This website, developed for the Dynamic Earth course at Winona State University, describes a long list of warm-up activities regarding several different subjects. Subjects include, minerals, igneous rocks, volcanism, weathering, sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks, geologic time, earthquakes, internal structure of the Earth, sea floor topography, plate tectonics, mass wasting, mountain building, ... Full description.

In this activity, students use a microcomputer connected to a conductivity probe to measure the total dissolved solids in local area water samples. Students then compare their measurements with those of others in their class as well as other standard measurements. On this Starting Point page, users can access information about the exercise's learning goals, context for use, teaching notes and tips, ... Full description.

This site from SERC features Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) warm up questions about water issues related to Egypt's Aswan High Dam. The questions examine costs of the dam, good and bad environmental changes, as well as positive and negative impacts on the local people from construction of the dam. Full description.

This site from SERC's Starting Point features Gallery Walk questions about rivers. The questions explore turbidity, stream health, oxbow lakes, stream competence and capacity, house locations near rivers, impacts of dams, stream erosion, stream transport, stream deposition, hydrographs, flashy verses forested watersheds, and septic field development. The questions are organized according to the cognitive ... Full description.

This exercise from SERC's Starting Point utilizes the national network of stream gage data provided by the USGS Water Resources Division as an online Geographic Information System (GIS). Students use real-time stream flow data to interpret recent regional-scale climate events based on current stream flow data, monitor changes in time, and consider additional interpretations that could be derived if ... Full description.

The Use of a Piece of Land activity was developed by The Maine State Library. This activity engages students in a practical exercise in land use planning and makes students aware of the positive and negative aspects of land use laws and local zoning ordinances through role-playing. The students represent groups interested in purchasing the same piece of land. Each group must research to devise a plan ... Full description.

In this case study activity, students will investigate arctic geology and hydrology as well as tundra ecology and consider options for sewage treatment. Public safety, environmental impact, and issues of construction and engineering will be explored. This Starting Point example page builds on the Lifelines Online case study and includes learning goals, context for use, teaching notes and tips, teaching ... Full description.

In this exercise from SERC's Starting Point, students measure a topographic and geologic cross-section across a floodplain by simple surveying and auguring techniques. This example demonstrates how basic GIS elements can enhance learning by adding spatial context and introducing mapping techniques. GIS elements encourage students to consider the spatial context of field observations, introduce GPS ... Full description.

In this exercise from SERC's Starting Point, students get experience with image classification. Images are an increasingly important source of information about land cover and land use over time because comparisons of historic and current images can provide an estimate of change in the landscape. Full description.

The Burd Run Interdisciplinary Watershed Research Laboratory at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (SU) is a cooperative effort among 13 faculty from the Departments of Geography-Earth Science, Biology, and Teacher Education. The goal of the laboratory is to provide intensive undergraduate field training through collection and analysis of related hydrologic, geologic, biologic, and geographic ... Full description.