Teaching geologic time and rates of landscape evolution with dice part of Rates and Time:GSA Activity Posters
Kate Ruhl, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Landscape evolution provides a convenient framework for understanding geologic time and rates because students can observe how processes like erosion and deposition shape their surroundings. In this example, students build 3-D sandbox models based on topographic maps and design and stage a "virtual adventure race." Sandbox landscapes are used to illustrate erosional processes,while local examples are used to discuss landscapes as transient or steady over different time- and length scales. Dice experiments illustrate radioactive decay and the shape of the age equation curve, and 14C dating, geochronology and thermochronology are introduced as "stopwatches" that start when a plant dies, a crystal forms, or a rock nears the surface and cools to a certain temperature. The sandbox model and thermochronometer "stopwatches" are combined to measure erosion rates and rates of landscape change. Ultimately, model rates (cm/hour) calculated from stopwatch times on the order of seconds can be related to geologic rates (km/My) calculated from real million-year-old samples.

Learning About Thinking and Thinking About Learning part of Affective Domain:Activities
Karl Wirth, Macalester College
A document about learning provides background information for classroom activities to help students be more intentional about their thinking and learning

Challenging Pre-Conceptions part of Metacognition:Activities
Perry Samson, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Students carry into class pre-conceptions based on stories they've heard, articles they've read and experiences they've had. One of the best opportunities to teach metacognition is at a 'gotcha' moment when they come to realize their pre-conception is amiss.

Writing to Support the Theory of Plate Tectonics part of Earth Exploration Toolbook:Writing to Support the Theory of Plate Tectonics
DATA: Topography, EQs, volcanoes, seafloor ages. TOOL: Browser, Learning with Data CD-ROM. SUMMARY: Examine and interpret images to write a paper supporting the Theory of Plate Tectonics.

Rock and mineral laboratory exercises in large auditorium classes part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
Alfred Pekarek, Saint Cloud State University
These exercises provide an opportunity for students in large auditorium classes with "hands on" examination of typical rocks and minerals and their properties.

Understanding Radioactivity in Geology: The Basics of Decay part of Quantitative Skills:Activity Collection
Christina Stringer—University of South Florida, Tampa FL 33620 This activity was developed for Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum. National Science Foundation, DUE 0442629.
PowerPoint module leading students through creation and manipulation of spreadsheet to forward model an example of exponential decay—the number of remaining unpopped kernels of popcorn in a bag of popping popcorn.

Peer Instruction part of Metacognition:Activities
Developed by Perry J. Samson Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences University of Michigan
Peer instruction may offer some of the richest opportunities for metacognitive teaching. Reciprocal (peer) teaching forces the instructor to use a whole series of metacognitive processes such as determining what ...

What Do You Know Now? part of Metacognition:Activities
Developed by Perry J. Samson Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan
An opportunity to offer metacognitive teaching arises from the simple question "what do you know now that you didn't before (whatever)"? This simple question can be asked after a reading, a lecture, a lab or other unit of student activity. The thrust is to force the student to consider what they've been exposed to and reflect on what they've learned. Did the activity change their opinion? Did this activity help them identify an analogy?

Relative Dating of Geologic Materials part of Teacher Preparation:Resource Collections:Activities
Steve Mattox, Grand Valley State University
This lessons allows students to constuct the basic principals used to understand relative geologic time and the skills used to construct the geologic time scale.

Unit 1.2: Introducing SEPs and CCCs part of TIDeS:TIDeS Teaching Materials:Physical Science
Natalie Bursztyn, The University of Montana-Missoula
How is this class aligned in a way to help you with your future teaching? In this unit, we lay out the format of a class, how it aligns with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), and how students can use these ...