Bill Prothero

The Fishing Game part of Cutting Edge:Complex Systems:Teaching Activities
The Fishing Game pits students against two virtual fishing companies. The goal is to maximize the company's bank account at the end of 10 years' fishing. This almost always results in a crash of the fishing population and ultimate demise of the fishing company.

Writing About Plate Tectonics: (Calibrated Peer Review) part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Peer Review:Examples
This is an example of a writing assignment focussed on the use of data to support the theory of plate tectonics. It includes a scoresheet that was created for a calibrated peer review assignment. However, it would be equally suitable as a teacher graded writing assignment. The assignment directs students to determine the plate boundary types using elevation, age, earthquake and volcano data at a subduction zone and at a spreading center. Learners access data using the "Our Dynamic Planet" CDROM, capture images of the data plots, and incorporate them into their writing. The support materials provide specific instructions on how to construct a scientific argument using these data. In addition, the teacher materials suggest other kinds of investigations that can be conducted using the available data.

Using Earth Data in a Large General Education Oceanography Class part of Cutting Edge:Data, Simulations and Models:Workshop 03:Activities
This is a set of activities and an approach to using data in a large general education oceanography class.

Writing About the Climate (Calibrated Peer Review): part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Peer Review:Examples
This is an example of a writing assignment focused on the use of data to understand the earth's paleoclimate. It includes a scoresheet that was created for a calibrated peer review assignment. However, it would be equally suitable as a teacher graded writing assignment. The assignment directs students to determine the relevant climate data and use it to construct a science argument. Learners access data, capture images of the data plots, and incorporate them into their writing. The support materials provide specific instructions on how to construct a scientific argument using these data.

Writing About the Indian Monsoon (Calibrated Peer Review): part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Peer Review:Examples
This is an example of a writing assignment focussed on the use of data to understand the phenomena responsible for the Indian Monsoon. It includes a scoresheet that was created for a calibrated peer review assignment. However, it would be equally suitable as a teacher graded writing assignment. The assignment directs students to determine the relevant data and use it to construct a science argument. Learners access data from the Lamont Ingrid data library, capture images of the data plots, and incorporate them into their writing. The support materials provide specific instructions on how to construct a scientific argument using these data.

Writing about the world's fisheries (Calibrated Peer Review) part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Peer Review:Examples
This is an example of a writing assignment that asks students to summarize the findings of the Pew Ocean Commission report "America's Living Oceans," contrast it to an opposing viewpoint, and recommend a fisheries policy based on their understanding. Charting a Course for Sea Change." It includes a scoresheet that was created for a calibrated peer review assignment. However, it would be equally suitable as a teacher graded writing assignment. This assignment emphasizes an analysis of scientific findings and a contrary viewpoint.