This exercise can be used in an undergraduate environmental geology course or an introductory physical geology course for non-majors.

There are no required skills or conceptual prerequisites for this activity.

This activity can be used parallel to a unit on natural resources, environmental issues, or economic geology. However, this activity can also be used as a stand alone project.

This activity was designed for students to learn about the impacts of resource development on Native American lands. This is achieved by exploring the cultural heritage(s) of the involved tribe(s), the geology, physiography, climate, biota and hydrology of the land being studied, information about the resource being developed, exploration and development history of the resource, and environmental impacts, human health impacts and political issues from a resource development standpoint.

As a result of this activity, students develop the skills to address environmental issues and come to realize that they can play a role in such issues.

Other skills the students may gain from this activity are making oral presentations to their class and working in groups.

This activity uses an assortment of digital resources relevant to exploring resource development on Native American lands. The activity is based on a website that uses an Earth System approach to help students understand how Native American lands have been impacted by resource development. In the role-playing exercise, students are assigned one of several roles, including consulting geologists, the mining industry, tribal elders and public health officials. Each student uses the web-based learning materials to research the issue from the perspective of their role. This type of exercise could also be used as a debate by dividing a class into groups that play the roles of the Navajo people and the Federal Government.

Students can be evaluated based on guided activity worksheets (linked below), as well as from their participation in group oral presentations.