InTeGrate Teaching Materials

InTeGrate materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. They challenge students to address interdisciplinary problems, engage in geoscientific habits of mind, work with authentic geoscience data and develop system thinking. 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.

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Teaching materials for more than 30 modules and entire courses. Ready to be adapted to your courses.

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Sustainability Topics Show all

Ecosystems

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Changing Biosphere

Sustainability Topics: Biodiversity, Ecosystems
Grade Level: College Lower (13-14):College Introductory, High School (9-12)

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Description

This module will give students a series of experiences exploring relationships among changes in the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. By studying a series of historical and current examples of the interconnections between organisms and their environments, students will be able to discuss the dynamic and evolving nature of ecosystems, explain the relationship between diversity and stability, and analyze the concept of ecosystem health in a changing world. The overarching goal is to have students synthesize this information to develop a working knowledge of how scientists view humans as actors in natural systems. Our understanding of the long-term consequences of the ways in which we engineer and manipulate our environment is informed by our scientific study of Earth systems.

Critical Zone Science

Sustainability Topics: Ecosystems, Cycles & Systems
Grade Level: College Lower (13-14), College Upper (15-16)

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Description

This course introduces and examines the Critical Zone (CZ), Earth's permeable layer that extends from the top of vegetation to the bottom of the fresh groundwater zone. It is a constantly evolving boundary layer where rock, soil, water, air, and living organisms interact to regulate the landscape and natural habitats, and determine the availability of life-sustaining resources, including our food production and water quality. CZ science is a highly interdisciplinary and international pursuit that depends upon effective and informed trans-disciplinary science. This course focuses on the large quantity of interdisciplinary data available from the existing National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded CZ Observatories (CZO) and utilizes readings, discussions, presentations, and cutting-edge learning activities.

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Dive Deep and Find Individual Sustainability Activities for your Classroom

A great way to get started with InTeGrate materials is to find a single activity that you can work into an existing course. This link will allow you to explore both specific activities within the InTeGrate modules above as well as activities from the community collection. This broader collection draws from multiple projects to provide sustainability related activities contributed by educators across the country.

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