Understanding Paleoclimate Activity Source: American Geophysical Union. Adapted with permission from EarthComm: Earth System Science in the Community, American Geosciences Institute. Climate scientists study evidence in the geologic record, such as fossils, to figure out what climate was like over hundreds of thousands of years (“paleoclimate”). One fossil they use is pollen, a part of a flowering plant that helps make a seed. Pollen can be blown into lakes, where it is preserved in sediment. [Read More]

Using Energy Resources Wisely Activity Source: American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Adapted with permission. People depend on their energy resources, so they need to know how to use them wisely. How do you think people can use the energy they rely on to heat their homes more efficiently? Materials Plastic cup, foam cup, and metal soup can, all around the same size Plastic wrap and sheets of paper Masking tape Supply of warm water 3 alcohol thermometers Measuring cup Calculator and notebook Graph paper Watch or clock Procedure Predict which item - plastic cup, metal soup can, or foam cup - will keep water warm the longest. [Read More]

Using Global Earth Science Data Activity Source: NASA Background With the use of cutting-edge remote sensing technologies, NASA can collect a wealth of data that offers a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of our planet. This data ranges from monitoring land cover changes and oceanic currents to deciphering climate patterns and atmospheric composition through an intricate network of satellites, ground-based sensors, and aerial platforms. The My NASA Data visualization tool, the Earth System Data Explorer (ESDE), helps learners visualize complex Earth System data sets over space and time. [Read More]

Using Soundscapes to Analyze Environments Activity Source: National Park Service. Developed by Lindsay Mossa, AGI. If you were to make observations of your local environment, what types of data would you collect? Have you ever considered the sounds of the environment to be an important factor? Consider what information sounds can provide about the condition of an environment. Many ecologists study specific environments using their natural combination of sounds, called a soundscape. [Read More]

Virtual Fieldtrip to the Whaleback Anticline Activity Source: American Geophysical Union. Developed by Lindsay Mossa, AGI. Many geoscientists study Earth’s features, which typically requires going out into the field. The Whaleback Anticline, located near Shamokin, Pennsylvania, is a unique and well-studied geologic formation. This site is located on privately owned land, making it difficult to access. Technologies, such as drones and other unmanned aircraft, have been used to take pictures and collect other data of the site, making it accessible online. [Read More]

Visualizing terrain with maps Traditional geologic maps — sometimes crisscrossed with lines, blotted with colors, and marked with strike and dip symbols — have been used to depict the geologic makeup of the Earth for many years. New technologies such as satellite-enabled remote sensing are allowing geoscientists to create and use maps of greater richness and complexity than ever before. The chain of islands that makes up Hawaii was caused by a hot spot, an area where hot magma rose, broke through Earth’s crust, and formed volcanoes, at first below the ocean surface. [Read More]

Visualizing Your Watershed Activity Source: Source: American Geophysical Union. Adapted with permission. Watersheds can be as small as a lake or thousands of square miles. The natural or human-made surface of the land and the sediments and rocks below are all part of a watershed. Rainfall supplies watersheds, and water moves across the surface or infiltrates and moves through the ground. In this activity you will use a computer model to explore the movement of water within your watershed. [Read More]

Wash This Way! Activity Source: American Chemical Society. Adapted with permission. People interact with Earth’s water (hydrosphere) in a variety of ways. We depend upon water for survival, but we also need it to keep clean and help avoid spreading disease. On our ever-changing Earth, the supply of fresh water can be limited for some humans. We need good techniques to make the best use of the fresh water we do have. [Read More]

Watch Out for Landslides Activity Source: Adapted with permission by the Association of American State Geologists, from AGI’s Earth System Science in Your Community. Background Landslides not only are dangerous — causing on average more than 25 deaths and over $1 billion in damages a year — but are also widespread, occurring in all 50 states. Compounding the hazards, these natural disasters often occur along with other similar natural phenomena, such as floods or earthquakes. [Read More]

Water Filtration Activity Source: Nebraska Earth Systems Education Network, School of Natural Resources, By Kimberly Flessner Objective: Each group will design a water filtration system and present to the class why they picked their design. Materials: 1 or 2 2-liter bottles scissors 1 250ml beaker filtration materials (examples: soil, gravel, potting soil, cotton balls, scrap material, charcoal, sand, woodchips, Styrofoam packing, charcoal briquettes) screening rubber bands Bunsen burner or heat source for evaporation “polluted water” (tap water with salt, food coloring, sand, and dish soap added to it) Procedure: Each group of 2 or 3 need to design an idea for a filtration system. [Read More]