This group research project serves as the focus for our introductory Earth …
This group research project serves as the focus for our introductory Earth Systems Science classes. Each of four to six lab sections of 15-25 students collect discharge, sediment load, and water chemistry data from a different site along a local river, and compare their data to that collected in previous years and at other sites along the river. The project incorporates topographic map reading and graphing as well as collecting and analyzing data, and presenting the results in oral and written form. Labs on rocks and minerals use samples from the project area to encourage students to make connections between the solid Earth and surface processes.
Each component of the Florida River Project is described below, with a link to the activity sheet and related files.
Topographic Maps: Integrated Florida River project Florida River Project: Minerals in the field Florida River Project: Sedimentary and metamorphic rocks lab Florida River Project: Plotting discharge data Plotting Florida River Data Using Excel Florida River Project: Measuring discharge, sediment, and water chemistry
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The Florida River Project is a semester-long project involving (1) an individual …
The Florida River Project is a semester-long project involving (1) an individual project in which students pose a scientific question and use existing data to test their hypothesis, and (2) a group project in which students collect and present data associated with stream monitoring.
Outcomes of the individual project include: - Practice applying the process of science - Graphing and interpreting data - Making an argument supported by quantitative evidence. - Communicating a scientific argument in writing. - Supporting a scientific argument using appropriate formats (especially graphs and tables)
Outcomes of the group project include: - Collecting field data (discharge, sediment load, water chemistry) - Presenting data orally. - Discussing preliminary interpretations of data.
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This activity is a field investigation where students make observations, formulate a …
This activity is a field investigation where students make observations, formulate a question, construct and collect data on that question on stream flow on the Crow River in Central Minnesota
This exercise posits a hypothetical situation: you would like to purchase land …
This exercise posits a hypothetical situation: you would like to purchase land that will provide your family with opportunities to fish and swim in a stream on your property. Additionally, you would like the land to afford some privacy. In order to find such a place, you need to locate land for sale that has a stream running through it and you want to confirm that the stream water is clean. The following activity illustrates how one can locate land with particular characteristics and also assess surface water quality for local bodies of water. The data you will use might pertain to any location where streams flow through residential areas.
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This exercise takes advantage of student's interest in Google Earth to teach …
This exercise takes advantage of student's interest in Google Earth to teach some basic concepts about meandering rivers. Students prepare for class by reading about lowland rivers and/or hearing a lecture on them. They bring their own laptops to class or share with a partner or I take the entire class to the computer lab next door. In class they work through the worksheet and use Google Earth to take quantitative measurements of the rivers. They look at historic migration of meander bends and quantify river sinuousity, wavelength, amplitude, and radius of curvature of meander bends. They explore meandering bedrock rivers in Taiwan as a cool thought exercise in how that can happen. They end with looking at images from an area that they will have a field trip to during their next lab period. To keep people from flying through the exercise and getting bored, we do the whole activity in think-pair-share style. Students work on a location, answer the questions, and then we discuss it as a class.
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This course introduces students to basic rain garden design, water cistern development, …
This course introduces students to basic rain garden design, water cistern development, and bioretention principles. Students will also explore the uses of landform, plants, and structure to shape space. Classes will include slide-illustrated lectures, class discussions, and project critiques. Through a combination of short practicum that includes rain garden design for residential, commercial, and government locations, students will be able to analyze and create a design that applies modern theories to questions of spatial organization, order, and selection of building materials. Students will translate research and case studies by applying building, drawing, and design critiques specific for the site design and present their findings to the community.
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In class, instructor provides background on groundwater-surface water interactions, defines the hyporheic …
In class, instructor provides background on groundwater-surface water interactions, defines the hyporheic zone, and describes why knowledge of the HZ is important for both hydrology and ecology.
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This transcribed article from American Radio Works discusses the hurricane risk in …
This transcribed article from American Radio Works discusses the hurricane risk in New Orleans. The 2002 article talks about how deep flood waters would be in a Category Five hurricane and the likelihood that such a storm would hit. Users may also listen to the article using Real Player audio program.
This exercise is designed to evaluate the students' understanding of both the …
This exercise is designed to evaluate the students' understanding of both the hydrologic cycle and the water budget (mass balance) equation. In my course, the exercise is the students' first exposure to models in the course. While the exercise may seem basic, students gain experience in creating conceptual models and then generating mathematical models from the conceptual model. The exercise provides students with an introduction (or refresher) to some basic Excel formulas. Finally, the exercise can be modified to include more "what if" scenarios that require critical thinking and analysis from the students.
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At the University of Vermont, instructors used land use change, driven by …
At the University of Vermont, instructors used land use change, driven by development of the University of Vermont campus and recent student occupancy of surrounding neighborhoods in Burlington, Vermont, as an opportunity for service learning and for teaching fundamental hydrologic and geologic skills. Students from a Geomorphology class, Geohydrology class and student senior research projects all worked on the preoject. In each of these studies, students worked closely with City and University staff and presented results at local forums, professional national meeting, and on the World Wide Web. These service-learning projects have received positive feedback from the students, city officals, and community members.
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Detailed, annotated example of Socratic questioning for topics of hydrologic cycle, streamflow …
Detailed, annotated example of Socratic questioning for topics of hydrologic cycle, streamflow hydrographs, and impacts of land-use change on streamflow.
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In this lab, students investigate groundwater flow and water quality within a …
In this lab, students investigate groundwater flow and water quality within a groundwater well field on the CSU campus. The well field is part of the GroundWater Education and Teaching (GetWET) Observatory south of the Hilton Inn off Centre Drive. Students determine water flow paths and rates as well as measure water quality parameters such as water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen.
Materials needed for this lab include:
Groundwater equipment: Groundwater well or wells adjacent to a perennial stream. Water quantity equipment: Electronic water meter, staff, plate, tape, stop watch, and float to measure surface velocity. Water quality equipment: pH, temperature specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen meters, bailer, and bucket to collect samples. Other equipment: Map of site showing location of wells and stream.
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This activity is a field investigation where students calculate stream discharge, develop …
This activity is a field investigation where students calculate stream discharge, develop and complete an investigation involving the stream, interpret their findings, and report to their peers.
This activity is a field investigation in which students will gather data …
This activity is a field investigation in which students will gather data from a stream to calculate the discharge. They will need to interpret their findings and examine what factors could change the discharge of a stream over time.
In this Physical Geology lab activity, students investigate the relationship between stream …
In this Physical Geology lab activity, students investigate the relationship between stream energy and gradient by changing the gradient of a small stream table and observing changes in stream erosion.
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This is a field investigation where students will gather data about the …
This is a field investigation where students will gather data about the South Crow River using techniques of their own design and develop a group (multimedia) presentation for class presentation.
Students and faculty participate in an integrated effort to characterize hydrologic relationships …
Students and faculty participate in an integrated effort to characterize hydrologic relationships using hydrologic, geologic & geophysical data
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This activity is an outdoor lab in which students investigate the process …
This activity is an outdoor lab in which students investigate the process of evaporation, record their findings, and use the data to make connections to the environment around them.
Students will examine the complex issues that result from human use of …
Students will examine the complex issues that result from human use of ecologically sensitive areas. The students will investigate these issues from the point of view of their major/career path.
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