This animation allows students to explore the infrared spectra of greenhouse gases and depict the absorption spectra. Vibrational modes and Earth's energy spectrum can also be overlaid.

Module: “the Greenhouse effect: a natural phenomenon that has been adversely affected by human activities”IntroductionThis module is about the Greenhouse effect and provides the basic concepts of this natural phenomenon as well as the repercussions on it by human activities. The intended group of learners is students of 10 to13 years of age and it is a module that may fit into a course about the Environment. The components that consist this module include videos, interactive models on the computer, experiments and measurements, analogies, the construction of a greenhouse and physical activities to illustrate the vibration of different elements.Set of goalsAfter the completion of this module, the students should be able to:- Recognize that the greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon without which no life would exist on Earth and describe how it works- Compare and contrast the characteristics of other planets of our solar system and reach conclusions about their status- Name the main greenhouse gases and illustrate the way they react to absorbing energy-  Associate the concentration of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere with the rising of the global temperature after using interactive simulations- Justify the analogy used for the greenhouse effect – simulating Earth to a greenhouse – and point out the discrepancies of this analogy- Conduct experiments about the greenhouse effect and draw conclusions about how temperature rises- Be aware of the adverse effects human activities have had on this natural phenomenonThe processTo initiate the first talk and to present the topic of the module we will show a 2’ video titled: Global Warming: The Physics of the Greenhouse Effect (https://www.oercommons.org/courses/global-warming-the-physics-of-the-greenhouse-effect/view )As soon as the video is finished we discuss with the students if they have ever heard of the terms “greenhouse effect” and “global warming” and ask them to share what they know.We make a short presentation of the components and processes of the Greenhouse gases, as they are found on https://wikieducator.org/Green_house_effect and https://www.windows2universe.org/?page=/earth/interior/greenhouse_effect.html and then show them the 6’ video by prof. Denning talking about the greenhouse effect and the greenhouse gases reaction to the absorbing of energy. The concept of infrared radiation emitted by the earth is not easily understood by students since it is not visible as the light from the Sun. There is an analogy we can use by showing them a reptile light lamp, where light is not visible but the thermoradiation emitted is felt when we feel the heat with our hand. This is an idea taken from http://denning.atmos.colostate.edu/videos/Climate/CO2.tips4teachers.mp4Then we ask them to play a game on how the different greenhouses vibrate when they absorb energy, so as to use their bodies and come to experience the whole process. The idea is taken by the “little shop of physics” video presenting an activity where students wear different colored hats that represent different chemical elements forming certain greenhouse gases and move their bodies to different directions simulating the vibration of these gases when they absorb the infrared radiation emitted from the earth. (http://denning.atmos.colostate.edu/videos/Climate/CO2.tips4teachers.mp4 )The next activity is based on an MIT resource found on https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/earth-atmospheric-and-planetary-sciences/12-340-global-warming-science-spring-2012/lecture-notes/MIT12_340S12_lec5.pdf where the idea about comparing the planets Earth’s, Mars’ and Venus’ atmospheres is introduced. The students are given facts about these planets and are asked to compare the components and thickness of their atmospheres and their temperature range. They are led to conclude that too much of CO2 in the atmosphere would result into the scorching temperatures of Venus, while too little CO2 in the atmosphere would result into the freezing temperatures of Mars (information taken by  http://www.kidsastronomy.com/venus.htm, http://www.kidsastronomy.com/mars.htm)Working on the analogy of the greenhouse, students can perform a series of experiments. They are given instructions on how to make a model greenhouse and by putting lamps over it we can simulate the whole process. There are also instructions given on how to take measurements and make graphs. They process the data and come to realize how a greenhouse works (https://authoring.concord.org/activities/1052/single_page/52db8f13-a8c5-4513-86b1-2428a8407c4b ). It is important that we point out what each object represents in the analogy (the sun is the lamp, the earth is the greenhouse and the greenhouse gases is the glass or plexiglass the greenhouse is made of) as well as the discrepancies there are between the model and the real phenomenon (e.g. the greenhouse gases absorb and emit back the infrared radiation emitted by Earth – they do not absorb the light coming from the Sun).Next, there are different kinds of interactive simulations the students can perform on the computers, so we ask them to take turns in front of the computers and interact with the data given in the simulations and record back how the changes in temperature occur. There is one simulation where you add and remove greenhouse gases on the interactive model and the temperature rises and falls accordingly. (https://authoring.concord.org/activities/1032/single_page/93da01c3-33cf-438e-bfa1-c211c1a7236b). Another simulation shows the infrared spectra of the greenhouse gases and how the vibrated and absorb energy and you can add and remove gases monitoring the changes (http://www.explainingclimatechange.ca/Climate%20Change/javascript/IR%20Windows/IRWindows.html). There is one more simulation on how temperature rises when there are more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, without naming these gases separately (https://www.oercommons.org/courses/the-greenhouse-effect/view). After the students have played with these different interactive models we ask them to explain why we talk about global warming, what it means and what its connection is to the greenhouse gases. There is a 2’ video we can show, where a case is presented on how people are actually responsible for the deterioration of the greenhouse effect that leads to global warming (https://www.oercommons.org/courses/natural-cycle/view).Before closing the module we can revise every information presented and ask them to do a quiz to assess the knowledge gained during the whole procedure, found at http://www.sciencecourseware.org/eec/GlobalWarming/tutorials/greenhouse/ .There are two more resources that we can give as studying material for homework: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/question746.htm andhttps://scied.ucar.edu/longcontent/greenhouse-effect.          

