Distribution of Active Volcanoes Exercise part of Examples
In this series of inquiry-based exercises about volcanoes and plate tectonics, students will collect, plot, and interpret data and finish with a role-playing activity and a virtual field trip.

Eruption! part of Examples
Eruption! is a volcanic crisis simulation model in which students role-play villagers, the governor, volcanologists, and the press, working to preserve their lives and homes from an active volcano.

The High Plains: Land of Extremes part of Examples
This lesson plan includes a debate about whether the black-footed ferret should be reintroduced onto public lands and a study of the High Plains habitat.

Yellowstone Fires part of Examples
This module enables students to take a problem-based learning approach to wildfires, in particular whether a "let-it-burn" policy makes sense in Yellowstone National Park.

Ideas for Resources: Geology Lab Manual part of Examples
This site offers an overview of role-playing activities and contains a partially-fleshed-out list of questions and situations dealing with water, minerals, and public policy.

The Great Energy Debate part of Examples
This lesson plan explores the energy debate in the U.S. Students will hold a mock congressional committee meeting and make decisions about public lands and energy resources.

The Use of a Piece of Land part of Examples
In this role-playing exercise, students represent groups interested in buying the same piece of land and will need to consult land-use laws.

The Forecast Factory part of Examples
This is a highly scripted role-playing exercise in which students act out the elements of the weather-forecasting process, from TV announcers to the continuity equation.

WorldWatcher Project: Global Warming Project part of Examples
In this exercise, students role-play advisors to various heads of state on the subject of global warming. The web site also has free modeling and GIS software and lesson and lab plans.

Science in the Courtroom: The Woburn Toxic Trial part of Examples
In this exercise, hydrology students role-play expert witnesses in a mock trial dealing with contamination of groundwater.

Deep Impact part of Examples
This is collaborative problem solving using data in which students role-play NASA and other personnel determining a good strategy for launching a probe to study a comet.

Jurassic Park Debate part of Examples
This role-playing exercise casts students as scientific specialists, assigned to a group either supporting or opposing the cloning of dinosaurs. Each group researches and presents its argument.

The Grand Canyon part of Examples
This interdisciplinary lesson plan deals with the consequences of damming in the Grand Canyon area. The students, role-playing as scientists, write a proposal to try experimental flooding.

Power Generation Town Council part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an opportunity for students to explore civil government and to present what they have learned about electric power generation in a persuasive manner

What is in the pond? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students investigate the water quality of a local stream or pond.

Habitat Loss Game part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This role playing game allows students to explore the issue of habitat loss and its effects on animal populations.

Being Darwin's Finches part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is an activity that involves students modeling the behavior and competition that Charles Darwin's finches would have gone through as they competed for food and space on the Galapagos Islands. Some will survive. Some won't.

The Incredible Journey- A Walk Through the Water Cycle part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a classroom investigation where students predict, explore and evaluate what happens to water as it travels through the water cycle.

Rock Cycle Skit part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a skit, commercial or song/rap about the rock cycle

What sizes are the planets and how do they move around the sun? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection