Unit 5: Analyzing Complexity part of Systems Thinking
This unit has students build on a system diagram, to include new knowledge about quantitative values and relationships. They will also write about and discuss what they know about their systems, the questions that ...

Unit 1: Introduction to Systems Thinking – What is a System? part of Systems Thinking
This unit introduces systems and systems thinking. The unit is easily adaptable to any course and includes an introduction of terminology, motivation for using systems thinking, and practice reading, as well as ...

Unit 2: Picturing Complexity part of Systems Thinking
This unit includes an opportunity for students to move from definitions into reading and creating a diagram of a complex system relevant to their course, and then to exploring the connections between the components ...

Unit 7.3 - Panel Review part of Critical Zone Science
Peer review is an important process in determining priorities for scientific research. Students will participate in a panel review of proposals for new CZOs and as a class decide on the proposal most worthy of ...

Initial Ideas part of Interactions between Water, Earth’s Surface, and Human Activity
In this preparatory activity, students' initial ideas about the concepts to be covered in the module are collected and shared with the class. No attempt is made to correct any misconceptions at this point. ...

Unit 3.1: Land-Use Change and Stakeholders part of An Ecosystem Services Approach to Water Resources
The example of a proposed land-use change that was used in Unit 2.3 is built upon here. The activities in this unit are meant to broaden the discussion beyond calculating quantitative run-off changes. Now we will ...

Virtual Petrography part of Sites
The Virtual Petrography website is an open educational resource that is geared toward educators who teach introductory to intermediate level courses in optical mineralogy and petrology. This web database of ...

Unit 6: Systems Thinking Synthesis part of Systems Thinking
This in-class exercise is an alternative to standard review sessions and models the systems thinking students need to do when working on complex, interdisciplinary issues. Students quiz each other on course ...

Weekly Reflections part of Introductory Courses:Activities
This is a weekly short writing assignment that forces students to summarize materials presented in class, to reflect on their own performance and understanding of the material, and to relate it to their individual ...

Knowledge Surveys part of Student Learning: Observing and Assessing:Knowledge Surveys
This module was developed for On the Cutting Edge by Karl Wirth at Macalester College and Dexter Perkins at the University of North Dakota. Knowledge surveys play an essential role in all of my classes. The ...