystems.Beginning with foundational concepts of dissolved oxygen and BOD, learners progress to advanced topics such as the Dissolved Oxygen Model and SAG (Submerged Aquatic Growth) curve analysis. Through interactive discussions and problem-solving exercises, students develop proficiency in calculating key parameters related to water quality, including DO concentrations and BOD levels.

We are happy to welcome you to our second Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook, Biochemistry Free For All. Biochemistry is a relatively young science, but its rate of growth has been truly impressive. The rapid pace of discoveries, which shows no sign of slowing, is reflected in the steady increase in the size of biochemistry textbooks. Growing faster than the size of biochemistry books have been the skyrocketing costs of higher education and the even faster rising costs of college textbooks. These unfortunate realities have created a situation where the costs of going to college are beyond the means of increasing numbers of students.

Produced by the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, this brief guide summarizes for policymakers the consequences of biodiversity loss for human health, including threats to global supplies of food and fresh water, exposure to formerly rare diseases and opportunistic infections, and loss of important sources of medicines. The guide can be downloaded as a pdf at no charge.

Developed for the second grade. A biodome is a self-sustaining habitat for plants. Students will make a biodome in a recycled soda bottle and watch as their seeds grow. Students will observe and understand how the water in the biodome continues to recycle itself through condensation and evaporation.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 otherwise noted, the lesson plans have been tried at least once by students from our partner schools. This wiki has been established to share ideas about teaching biology in elementary schools. The motivation behind the creation of this page is twofold: 1. to provide an outlet for the teaching ideas of a group of college educators participating in a workshop-style course; 2. to provide a space where anyone else interested in this topic can place their ideas.

Students explore the biosphere's environments and ecosystems, learning along the way about the plants, animals, resources and natural cycles of our planet. Over the course of lessons 2-6, students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems - exploring energy and nutrient flows, basic needs of plants and animals, and decomposers. Students learn about food chains and food webs. They are introduced to the roles of the water, carbon and nitrogen cycles. They test the effects of photosynthesis and transpiration. Students are introduced to animal classifications and interactions, including carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, predator and prey. They learn about biomimicry and how engineers often imitate nature in the design of new products. As everyday applications are interwoven into the lessons, students consider why a solid understanding of one's environment and the interdependence within ecosystems can inform the choices we make and the way we engineer our communities.

Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.