A Play for Postsecondary Students

Short Description:
Follow five diverse post secondary students as they attempt to complete a group project together. Students can choose characters, read out the script, improvise the ending, and discuss the concepts and skills related to group dynamics.

Long Description:
The Group Dynamics of a School Project was developed in order for students to learn about group dynamics through acting out the roles of five diverse post secondary students trying to complete a group project. Key elements of group dynamics are portrayed including conflict, leadership skills, groupthink, group climate, microaggressions and more. Each scene contains a short script to be read out loud, a prompt for improvising an ending, discussion questions, and key takeaways. Students come away with a better understanding of the theories behind group dynamics, increased self awareness, and a better understanding of other group members.

Word Count: 4778

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To prepare for this project, students read a journal article about the processes and products of chemical sedimentation and early diagenesis in saline pan environments (Lowenstein and Hardie, 1985). In class, students are given some handouts that tabluate various evaporite minerals and how water chemistry affects their formation and dissolution. A short slide show and video illustrate some different types of saline environments. Photos and samples guide a lecture on the formation of different types of evaporite minerals and how they form. For example, chevron halite crystals are generally large (cm-scale) and grow upward from the floor of a shallow (less than ~0.5 m) surface water body; cumulate halite crystals are smaller (typically mm-scale) and grow on the water-air interface and settle to the bottom, regardless of water depth. Randomly-oriented halite crystals can grow displacively from groundwater in mud or sand. The students learn that the specific sedimentology of halite can be used to trace past surface water depth and groundwater salinity. I also give examples of how past quantitative climate data, past chemical data and even past microbiologial data can be interpreted from evaporites. I emphasize how, in order to understand evaporites, one must think critically about sedimentology and geochemistry.

The students are told, at the end of this lecture, that their next lab period will focus on designing and setting up a research project on growing salt. They are encouraged to start thinking about a research question they can pose about evaporite sedimentology. At this time, I also tell them what materials are available for their use (tap water, distilled water, seawater, various types of saline water I have collected during field trips, various types of store-bought table and road salt (including iodized, non-iodized, sea salt, etc.). A variety of table salts can be purchased cheaply (~$1 - $2/carton) at almost any grocery store. If you live in a cold climate, most grocery stores and hardware stores also sell several types of road salt (~$3-$4/bag). The table salts are mostly Na and Cl; some have lesser amopunts of Ca and SO4. Some road salts have Ca, Mg, Na, and Cl. In my experience, one carton and one bag of each type will provide more than enough salt for a class of 15 students.

When it is time for lab to begin, I gather my students in my research lab (but could also be done in a classroom), where I show them the materials I have available to them: various types of salt, various types of water, and plastic, glass, and metal containers of various shapes (baby food glass jars, plastic take-out food containers, etc). My lab also contains a variety of other miscellaneous materials, such as sand, gravel, clay, morter and pestle, wooden sticks, metal stirring rods, string, plastic tubing, beakers, food coloring (shows fluid inclusion bands well and everyone loves playing with food coloring), etc. I remind the students that they have a microwave oven, a freezer, a lab hood, a windowsill with plenty of sunlight, and a heating vent that can be used, as well. I make available a few thermometers, pH strips (or pH meter), and a hand-held refractometer for measuring salinity. These analytical field instruments are not neccessary for this assignment to work. However, as instructor, I would encourage you to use anything available to you.

I ask each student to tell me informally of their research question/hypothesis and then I try to help them find any materials they need for their experiments. Here are some examples of student research questions that have been tested with this assignment: (1) Does temperature of water affect rate of haite/gypsum growth?: (2) Will evaporite minerals grown from a complex saline fluid form a "bulls eye" pattern as their textbook claims?; (3) Will halite grow preferentially on glass substrates versus wooden and plastic substrates?; (4) Will evaporation of salt water make halite cement equally well in a gravel, a sand, a clay?; (5) What conditions best produce large halite crystals?; (6) Does pH of water influence halite and gypsum precipitation or dissolution?

Students spend most of a lab period (2-3 hours) setting up their experiment. As part of this initial experimental set-up, they start to learn basic research skills such as labelling samples well, documenting starting conditions, and taking detailed notes.

The students are allowed to leave their experiments on a windowsill in my lab or our classroom, on a radiator, in a lab fume hood, or in a lab refridgerator or freezer, depending upon the nature of the particular experiment. I encourage the students to check their samples on a daily basis and remind them to record their observations each time they check their experiment.

