Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE)
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The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) is a grassroots, community-based effort involving teachers, students, and scientists working together to create a library of educational resources and services to support Earth system science education. DLESE supports Earth system science education by providing access to high-quality collections of educational resources; access to Earth data sets and imagery; support services to help educators and learners effectively create, use, and share educational resources; and communication networks to facilitate interactions and collaborations across all dimensions of Earth system education.
Mostrando recursos 1 - 20 de 53
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Nuclear Decay - John Pratte
This lesson provides an overview of basic atomic structure and the concept of radioactive decay. Topics include the particles that make up an atom, binding forces, and the concept of isotopes. There is also discussion of decay methods and half-life versus activity. The lesson includes an activity in which students use online applets to investigate the half-life and activity of selected isotopes and to examine possible decay chains for some others. They will also use a pair of dice to simulate the process of decay. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
2.
Ecological Footprint Calculator
This lesson introduces students to the concept of ecological footprint, the overall impact of an individual on the environment. Topics include how ecological footprints are calculated, how individual footprints translate to entire nations or to the Earth, and the connection between ecological footprint and biodiversity. The students will consult some online resources on ecological footprint and use an online claculator to determine their individual fooprints, make some comparisons, and examine how making some changes in their consumption would reduce their footprints. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
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Experimental Analysis - Matthew Laposata
Central to good science are accurate observations, testable hypotheses, well-designed experiments or other tests, and reasonable data analyses. The purpose of this activity is to introduce the basics of designing and analyzing experiments. This is accomplished by using a computer simulation that involves the real-world industry of farming fish. The two laboratory exercises include further steps in organizing and analyzing data. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
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Stratospheric Ozone - John Pratte
High levels of ultraviolet light can be harmful to many biological systems, as this higher energy radiation has a mutagenic effect on plant and animal cells. This activity studies the relationship between the amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation that gets to Earth's surface and the amount of stratospheric ozone overhead. Users plot remote sensing data from the NASA Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) satellite and UV monitors at the South Pole to see if any correlation exists between the two variables. Links to related sites and to a radio program from Naional Public Radio on the ozone hole that appeared...
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Ozone Depletion - John Pratte
Discussion of holes in the stratospheric ozone layer usually revolves around investigations of the thickness of the layer near the South Pole. This online activity allows users to study the thickness of the ozone layer over any location on Earth to see how it has changed over time. This is done by plotting historical data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) Program, which has been in operation since 1978. Users are allowed to select their own location on Earth and the period over which they plot the data. A link to TOMS datasets is provided. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower...
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Statistics and Graphing - Matt Laposata
Statistics play a vital role in the scientific enterprise. This activity provides background information and tutorials on basic statistics (mean, median, standard deviation, etc.) used in science. Topics include descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency and dispersion) and presenting data (tables, figures, and graphs). Sample datasets from actual scientific experiments are used to illustrate points. Links to an online statisitical tool and an online graphing application are also provided. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
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Measurement - Matt Laposata
This two-part activity provides an introduction to the basics of measurement (linear, mass, volume, density) and discusses the role of inferential statistics in comparing any two measurements. The concept of random variations in measurements is introduced, which leads to a discussion of binomial distributions and probability in comparing measurements and results. Students will use online databases to form null hypotheses and test them using an online t-test calculator. Links to datasets, an online statistical application, and to related sites are also provided. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
8.
Leaves and Air Pollution - Matt Laposata
In this activity, students investigate the effects of automobile pollution on plant growth by making measurements on two populations of leaves, one from within 10 meters of a busy road and a population of the same species situated more than 20 meters away. They will choose a method for measuring the leaves, create a table for their data, and test their hypotheses by performing a t-test. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
9.
Rock Identification - John Pratte
This hands-on activity covers the basics of rock identification. After a brief discussion of the terms 'rock' and 'mineral', students will study the characteristics and classifications of the three major rock groups (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary). Using an online tutorial to test their knowledge and to learn more about rocks, they will identify 10 different specimens, record their observations, and provide a name for each. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
10.
Soil Composition - Chris Fox; John Pratte
Soil is essential for life on Earth. It is needed for food, air, clothing and so much more. Discussion topics include the terms 'soil', 'dirt', and 'sediment', factors affecting the formation of soils, soil horizons, and the twelve orders of soils. In a hands-on activity, students will collect soil samples from three different locations, use online resources to determine texture and particle makeup, and record their observations. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
11.
