Planet Oit is an online computer role-playing game in which the students play interplanetary explorers as a means to teach the concepts and principles of physical geology. Planet Oit has been designed as a coherent geophysical space where geological regions (desert, mountains, plains.) contain plausible phenomenon (mesa, playa, cave) which are populated with plausible objects (outcrops, boulders, ... Full description.

In this lab, students use pebbles and boulders exposed in a gravel pit to learn more about petrology. This Starting Point page lays out the exercises learning goals, context for use, teaching notes and tips, teaching materials, assessment ideas, references and topics covered. Full description.

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.

This activity explores the significance and geologic history of the Kerguelen Plateau Large Igneous Province, as revealed by Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Legs 120 and 183. After examining all the source material, the students write an essay addressing the important points that they have learned. The Calibrated Peer Review interface is then used to give feedback on the essays. On this Starting Point ... Full description.

Planet Oit is an online computer game developed by a team from North Dakota State University in which the students play interplanetary explorers as a means to teach the concepts and principles of physical geology. Planet Oit has been designed as a coherent geophysical space where geological regions contain plausible phenomenon which are populated with plausible objects, of plausible types. Planet ... Full description.

The North American Diatom Symposium (NADS) takes place every two years and features an unusual academic sporting event. One description, from 1993, recounts that: "relay teams of three diatomists were required to run along the beach wearing chest waders, identifying diatoms shown in photographs along the way." The instructor could have students identify photographs of thin sections, or microfossils, ... Full description.

In this game activity, teams of students compete to find a specimen of each rock or mineral on a list in a field area. On this Starting Point page, users can access information about the exercise's learning goals, context for use, teaching notes and tips, teaching materials, assessment ideas, references and topics covered. Full description.

This site features Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) warm up questions in geologic dating. The questions examine zircon formation and relative and absolute dating. The site also includes links to more information on Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT), and to a page devoted to assessment for information and ideas on how to evaluate student responses when using this method. Full description.

This site from SERC's Starting Point provides links to information about teaching, including entry level courses, upper division courses, visualizations, preparing teachers, methods, using data, quantitative skills, field-based learning, and designing courses. Also featured are links to earth system approaches to Geoscience, integrating research and education, managing careers, developing web resources, ... Full description.

This site from SERC's Starting Point presents sample Gallery Walk questions about karst formations. Question topics include stalactites and stalagmites, spring and disappearing stream formation, cross-sections, relationships between solution process effectiveness and local hydrology, bedrock, groundwater contamination management strategies, and multi-use cave management. The questions are organized ... Full description.