Kyle Gray

Earth Science

University of Northern Iowa

I am an Associate Professor of Earth Science and Science Education at the University of Northern Iowa. My education spans both geology and science education. My background in geology includes an MS thesis in physical volcanology. For my dissertation in science education, I investigated differences in student responses to conceptest questions used in an introductory Earth science course. I have also worked as a project geologist for an international environmental firm, and taught middle school and high school science and math.

Currently I teach a Gen Ed Earth science course for elementary education majors, plus a majors-level Earth Materials. I also teach graduate courses for Science Ed's MA program, including Research Methods in Science Ed and Trend sand Issues in Science Ed. My research centers on investigating better ways to teach Earth science concepts. My research/scholarship interests include investigating impacts on student science teaching self-efficacy, misconceptions about mass extinctions, and developing curricula. 

Workshop Participant, Webinar Participant, Website Contributor

Website Content Contributions

Course Modules (3)

Unit 4: Hazards from Flooding part of Interactions between Water, Earth’s Surface, and Human Activity
In this unit, students examine detailed hydrologic data from one river to identify ways in which precipitation and stream discharge influence flooding which often impacts nearby human societies. They also research ...

InTeGrate Developed This material was developed and reviewed through the InTeGrate curricular materials development process.
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Unit 3: How Streams Change part of Interactions between Water, Earth’s Surface, and Human Activity
Students use Google Earth to observe two river systems and characterize changes in gradient from the headwaters to the mouth, and relate changes in those gradients to different rock types. At one location, they ...

InTeGrate Developed This material was developed and reviewed through the InTeGrate curricular materials development process.
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Interactions between Water, Earth’s Surface, and Human Activity part of Interactions between Water, Earth’s Surface, and Human Activity
This two-week (~10-hour) module focuses on water and its importance to humans, both as a limited resource and in shaping Earth's surface. Water's flow through the hydrologic cycle is driven by ...

InTeGrate Developed This material was developed and reviewed through the InTeGrate curricular materials development process.
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Activities (2)

Sea Floor Magnetism part of Integrate:Workshops and Webinars:Teaching the Methods of Geoscience:Activities
Students use compasses and bar magnets to simulate the collection of sea floor magnetic polarity data. Even though the students do not directly observe the magnets, they use the information to infer tectonic processes present at the mid-ocean ridges and calculate the spreading rates for two different ridges.

Temperature Investigations part of Early Career:Previous Workshops:Workshop 2010:Teaching Activities
In this guided-inquiry lesson, students investigate three factors that control the temperature of a given location (surface albedo, surface composition, and sun angle).

Course (1)

Inquiry into Earth and Space Science part of Integrate:Workshops and Webinars:Teaching the Methods of Geoscience:Course
Inquiry into Earth and Space Science is a semester-long content course developed for pre-service elementary teachers that uses inquiry learning to teach concepts related to rocks, minerals, groundwater, stream ...

Essay (1)

Teaching geoscience methods to pre-service elementary teachers part of Integrate:Workshops and Webinars:Teaching the Methods of Geoscience:Essays
Teaching geoscience methods to pre-service elementary teachers Kyle Gray, Earth Science, University of Northern Iowa For the past three years, I have been teaching at the University of Northern Iowa – a ...

Other Contribution (1)

Student Input on Topics part of Earth Educators Rendezvous:Previous Rendezvous:Rendezvous 2016:Program:Morning Workshops:GER:Idea Papers
Kyle Gray, Institution Several years ago Tim Slater published a paper in JGE where he described a backwards, faded, scaffolding technique for teaching students how to conduct a scientific investigation. For my ...