Unit 1: Introduction to Soils and Society 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 engage in a scaffolded class discussion designed to encourage students to move from a broad focus on science relevancy to locally important societal issues relevant to soils. They then relate ...

Unit 3: Soil Investigation and Classification part of Soils, Systems, and Society
Jennifer Dechaine, Central Washington University; Kathryn Baldwin, Eastern Washington University; Rodger Hauge, American Geophysical Union; Gary Varrella, Washington State University-Spokane
In this unit, students work in small groups to collect and record data about soils using various soil testing and classification methods at a series of stations. The methods they use are relevant to the societal ...

Unit 1: "If an earthquake happens in the desert and no one lives there, should we care about it?" [How are human-made infrastructure lifelines affected by earthquakes?] part of Imaging Active Tectonics
Bruce Douglas, Indiana University-Bloomington; Gareth Funning, University of California-Riverside
This unit initiates a discussion about the importance of recognizing faults in relation to modern societal infrastructure. Students consider the types of infrastructure necessary to support a modern lifestyle, ...

Module 6: Crops part of Future of Food
Heather Karsten, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
This module introduces students to key features of crop plants. The first part explores how climate and soil influence human selection of annual and perennial plants and how plant life cycles contribute to soil ...

Capstone Project part of Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability
For those teaching the modules as an entire course, we provide a capstone summary assessment activity. This activity is designed to incorporate scaffolding of the material, to use the gained knowledge to do ...

Unit 4: Women and Water part of Environmental Justice and Freshwater Resources
Jill Schneiderman, Vassar College; Meg Stewart, American Geophysical Union
Students explore water quality and freshwater access issues around the globe. The activities require students to investigate region-specific water problems in different parts of the world and analyze how those ...

Unit 3: Streams and Water Diversion part of Environmental Justice and Freshwater Resources
Jill Schneiderman, Vassar College; Meg Stewart, American Geophysical Union; Joshua Villalobos, El Paso Community College
Unit 3 communicates the critical need for management of fresh water and ways in which citizens may take part in its conservation and restoration. Students explore the relationships between watersheds, drainage ...

Unit 2: The Hydrologic Cycle and Freshwater Resources part of Environmental Justice and Freshwater Resources
Adriana Perez, El Paso Community College; Joshua Villalobos, El Paso Community College
Students will be introduced to the concept of a natural cycle. They are first asked to identify the different components of the hydrologic cycle. Students will be able to recognize the delicate balance between the ...

Unit 3: Managing the Risks of Lead Exposure part of Lead in the Environment
Katrina Korfmacher (University of Rochester), Richard Gragg (Florida A&M), Martha Richmond (Suffolk University), and Caryl Waggett (Allegheny College)
In the past two units, students considered the strengths and limitations of scientific tools to identify exposure pathways and demographic patterns of lead poisoning. In Unit 3, students evaluate domestic ...

Unit 7: Climate Change from the Socio-Environmental Systems Perspective part of Regulating Carbon Emissions
Robyn Smyth, Bard College; Curt Gervich, SUNY College at Plattsburgh; Eric Leibensperger, Ithaca College
This unit summarizes and synthesizes the previous six units by inviting students to reflect on their experiences throughout the module, identify key learning moments and consider how these events influenced their ...