Contemplative Inquiry on Climate Change: Playing with Perspectives part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
Abigail Lynam, Fielding Graduate University
Hour long contemplative exercise to explore the psychological, emotional and spiritual dimensions of learning about climate change. Guided perspective-taking exercise in small groups of 3-4 students, with discussion and reflective writing.

The Benefit of Acknowledging and Addressing Students' Uncomfortable Emotions when Learning about Environmental Issues: Fostering Growth and Change in Action-Oriented Exercises part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
Ellen Moore
Research reveals that if students are presented with negative information about environmental issues and they are not also provided with a plan for action, they often manifest denial on many levels. This exercise is designed to get students to directly address the emotions they face when learning about environmental issues and to make an action plan to address them in their individual lives.

Unit 2: Climate Change, After the Storm part of Exploring Geoscience Methods
Jeffrey D. Thomas, Central Connecticut State University; Scott Linneman, Western Washington University; James Ebert, SUNY College at Oneonta
The goal of Unit 2 is for students to apply what they learned about the methods of geoscience to complete an authentic and data-rich, lab-based activity to address the following problem: "To what extent should ...

Unit 3: Discovering Curricular Resources and Teaching Interdisciplinary Lessons that Incorporate the Methods of Geoscience part of Exploring Geoscience Methods
James Ebert, SUNY College at Oneonta; Scott Linneman, Western Washington University; Jeffrey D. Thomas, Central Connecticut State University
This unit provides pre-service teachers in methods courses with resources for teaching geoscience content and utilizing the methods of geoscience. Pre-service teachers will prepare an annotated bibliography of ...

Unit 4: Soils, Systems and Society Kit Presentation part of Soils, Systems, and Society
Kathryn Baldwin, Eastern Washington University; Jennifer Dechaine, Central Washington University; Rodger Hauge, American Geophysical Union; Gary Varrella, Washington State University-Spokane
In this unit, students construct and present a standards-based, K–8 Soils, Systems, and Society Kit that consists of lessons and supporting materials around a locally and broadly relevant societal issue that ...

Activity 2.3: Constructing the Argument part of Exploring Geoscience Methods
Jeffrey D. Thomas, Central Connecticut State University; Scott Linneman, Western Washington University; James Ebert, SUNY College at Oneonta
In Activity 2.3, students make an argument from evidence to address the problem: "To what extent should we build or rebuild coastal communities?" Students work as a team to complete a graphic organizer. ...

Activity 2.1: The Issue part of Exploring Geoscience Methods
Jeffrey D. Thomas, Central Connecticut State University; Scott Linneman, Western Washington University; James Ebert, SUNY College at Oneonta
Activity 2.1 motivates and engages students through the issue of climate change in a socioscientific context. This activity first assesses students' prior knowledge and then familiarizes students with a ...

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.

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.

Interpreting the Geologic History of Canyon de Chelly part of Integrate:Workshops and Webinars:Teaching the Methods of Geoscience:Activities
Holly Godsey, University of Utah
The is a two part lesson designed to given in-service teacher an experience in field geology. The lesson is designed by Canyon de Chelly, AZ but can be used anywhere there are outcrops of two or more rock types.