Understanding Carbon Storage in Forests part of Earth Exploration Toolbook:GLOBECarbon
DATA: Forest Inventory and Analysis data, TOOLS: isee Player, Spreadsheet application. SUMMARY: Compare field collected data with results produced by a forest biomass model to understand the process and challenges scientists face when doing terrestrial carbon cycle research.

Electrical Analysis of Wind Power part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Teaching with Data:Examples
Lina Jiang and Philip Peterson
For this experiment, students use a DC motor as a generator and various shaped turbine designs to test which design produces the most electrical power. Using a fan to generate the "wind", students attach ...

Energy Hog Advertising Campaign part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Rob Milne, Sheridan College
Students are asked to design an alternative to the Energy Hog Ads developed by the Depatment of Energy. This advertising campaign was launched in 2004 to encourage children and their parents to engage in energy ...

Natural Gas and the Marcellus Shale part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Sid Halsor, Wilkes Community College
This homework problem introduces students to the Marcellus shale natural gas play and how an unconventional reservoir rock can become an attractive hydrocarbon target.

Power Source part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Steven Semken, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus
In this lesson-opening activity, students or groups are tasked to make concept sketches that track the source of electrical power as far back as they can conceive. The concept sketches reveal students' prior ...

Evaluating the Effects of Local Energy Resource Development part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Devin Castendyk, SUNY College at Oneonta
This is a semester-long, jigsaw project for a class of 20 to 25 students that has students work in teams to explore the effects of energy resource development on local water resources, economics and society.

Energy Gallery Walk part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Katharine Ellis, Front Range Community College
This is a cooperative learning activity using the Gallery Walk Strategy (strategy from the Starting Point Gallery Walk web pages) to enrich student understanding of the complex nature of solving our nation's ...

Energy and the Poor - Black Carbon in Developing Nations part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Anne Hall, Emory University
In this activity, students will explore impacts of the use of wood, dung and charcoal in developing countries for fuel, producing black carbon. In-class discussion will generate a list of several broad topics, ...

The Lifestyle Project at West Chester University of Pennsylvania part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Experience-Based Environmental Projects
Tim Lutz, West Chester University of Pennsylvania
This five-week project asks students to examine the environmental outcomes of their lifestyle choices, to investigate and try out more sustainable choices, and to write about their experiences.

Calculation of your personal carbon footprint part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Scott Giorgis, University of Wisconsin-Madison
This worksheet walks the students through the steps for calculating their personal carbon footprint. Additionally it helps them consider options for reducing their carbon footprint and the potential costs of those ...

Crafting a Sustainability Message part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Martha Henderson, The Evergreen State College
This activity asks students to develop text for a descriptive information board or kiosk to be placed at Growing Places Farm and Energy Park, a educational facility for at-risk youth.

Structural Analysis of a Hot Dry Rock Geothermal Energy System part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Tim Schroeder, Bennington College
This project applies basic geologic skills to the development of a geothermal electrical generation system. I use it in a structural geology, but it would be applicable to any intermediate to advanced level course ...

The Energy Conundrum part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
dale easley, University of Dubuque
This is a lecture aimed at preparing students for making the leap from what is to what ought to be. In it, I present the main sociological theories about poverty and examine several places I've lived---New ...

Petroleum Use Jigsaw Activity/Homework part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Wendy Calvin, University of Nevada-Reno
Students get one of 3 homework assignments. They then gather in groups, one that has completed each homework to answer questions as a group. The exercises estimate current oil usage, reserves, and amounts available ...

From Grid to Home part of Cutting Edge:Energy:Energy Activities
Lisa Gardiner, National Center for Atmospheric Research; Marie Johnson, United States Military Academy; Jonathan Hoffman, University of Wyoming
This one-period classroom activity is designed to have students analyze energy use, cost, and source patterns from household to regional scales and relate these patterns to CO2 emissions. This idea was generated at ...

Activity Ideas part of Cutting Edge:Energy
Ideas for Teaching About Energy These ideas were generated at the Teaching Energy Workshop held in May 2009 at the University of Wyoming. The ideas below were inspired by the presentations, activities and ...

Oil Demand and Consumption part of Process of Science:Examples
Steve Iona, University of Denver
Data modeling activity using oil reserve and consumption data. Students predict when oil reserves meet or exceed reserves.

You Greedy Energy User part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Lawrence Marquette Dassel-Cokato High School Cokato, MN

The Lifestyle Project at the University of Redlands part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Experience-Based Environmental Projects
Chris Sinton, University of Washington-Bothell Campus
This three-week project begins with a measurement of "baseline" consumptive behavior followed by two weeks of working to reduce the use of water, energy, high-impact foods, and other materials. The ...

Porsche 911 Turbo vs. Toyota Prius part of Quantitative Skills:Activity Collection
Kevin Harrison, McDaniel College
This problem illustrates how consumer decisions can influence carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, how to make back-of-the-envelope calculations, and demonstrates the power of exponential growth.