Build Your Own Earth
Summary
Build Your Own Earth is a freely available web site to explore the factors that affect Earth's climate. Climate model simulations reveal the annual distributions of 50 different quantities. An accompanying homework for undergraduates is included that could be adapted for other students.
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Context
Audience
Middle school, high school, and undergraduate courses in atmospheric science, climate science, environmental science, or Earth science.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
Reading and interpreting maps of the Earth.
Basic controls on Earth's climate (solar input, atmospheric composition, land/ocean differences).
Basic controls on Earth's climate (solar input, atmospheric composition, land/ocean differences).
How the activity is situated in the course
Standalone exercise and supporting lecture content.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
Get students to understand how climate data is mapped on Earth.
What factors control the Earth's climate in the past, present, and future.
What factors control the Earth's climate in the past, present, and future.
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
Analysis of graphical data.
Formulation of hypotheses.
External reading of scientific literature.
Synthesis of ideas.
Understanding how computer models of the climate function.
Formulation of hypotheses.
External reading of scientific literature.
Synthesis of ideas.
Understanding how computer models of the climate function.
Other skills goals for this activity
writing
searching the web
using a web-based plotting tool
searching the web
using a web-based plotting tool
Description and Teaching Materials
Sample homework for first-year undergraduates in an Earth science course.
Homework for Build Your Own Earth (Acrobat (PDF) 1.2MB Apr11 17)
Homework for Build Your Own Earth (Acrobat (PDF) 1.2MB Apr11 17)
Teaching Notes and Tips
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Assessment
Successful completion of the homework assignment.
References and Resources
http://www.buildyourownearth.com
This is the web site associated with the homework assignment.
This is the web site associated with the homework assignment.