Food Calories and Land - John Pratte
Obesity is on the rise in the United States, due primarily to the size and composition of the American diet. Discussion topics include lack of exercise, changes in calorie intake over time, and environmental impacts of these increases in consumption. Each student will particpate in an activity in which they investigate how their own diets affect the agricultural demands of a hypothetical country. They will record their calorie intake, categorize the calories as coming from either plants or animals, and estimate the amount of land that is needed to provide their daily intake. Links to related sites are provided. Educational...
12.
The Atmosphere - Chris Fox
This exercise is intended to reinforce the importance of Earth's atmosphere to living organisms. Topics include our bodies' interactions with the atmosphere; its composition and structure; and natural changes in the atmosphere (weather). Students will perform an actvity in which they are asked to observe and record weather conditions for four days, answer questions about their observations, and respond to a series of questions on general atmospheric characteristics. They will also learn how to convert temperature values from degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
13.
How Humans Change the Atmosphere - Chris Fox
This exercise is designed to introduce students to the idea that human activities can alter the chemistry or gaseous composition of the atmosphere, resulting in a variety of impacts on human health and the environment. Discussion topics include indoor pollution and local (point- or non-point source) pollution. Students will perform an activity in which they use an online resource from the Environnmental Protection Agency (EPA) to research point-source polluters in the area where they live. They will identify facility names, addresses, potential environmental concerns, generate maps showing the locations of these sources, and answer questions about the information they uncover....
14.
Acid Rain - Chris Fox
Due to the presence of dissolved gases such as carbon dioxide, rainfall is naturally acidic. The release of other gases and chemicals such as sulfur dioxide during the combustion of coal and oil can cause rainfall to become even more acidic, sometimes to the point of toxicity. In this activity, students will measure the pH of local rainfall to see what effect these gases have in their region. They will also check an online resource to see how the releases of acid rain-causing chemicals have varied over the past 20 years, and answer questions about the information they uncover. Educational...
15.
Greenhouse Effect/Climate Change/Global Warming - Chris Fox
The terms greenhouse effect, climate change, and global warming are often used interchangeably, yet they really refer to three separate and distinct processes. This activity examines all three and assesses whether Earth's atmosphere is getting warmer. Students will read two articles from the journal of Science that discuss the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and investigate the bias of both groups of authors. This activity requires the use of two articles from the July 20, 2001 issue of the journal Science. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
16.
Trees and Carbon - John Pratte
The transport and transformation of substances in the environment are known collectively as biogeochemical cycles. These global cycles involve the circulation of elements and nutrients that sustain both the biological and physical aspects of the environment. As an example, this discussion centers around the carbon cycle and how carbon is sequestered in trees. Students will perform an activity that replicates a case study in which the biomass of trees in a 15-acre plot of forest was calculated to determine the amount of carbon sequestered per acre. Educational levels: Undergraduate lower division, High school
17.
Photosynthesis and Respiration - Matt Laposata
Most people are aware that plants undergo photosynthesis, a process by which they convert sunlight and carbon dioxide in sugar and water. But not as many realize that plants also undergo respiration, which is the reverse of this process. In a two-part activity, students will examine the processes of respiration and photosynthesis with the aquatic plant, Elodea, by measuring how it changes the pH of water, and examine the the process of respiration by using the same technique with seeds of the mung bean (Phaseolus aureus). They wil also examine a case study involving the release of carbon dioxide into...
18.
Personal Carbon Dioxide Impact (title provided or enhanced by cataloger) - John Pratte
The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been increasing for many decades now, mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels by mankind. In this exercise, students will track their daily activities, and and estimate how much carbon dioxide they are responsible for emitting with the use of an online Personal Greenhouse Gas Calculator developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The calculator sums the carbon dioxide produced by driving, electricity use, and waste disposal, and provides an estimate of annual carbon dioxide emissions. It also allows users to see how changes in lifestyle could reduce carbon...
19.
Carbon Emission Capstone (title provided or enhanced by cataloger) - John Pratte
There are two ways to reduce net emissions of carbon dioxide: limit how much carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere as we burn fossil fuels, or increase the rate at which it is absorbed. In this lesson, discussion topics include the Kyoto Protocol and the use of carbon credits to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Students can listen to a National Public Radio show that reports on new research that both illuminates and further complicates the picture of how the Earth is warming. The lesson includes an activity in which students examine their personal annual carbon...
20.
Home Energy Audit - John Pratte
This is the first part of a two-part exercise in which students perform an audit and analysis of energy consumption in their homes. This part provides an introduction to the uses of energy in our homes. Topics include major uses in the home (heating, air conditioning, etc.), sources of energy (fossil fuels), and uses in the United States (industry, transportation, etc.). It includes an activity in which students draw and measure various aspects of their homes (square feet of walls, number and types of windows and doors, number and types of applances, etc.) in preparation for the second part (Home...
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