The city of Fort Collins, Colorado, found a win-win solution to problems …
The city of Fort Collins, Colorado, found a win-win solution to problems it faced with 100 acres of abandoned property. The city now enjoys new green space, improved floodwater management, and a boosted economy.
Students investigate the weather from a systems approach, learning how individual parts …
Students investigate the weather from a systems approach, learning how individual parts of a system work together to create a final product. Students learn how a barometer works to measure the Earth's air pressure by building a model using simple materials. Students analyze the changes in barometer measurements over time and compare those to actual weather conditions. They learn how to use a barometer to understand air pressure and predict actual weather changes.
To better understand the role of mass and gravity in the formation …
To better understand the role of mass and gravity in the formation and existence of black holes we will model the collapse of a star into a black hole using aluminum foil. Along the way students will measure the decreasing circumference, and constant mass of their star as it collapses.
Students use their knowledge of tornadoes and damage. The students will work …
Students use their knowledge of tornadoes and damage. The students will work in groups to design a structure that will withstand and protect people from tornadoes. Each group will create a poster with the name of their engineering firm and a picture of their structure. Finally, each group will present their posters to the class.
This resource is for teachers who want to teach their students about …
This resource is for teachers who want to teach their students about earthquakes and human involvement. This lesson plan is designed for older students to learn about earthquakes, hydraulic fracturing, and hydrocarbons while collecting and analyzing data to create a scientific poster of their findings based on their argument driven inquiry.
This activity is about planetary climate. Once familiar with the factors that …
This activity is about planetary climate. Once familiar with the factors that determine a planet's surface temperature, learners will use an interactive spreadsheet model of a planet's atmosphere to determine if greenhouse gases, luminosity of the source, the distance of the planet from the source and the albedo of the planet can be manipulated so that the average surface temperature on Mars or Venus could support human life. Learners will then be asked to make some conclusions about these methods and suggest improvements for the spreadsheet model (see related resources for link to this model). The activity requires use of Microsoft Excel software. This is Activity D in the fourth module, titled "How do Atmospheres Affect Planetary Temperatures?," of "Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate?."
Students construct three-dimensional models of water catchment basins using everyday objects to …
Students construct three-dimensional models of water catchment basins using everyday objects to form hills, mountains, valleys and water sources. They experiment to see where rain travels and collects, and survey water pathways to see how they can be altered by natural and human activities. Students discuss how engineers design structures that impact water collection, as well as systems that clean and distribute water.
In this activity, students will determine the environmental effects of existing cars …
In this activity, students will determine the environmental effects of existing cars and a fleet consisting of their dream cars. They compute how many tons of heat-trapping gases are produced each year, how much it costs to fuel the cars, and related information. Then, students research and prepare a report about greener transportation choices.
Students are introduced to the concept of energy cycles by learning about …
Students are introduced to the concept of energy cycles by learning about the carbon cycle. They will learn how carbon atoms travel through the geological (ancient) carbon cycle and the biological/physical carbon cycle. Students will consider how human activities have disturbed the carbon cycle by emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. They will discuss how engineers and scientists are working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Lastly, students will consider how they can help the world through simple energy conservation measures.
In this lab activity, students use a chemical indicator (bromothymol blue) to …
In this lab activity, students use a chemical indicator (bromothymol blue) to detect the presence of carbon dioxide in animal and plant respiration and in the burning of fossil fuels and its absence in the products of plant photosynthesis. After completing the five parts of this activity, students compare the colors of the chemical indicator in each part and interpret the results in terms of the qualitative importance of carbon sinks and sources.
The calculator estimates your footprint in three areas: home energy, transportation and …
The calculator estimates your footprint in three areas: home energy, transportation and waste. Everyone's carbon footprint is different depending on their location, habits, and personal choices.
Carbon pricing, including cap-and-trade and carbon taxes, is one tool in the …
Carbon pricing, including cap-and-trade and carbon taxes, is one tool in the toolbox governments have to reduce the impacts of climate change. What kind of a tool is it? After an introduction to carbon pricing, students use an online simulator to investigate multiple pathways to a cooler future.
This Guide for Educators was developed by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative as an extension of our TILclimate (Today I Learned: Climate) podcast, to make it easier for you to teach climate change, earth science, and energy topics in the classroom. It is an extension of the TILclimate episode "TIL about carbon pricing."
This is a lesson plan connecting careers to a science lesson about …
This is a lesson plan connecting careers to a science lesson about the removal of invasive species. It involves guest speakers, hands-on invasive species removal experience for learners, and opportunities for extension and learning more about careers related to the environment, science, and invasive species removal.
In some cities, especially large cities such as Los Angeles or Mexico …
In some cities, especially large cities such as Los Angeles or Mexico City, visible air pollution is a major problem, both for human health and the environment. A variety of sources contribute to air pollution, but personal vehicles account for one of the main sources. Though each car has relatively low emissions when compared to vehicles of the 1970s, there are so many more cars on the road now that their emissions play a large role in overall pollution. In this activity, students think about alternate ways to power a vehicle to reduce emissions. Student teams design an eco-friendly car using the engineering design process, and make a presentation to showcase their product.
This course is organized around seven projects and a capstone assignment. Each …
This course is organized around seven projects and a capstone assignment. Each project includes readings, quizzes, and discussions about concepts and tools in cartography and visualization. Throughout the course, students complete “mile marker” assignments that are designed to help them progress toward the capstone assignment. Through the course projects, students confront realistic problem scenarios that incorporate such skills and concepts as creating symbolization schemes, coordinate systems and map projections, creating isoline and other terrain representations, interpolation, classification schemes, multivariate representation and representation of data uncertainty. Those who successfully complete the course are able to design and produce effective reference and thematic maps using GIS software and can interpret and critique maps and related information graphics.
Students consider the Earth's major types of landforms such as mountains, rivers, …
Students consider the Earth's major types of landforms such as mountains, rivers, plains, hills, canyons, oceans and plateaus. Student teams build three-dimensional models of landscapes, depicting several of these landforms. Once the models are built, they act as civil and transportation engineers to design and build roads through the landscapes they have created. The worksheet is provided in English and Spanish.
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