Teaching Activities

Unit 2: Soil Characteristics and Their Relationship to Land Use Practices part of A Growing Concern
Hannah Scherer, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ; Martha Murphy, Santa Rosa Junior College; Sarah Fortner, Carleton College
In a hands-on exploration, students will learn to describe and quantify the porosity and permeability of soil models representative of both agricultural and natural environments. Students will use this information ...

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14):College Introductory
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Classroom Activity:Short Activity:Think-Pair-Share, Course Module, Activities:Classroom Activity:Short Activity:Demonstration, Activities:Writing Assignment
Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Environmental Geology, Geoscience:Hydrology, Soils, Environmental Science:Soils and Agriculture, Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology:Weathering/Soils:Soils, Environmental Science:Land Use and Planning
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary, Passed Peer Review

Old Sticks in the Mud: Hazards of Lahars from Mount Rainier Volcano part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
Patrick Pringle, Centralia College
Volcanic debris flows (lahars) flow long distances, bury and aggrade river valleys, and cause long-term stream disturbances and dramatic landscape changes. Students will evaluate the nature, scale, and history of ...

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14):College Introductory, College Lower (13-14)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities, Writing Assignment, Project, Lab Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology:Landforms/Processes:Fluvial, Volcanoes, Geoscience:Geology:Geomorphology:Landscape Evolution, GIS/Mapping/Field Techniques, Dating and Rates, Geography:Geospatial, Geoscience:Geology:Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology:Volcanology, Geoscience:Geology:Environmental Geology, Geoscience:Hydrology:Surface Water, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Floods/Fluvial Processes, Environmental Science:Policy:Environmental Decision-Making, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Volcanism, Environmental Science:Sustainability, Water Quality and Quantity:Surface Water , Environmental Science:Land Use and Planning:Urbanization, Geography:Physical, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards:Mass Wasting
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

An integrated view of the Glendale Landscape part of Hydrogeology:Hydrogeology, Soils, Geochemistry 2013:Activities
Kaye Savage, Wofford College
Students work in groups to develop posters that communicate their concept of landscape following several field labs (soils, sediment analysis, river discharge, vegetation survey, aquatic life) at one location. They ...

Grade Level: College Upper (15-16), College Lower (13-14)
Online Readiness: Designed for In-Person
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Field Activity, Project, Writing Assignment
Subject: Geoscience:Soils:Profile Description/Morphology, Geoscience:Soils, Hydrology:Ground Water, Ground Water:Water and society, policy, and management, Water quality/chemistry , Field methods in hydrogeology, Biology:Biogeochemistry:Carbon Cycling, Biology:Biogeochemistry, Environmental Science:Ecosystems, Environmental Science, Human Population, Land Use and Planning, Water Quality and Quantity, Energy, Geoscience:Hydrology:Ground Water:Water cycle/groundwater-surface water interface, Geoscience:Soils:Soil Genesis
Activity Review: Peer Reviewed as Exemplary

independent soil investigation project part of Hydrogeology:Hydrogeology, Soils, Geochemistry 2013:Activities
Stephanie Ewing, Montana State University-Bozeman
Students demonstrate their skill in soils investigation and interpretation through independent projects undertaken in groups of one to three and presented in class using visual aids.

Grade Level: College Upper (15-16)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Writing Assignment, Field Activity, Classroom Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Soils:Profile Description/Morphology, Soil Genesis, Critical Zone Processes, Classification, Geoscience:Geology:Geochemistry:Geochemical Analysis, Geoscience:Geology:Geochemistry, Geoscience:Soils, Biology:Biogeochemistry:Carbon Cycling, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Land Use and Planning, Biology:Biogeochemistry, Geoscience:Geology:Geochemistry:Reaction Kinetics/Rates, Geoscience:Soils:Soil Maps
Activity Review: Passed Peer Review

Green Landscape and Environmental Policy part of Service Learning:Activities
Stephanie Freeman, Alabama A & M University
Develop lectures that discuss environmental policy and horticulture practices in communities. Create classroom activities that incorporate green landscape design practices in residential areas. These classroom ...

Grade Level: Graduate/Professional, College Upper (15-16)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Problem Set, Writing Assignment, Classroom Activity, Project:Service Learning, Activities:Lab Activity, Field Activity, Project
Subject: Biology, Environmental Science:Water Quality and Quantity, Land Use and Planning, Sustainability, Geoscience:Hydrology:Surface Water
Activity Review: Passed Peer Review

Observing different scenarios of climate change using climate challenge web game part of SISL:Activities
Aaron Fekaris
Use the web game Climate Challenge by the British Broadcasting Corporation to observe how decision by government can contribute to climate change. By seeing the consequence of government inaction in an interactive web experience, students will be more engaged citizens and voters. To show students that we live in a world with finite resources.

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Classroom Activity, Scientific Resources:Research Results, Activities:Writing Assignment, Problem Set, Discussion, Project, Activities
Subject: Environmental Science:Land Use and Planning, Global Change and Climate, Ecosystems, Forest Resources, Mineral Resources, Biology, Environmental Science:Air Quality, Energy, Policy:Global Policy, Environmental Science, Economics:Macro policy, Economics, English, Economics:Micro policy, Macro, Business, Economics:Micro, Biology:Ecology, Environmental Science:Policy, Biology:Ecology:Food Webs, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Meteorology:Air quality, Biology:Ecology:Principles

Superfund Case Study part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Tait Chirenje, Stockton University
This exercise is meant to reinforce concepts covered in the whole course. It helps students integrate concepts from risk and toxicology, air, water and soil pollution, regulation and remediation technology.

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14):College Introductory
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Writing Assignment
Subject: Environmental Science:Air Quality, Water Quality and Quantity, Geoscience:Hydrology:Surface Water:Water Quality/Chemistry , Environmental Science:Waste:Waste Solid :Industrial Waste, Environmental Science:Waste:Toxic and Hazardous Wastes, Environmental Science:Policy:State Policy, Environmental Science:Land Use and Planning, Geoscience:Hydrology:Ground Water:Contaminant hydrology, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Meteorology:Air quality

Forestry Management Plan Revision part of Hydrogeology:Hydrogeology, Soils, Geochemistry 2013:Activities
Katherine McCarville, Upper Iowa University
The importance of soils is often underestimated in establishing management or restoration plans. Students examine soils at Echo Valley Park in the field, and use information from the USDA NRCS soil series ...

Grade Level: College Upper (15-16)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Writing Assignment, Lab Activity, Field Activity
Subject: Geoscience:Soils:Soil Genesis, Profile Description/Morphology, Geoscience:Soils, Environmental Science:Forest Resources, Environmental Science, Land Use and Planning, Geoscience:Soils:Classification, Soil Maps

Brownfields part of Public Policy:Activities
Tait Chirenje, Stockton University
I split the class into small groups and assign them a list of properties that are suspected of being brownfields. Their job is to do a phase 1 (dig up background information) assessment and do a site visit to take ...

Grade Level: College Lower (13-14), College Upper (15-16)
Resource Type: Activities: Activities:Field Activity:Field laboratories, Activities:Writing Assignment
Subject: Environmental Science:Policy:Local Policy, State Policy, US National Policy, Environmental Science:Land Use and Planning, Geography:Geospatial, Environmental Science:Policy:Environmental Decision-Making