InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Critical Zone Science > Instructor Stories
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The materials are free and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Instructor Stories and Adaptations

These resources describe how the module was adapted for use in different settings. We hope these stories inspire your own use of the module and give you insight into how to adapt the materials for your classroom.

Martha Conklin at a weather station in Long Meadow, Sequoia National Park, where she does research on meadows.
Martha Conklin: Critical Zone Science at University of California-Merced. My course is an upper level multidisciplinary course that uses the critical zone (the zone between bedrock and the tops of trees) to illustrate the synergy between the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. This course was taught as described on the website, with short lectures, online readings and group activities both in and out of class. It culminated with a research paper and a 10-min presentation of the research paper.

adere
Ashlee Dere: Introduction to the Critical Zone at University of Nebraska at Omaha. InTeGrate materials were used as a full semester course for a combined upper level and graduate level geology, geography, and environmental science majors. The course is now a permanent part of the curriculum for undergraduate geology and environmental science majors. Initial course offering included 16 students for two 75-minute lecture sessions. Future offerings will include an additional two hour lab section.

Headshot of Adam Hoffman
Adam Hoffman: Introduction to the Critical Zone Sciences at University of Dubuque. Introduction to Critical Zone Science was offered as a 300-level elective course for science majors. I taught the course in two different formats: a 15-week traditional face-to-face class consisting of three 50 minute lecture sessions and one 3-hour lab per week, and as an 8-week online summer class.

Jim Washburne
Jim Washburne: Critical Zone Science at The University of Arizona. I taught a small 400/500 level seminar course called Introduction to Critical Zone Science. The students were a mix of upper class undergraduates and graduates. Some of my students had prior experience (internships/RA's) with the actual Critical Zone research teams on campus so brought (and shared) their advanced but unique experiences with the class. Despite or perhaps because of their advanced level, most students had only been exposed to a narrow range of ideas relative to the big picture of critical zone integrated systems.

Adam Wymore: University of New Hampshire
Adam Wymore: Critical Zone Science at The University of New Hampshire. This course was taught as a semester-long upper-division elective to Environmental Science Majors at the University of New Hampshire. The student body reflected a mix of students specializing in Ecosystem Ecology, Soils, and Hydrology. We met twice weekly for 75 minutes.

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Also Related to Critical Zone Science

Teaching about the Critical Zone and the Changing Biosphere
Nov 30 2016 Wednesday, November 30th 10:00 am PT | 11:00 am MT | 12:00 pm CT | 1:00 pm ET Presenters: Camille Holmgren (SUNY Buffalo State) and Tim White (Penn State University) This webinar is part of a series supporting ...

Critical Zone Science: A transdisciplinary approach to environmental science
May 17 2018 Thursday, May 17, 2018 11:00 am PT | 12:00 pm MT | 1:00 pm CT | 2:00 pm ET Presenters: Tim White (Pennsylvania State University), Ashlee Dere (University of Nebraska at Omaha), Adam Wymore (University of New ...

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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »