InTeGrate and Intro Courses
Many of the InTeGrate materials and approaches are well matched to the needs of introductory level courses. Development of introductory-level material was a specific focus of the InTeGrate project and our focus on addressing key societal challenges is a great hook for engaging a broad spectrum of students.
Browse InTeGrate Materials Appropriate for Introductory Courses »
InTeGrate also provides guidance on Geoscientific Thinking and Introductory Geoscience Students
InTeGrate Intro-Level modules can be arranged, re-arranged and deconstructed to create entire courses
Most of our intro-level modules contain 2-3 weeks worth of material broken up into a handful of activities. You can stack these modules end-to-end and pull out individual activities as needed to create a full course worth of material. Examples of intro courses that made intensive use of InTeGrate materials can be found in this description about the system-wide effort at the University of Texas El Paso.
Putting InTeGrate materials into your Intro Course was also the focus of a 3 day workshop at the 2017 Earth Educator's Rendezvous. You can explore the program and supporting materials for that workshop.
How instructors across the country have adopted InTeGrate materials for their intro courses
Cynthia Fadem: Teaching Climate of Change in Environmental Geology at Earlham College
Instructor story page detailing Cynthia Fadem's implementation of the InTeGrate "Climate of Change" module in her Environmental Geology course at Earlham College, emphasizing active learning, student engagement, and pedagogical adaptations across six units with case studies on climate variability, ENSO, albedo, systems modeling, and adaptation/mitigation strategies.
Becca Walker: Teaching Climate of Change in an Introductory Oceanography Course for Nonscience Majors at Mt. San Antonio College, CA
Instructor story detailing the implementation of the InTeGrate Climate of Change module in an introductory oceanography course for nonscience majors at a community college, emphasizing data-driven activities, teaching strategies, and student engagement in climate science.
Cindy Shellito: Adapting Climate of Change for a Large Lecture Course at the University of Northern Colorado
Instructor story detailing adaptation of the InTeGrate "Climate of Change" module for a large introductory meteorology and climatology lecture course, emphasizing active learning, data analysis, and societal impacts of climate change through unit-by-unit implementation strategies, assessments, and outcomes at a public university.
Joan Ramage: Teaching Natural Hazards and Risks: Hurricanes in Introduction to Environmental Science at Lehigh University
Instructor story detailing the implementation of the Natural Hazards and Risks: Hurricanes module in a large introductory environmental science course at Lehigh University, emphasizing interactive teaching strategies, student engagement through real-world case studies like Superstorm Sandy, and adaptations for lecture-based settings without labs.
Lisa Gilbert: Teaching Natural Hazards and Risks: Hurricanes in Oceanographic Processes at Williams-Mystic
Instructor story page detailing Lisa Gilbert's implementation of the "Natural Hazards and Risks: Hurricanes" module within an interdisciplinary oceanographic processes course at Williams-Mystic, covering pedagogical approach, student engagement strategies, unit-by-unit teaching breakdown, assessments, and outcomes, with emphasis on hurricane science, risk analysis, stakeholder perspectives, and real-world application during active storm events.
Josh Galster: Teaching Natural Hazards and Risks: Hurricanes in Earth and the Environment at Montclair State University
Instructor story detailing Josh Galster's implementation of the InTeGrate "Natural Hazards and Risks: Hurricanes" module in an introductory Earth and the Environment course at Montclair State University, covering pedagogical approach, unit-by-unit adaptation, student engagement strategies, assessments, and outcomes.
Martha Murphy: Teaching A Growing Concern in Introduction to Environmental Science at Santa Rosa Junior College
Instructor story page detailing Martha Murphy's implementation of the InTeGrate module "A Growing Concern" in her Introduction to Environmental Science course at Santa Rosa Junior College, emphasizing systems thinking, soil sustainability, and active learning strategies in a two-year college setting.
Hannah Scherer: Teaching A Growing Concern in Ecological Agriculture at Virginia Tech
Instructor story page detailing Hannah Scherer's implementation of the InTeGrate module *A Growing Concern* in her Ecological Agriculture course at Virginia Tech, covering course structure, teaching methods, unit-by-unit adaptations, assessments, and outcomes focused on student engagement with soil sustainability and agricultural systems.
Sarah Fortner: Teaching A Growing Concern in Geology of the Critical Zone at Wittenberg University
Instructor story page detailing Sarah Fortner's implementation of the InTeGrate module "A Growing Concern" in her Geology of the Critical Zone course at Wittenberg University, emphasizing student-centered learning, fieldwork on soil sustainability, community outreach, and pedagogical adaptations for enhancing engagement and assessment in undergraduate geoscience education.
Joy Branlund: How Humans' Dependence on Earth's Mineral Resources meets a community college's general-education goals, at Southwestern Illinois College
Instructor story page detailing how Joy Branlund at Southwestern Illinois College implemented the InTeGrate "Humans' Dependence on Earth's Mineral Resources" module in her introductory Earth Science course for non-majors, emphasizing active learning, societal connections, and strategies for teaching mineral resource impacts within community college general education goals.