This unit will include an overview of the three main greenhouse gases …
This unit will include an overview of the three main greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide). The unit will be a mix of organic and inorganic chemistry and will describe the physical and chemical properties of the three main gases and the most important chemical reactions that move the greenhouse gases into and out of the atmosphere. The unit will include a chapter of chemical reactivity, how these gases work (by atmospheric absorption and scattering of electromagnetic waves at different wavelengths), their residence time in the atmosphere and analyze the mitigation (what humans can do to reduce or limit the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere).
One section of the unit will discuss the “global warming potential” (what makes a stronger or a weaker greenhouse gas) and the relationship between physical properties of greenhouse gases and their lifetime (how long they remain in the atmosphere).
This series of activities in this unit provides background knowledge for students …
This series of activities in this unit provides background knowledge for students to ultimately understand the science of papermaking at a molecular level. These activities will include learning about carbohydrates, building models to demonstrate how polysaccharides form in condensation reactions, watching videos describing the general steps in the papermaking process, and learning about how additives to pulp can enhance the overall strength of a finished paper product. This knowledge will be used to provide the tools for students to explore papermaking in an inquiry-based format. Upon demonstration of the basics of making handmade paper with a papermaking kit, students will be challenged to change variables to determine which set of parameters results in the highest quality paper. This will truly be engineering design, but at the molecular level.
This seminar will focus on three sports: swimming, cycling and running. There …
This seminar will focus on three sports: swimming, cycling and running. There will be two components to the seminar: classroom sessions and a "laboratory" in the form of a structured training program. The classroom component will introduce the students to the chemistry of their own biological system. With swimming, running and cycling as sample sports, students are encouraged to apply their knowledge to complete a triathlon shortly after the term.
A pdf file that contains slides with visuals to be shown. It …
A pdf file that contains slides with visuals to be shown. It explains the CBC from its beginning to end with an example of Data taken from our local bird count.
Students will be instructed to build a data table and graph representing data. Then draw conclusions.
To increase students' awareness of possible invisible pollutants in drinking water sources, …
To increase students' awareness of possible invisible pollutants in drinking water sources, students perform an exciting lab requiring them to think about how solutions and mixtures exist even in unsuspecting places such as ink. They use alcohol and chromatography paper to separate the components of black and colored marker ink. Students witness first-hand how components of a solution can be separated, even when those individual components are not visible in solution.
This activity is inquiry based where students mimic chromosome mutations by cutting …
This activity is inquiry based where students mimic chromosome mutations by cutting and pasting paper chromosomes. Students then use this activity to defend a claim that inheritable variations can be caused by mutations.
This site is a gateway to projects involving public participants in real-world …
This site is a gateway to projects involving public participants in real-world research, with hopes of fostering connections for sharing ideas and resources.
Introduces the concepts, techniques, and devices used to measure engineering properties of …
Introduces the concepts, techniques, and devices used to measure engineering properties of materials. Emphasis on measurement of load-deformation characteristics and failure modes of both natural and fabricated materials. Weekly experiments include data collection, data analysis, and interpretation and presentation of results.
This graduate seminar examines the roles that civil society actors play in …
This graduate seminar examines the roles that civil society actors play in international, national, and local environmental governance. We will consider theories pertaining to civil society development, social movement mobilization, and relations between state and non-state actors. During the course of the semester, particular attention will be given to the legitimacy and accountability of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Case studies of civil society response to specific environmental issues will be used to illustrate theoretical issues and assess the impacts that these actors have on environmental policy and planning.
This activity is a field investigation where students gather leaves from various …
This activity is a field investigation where students gather leaves from various trees on school property, interpret findings, name tree and leaves, journal activity and develop a new "aha" for nature!
Students are challenged to design a method for separating steel from aluminum …
Students are challenged to design a method for separating steel from aluminum based on magnetic properties as is frequently done in recycling operations. To complicate the challenge, the magnet used to separate the steel must be able to be switched off to allow for the recollection of the steel. Students must ultimately design, test, and present an effective electromagnet.
The push to modernize Mexico's water and sanitation systems not only saved …
The push to modernize Mexico's water and sanitation systems not only saved human lives, it also spurred economic growth, as illustrated in this video segment adapted from Rx for Survival.
Students investigate decomposers and the role of decomposers in maintaining the flow …
Students investigate decomposers and the role of decomposers in maintaining the flow of nutrients in an environment. Students also learn how engineers use decomposers to help clean up wastes in a process known as bioremediation. This lesson concludes a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.
Engineers design methods of removing particulate matter from industrial sources to minimize …
Engineers design methods of removing particulate matter from industrial sources to minimize negative effects of air pollution. In this activity, students will undertake a similar engineering challenge as they design and build a filter to remove pepper from an air stream without blocking more than 50% of the air.
Students learn about a special branch of engineering called bioremediation, which is …
Students learn about a special branch of engineering called bioremediation, which is the use of living organisms to aid in the clean-up of pollutant spills. Students learn all about bioremediation and see examples of its importance. In the associated activity, students conduct an experiment and see bioremediation in action!
This course explores how citizen science can support community actions to combat …
This course explores how citizen science can support community actions to combat climate change. Participants will learn about framing problems, design ways to gather data, gather some of their own field data, and consider how the results can enable action. Leaks in the natural gas system—a major source of methane emissions, and a powerful contributor to climate change—will be a particular focus. The course was organized by ClimateX and Fossil Free MIT, with support from the National Science Foundation for the methane monitoring equipment. It was offered during the Independent Activities Period (IAP), which is a special 4-week January term at MIT.
If you'd visited Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park 100 years ago, …
If you'd visited Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park 100 years ago, you probably would have encountered the alpine chipmunk, Tamias alpinus. Today, however, park visitors will have to hike up a nearby mountain to see one of these critters. That's because this species is sensitive to temperature and over the last hundred years of global climate change, Yosemite has warmed by about 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit. As the temperature increased, the chipmunks retreated to higher and higher elevations where it was cooler. Today, they occupy a fraction of their original range. If climate change continues, they could be squeezed right off the tops of their mountains and out of existence.
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