Examines the urban environment as a natural phenomenon, human habitat, medium of expression, and forum for action. Subject has two related, major themes: how ideas of nature influence the way cities are perceived, designed, built, and managed; and how natural processes and urban form interact and the consequences of these for human health safety and welfare. Description from the course home page: This course explores the urban environment as a natural phenomenon, human habitat, medium of expression, and forum for action. The course has several major themes: how ideas of nature influence the way cities are perceived, designed, built, and managed; how natural processes and urban form interact and the consequences for human health and welfare; how planners and designers can shape the urban natural environment. Each student researches and presents a case, either historical or an example of contemporary theory and practice.

Earths aurora, as seen by IMAGE.

Earths aurora, as seen by IMAGE.

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.

Theories that might just work when it comes to asteroids hurling towards the Earth.

You will understand the different proposals for counteracting further climate disruption and you will assess their suitability. Listen to fragments of a news report and give your own opinion and conclusions.

Students analyze international oil consumption and production data. They make several graphs to organize the data and draw conclusions about the overall use of oil in the world.

The unit is designed for seventh grade students who have been studying Earth and its atmosphere. In this sequence, students are faced with the realistic issue of personal and social decision-making when planning for hurricane strikes, which includes classification, tracking, and monitoring hurricanes, as well as planning for evacuations. The inquiry-based approach involves a WebQuest in which the learner will assume the role of an emergency management team member who must create a preparation plan for the community.

This video segment adapted from Discovering Women demonstrates how scientists use sound waves to collect data about the structure of Earth's crust.

The purpose of this resource is to deepen students understanding of the Earth as a system, and their appreciation for the value of diagrams as tools. Students visit a study site, where they observe and recall their existing knowledge of air, water, soil, and living things to make a list of interconnections among the four Earth system components. They make predictions about the effects of a change in a system, inferring ways these changes affect the characteristics of other related components.

This Web site tells the stories behind the making of the museum's Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth. Along with tracking the hall's creation, the following sections also tell the story of our planet's creation. What You See Here Is Out There introduces students to the five big questions asked by Earth scientists. The Man Who Knew a Mountain takes a look at how obsidian from the Medicine Lake volcano became part of the exhibit. Expeditions explains how museum expeditions sought the answers to the five big questions introduced earlier and the challenges that had to be resolved out in the field. Scientists profiles the five-member curatorial team that helped make the hall a reality. Preparations looks at the eight steps involved in preparing many of the rocks for the exhibition. Toolkit shows in action 24 of the tools used on field expeditions. Glossary offers a brief explanation of 25 fundamental Earth science terms.

This activity is a teacher-led demonstration of continental drift and includes a math worksheet for students involving the calculation of continental drift over time. Students will understand what continental drift is, why it occurs, and how earthquakes occur because of it.

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the basic elements of our Earth's crust: rocks, soils and minerals. They learn how we categorize rocks, soils and minerals and how they are literally the foundation for our civilization. Students also explore how engineers use rocks, soils and minerals to create the buildings, roads, vehicles, electronics, chemicals, and other objects we use to enhance our lives.

This page has IDEAS and ACTIVITIES for parent(s), guardian(s) and student(s) to conduct at home. Curriculum areas we will focus on this year include scientific inquiry, science and technology, forces that shape the Earth, Earth in the solar system and the universe.

This video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center shows how integral satellites are to everyday life and describes the different types, including orbital and geostationary.

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, cast members try to make the most effective water filter. They experiment with filtering dirty, salty water through different combinations of sand, gravel, and a cotton bandana.

Students are asked to compare and contrast the earth and the moon.

This visualization adapted from NASA maps progressive global changes onto a rotating globe. Earth's atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere are shown to be dynamic and interconnected.

Several power points, quiz, study guide, and worksheets about the Earth, Moon, Sun relationships. I developed these for 6th grade science class as support for other materials. Items are great for visual learners and include concepts of scale, seasons / earth tilt, and path of the sun.