Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

Earthworks
Earth System Science for Secondary Teachers

Lorrain Rudd (Earthworks 2003)
wlrudd@msn.com

Jack Morrow Hills (JMH) Study (2003)

Grade level: 11-12

Content Area: Environmental Science

Time:

Standards:

• Concepts as Processes, Science as Inquiry, History and Nature of Science in personal and social decisions.
• Life, Earth and Physical Systems: classification, order and organization, evidence, models and explanations, change, constancy & measurement, evolution & equilibrium, form and function. This project will also satisfy non-science standards - math, LA)

Background knowledge/skills:

Objectives:

1. To explore the different environmental issues which may or may not be directly related to JMH
2. To teach students sampling techniques
3. To address any other needed but lacking background info. Also during this time we'll conduct "mini studies". Sometimes I'll give students a problem, sometimes not.

Materials: Will depend upon the needs of the students and investigations of their choice.

Procedures: During the first 3 quarters of the school year student will be exposed to different environmental issues. They will also conduct activities that will teach them a variety of sampling techniques associated with environmental problems. During fourth quarter students will conduct research on the JMH area, using sampling techniques learned during the first three quarters of the school year.

Assessment:Performance assessments, a culminating activity and oral presentation. Any assessment should be interdisciplinary in nature.

Enrichment/Reflection:

Resources: 626,000 acres, largest migratory antelope game herd, largest N. American desert elk herd, largest active N. American sand dune, Native American holy sites (Arapahoe, Shoshone), 7 wilderness study areas, Oregon, Mormon, and California frontier trail, 115 million ft³ natural gas, reserves of coal and oil.

Barriers: Working in a district where most decisions are made based on economics, apathetic parents, low value for education in the community, many lethargic students, and NO science classroom.

Responses: Unsupportive parents can be ignored. Lethargic students will be treated as if they are not and given continued opportunities to succeed. Hopefully, results of study will speak for themselves and the fever will catch. I'll invite my colleagues to be part of class as much as possible. I'll schedule trading science classrooms with colleagues.