I give the students an assignment sheet that details the final lab report requirements. Most students will have results in 2-3 weeks, but some experiments may last up to 4-5 weeks. For this reason, I plan for this lab assignment to be started in the middle of the semester (which works well if your syllabus, like mine, calls for weathering, physical sedimentology, siliciclastics, and carbonates to be covered in the first 6-8 weeks of class; evaporites follow well after carbonates). The final lab report is not due until the end of the semester so that all students have time to bring their expermient to completion, make interpretations, and write their lab report.

At the end of the semester, depending on the number of students and time permitted, I ask the students to informally tell the class about their experiment and show the results. This has worked well for me. However, even in semesters in which we have not done this, the students still become familiar with each other's projects. On the initial experiment day, the students informally share their ideas. As students come to check on their own experiiments periodically, they usually look in on their classmates' experiments as well.

Students tell me that this is one of their favorite lab exercises. It encourages critical thinking and shows the importance of experimentation in science. In addition, I feel as if the students leave my course knowing more about evaporites than the average geologist.

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This online article, from Biodiversity Counts, is a guide to finding local specialists who are knowledgeable about plants and arthropods. It includes: an overview of how local specialists can be of help; a link to the Directory of Local Specialists, a list of specialists who have agreed to work with participating schools; a list of additional organizations, with links to Web sites, that are good sources for local specialists; tips on how to find local specialists from Linda Beyt, a middle school teacher in Louisiana and a Biodiversity Counts mentor; and tips for enlisting volunteers by Karen Spaulding, a middle school teacher in Massachusetts and a Biodiversity Counts mentor.

Students are presented with a scenario (problem) to recommend whether the Gulf Stream is responsible for keeping Europe warm and the potential effects if polar ice were to continue melting. The students work in small groups and discuss the problem and identify the issue. They then list everything they know about the issue and develop a problem statement. They then ask what they need to know to solve the problem and search the Internet data sites, etc., and analyze the information gathered. They complete the activity by preparing an individual report and PowerPoint presentation where they make a recommendation or other appropriate resolution of the problem based on the data, visualizations, and background information.

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In this role-playing activity, learners are presented with a scenario in which they determine whether the Gulf Stream is responsible for keeping northern Europe warm. They must also address the potential future of the Gulf Stream if polar ice were to continue melting. The students work in small groups to identify the issue, discuss the problem, and develop a problem statement. They are then asked what they need to know to solve the problem.

In this lesson, students analyze and synthesize data about how drought is measured, how scientists expect drought to change in the future, and how we can mitigate the impacts of drought in our communities.

In this lesson, students build an understanding of drought in Colorado through exploring case studies, authentic data, and online resources. After completing this lesson, students will be able to understand the basic causes and impacts of droughts, analyze a case study and current drought data in Colorado, and summarize the main preparedness steps and response strategies for drought events.

In this lesson, students analyze and synthesize data, and design local flood preparation strategies to answer the question, "What can we learn from past flood events to prepare for future floods?"

In this hazard lesson, students build an understanding of flooding in Colorado by exploring case studies, authentic data, and online resources. After completing this lesson, students will be able to understand the basic causes and impacts of floods, analyze case study and current flood data in Colorado, and summarize the main preparedness steps and response strategies for flood events.

In this lesson, students analyze and synthesize data, and design local wildfire preparation strategies to answer the question "What can we learn from past wildfires to prepare for future wildfires?"

In this lesson, students investigate wildfires in Colorado by analyzing wildfire data and information to create a local news story that educates community members about wildfire risk. In Part 1, students watch and discuss a short documentary about wildfires. In Part 2, students analyze wildfire data to build understanding of the causes, impacts, locations, and frequency of wildfires. In Part 3, students create a local news story for their community.

In this interactive game, students solve challenges that their community faces during the course of an extreme drought event by using available individual and community resources. Students work in three resilience teams to determine the strategies that they will invest in as a community as the drought situation evolves.

In this interactive game, students solve the challenges that their community faces during the course of an extreme flooding event by using available individual and community resources. Students work in three zone response teams to determine the responses they will take in each round as the flood situation evolves.

In this interactive game, students solve the challenges that their community faces during the course of a wildfire event by using available individual and community resources. Students work in three zone response teams to determine the responses they will take in each round as the wildfire situation evolves.

This course provides a survey of World History through the lens of human interactions with the environment. From the evolution of ​Homo Sapiens​ through to the present we will examine the ways in which the environment shaped, and has been shaped by, world historical events. Among the major topics this course will focus on are the importance of water to the rise of sedentary societies and empires, natural disasters, disease, capitalism and the environment, the impacts of European expansion and imperialism, and climate change. This syllabus is for a six-week course taught online. 

High school lessons utilize local phenomenon and are organized by grade level. By organizing instruction around local phenomenon, students are provided with a reason to learn shifting the focus from learning about a disconnected topic to figuring out why or how something happens. #Going 3D with GRC.