Much of the more than 30 million tons of asbestos used in the United States since 1900 is still present as insulation in offices and schools, as vinyl-asbestos flooring in homes, and in other common products. This book presents a comprehensive evaluation of the relation of these fibers to specific diseases and the extent of non-occupational risks associated with them. It covers sources of asbestiform fibers, properties of the fibers, and carcinogenic and fibrogenic risks they pose. The book may be read online, printed, or purchased from the site.

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 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.

This educator guide provides information and activities related to meteorites and their origins. Topics include sources and collection of meteorites, meteorite mineralogy and classification, famous meteorite falls, and others.

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 according to the cognitive level at which students are engaged, using Bloom's Taxonomy.

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.

This chapter on the formation of Karst topography discusses susceptible rock types, how dissolution occurs, and the general appearance of Karst landforms. Tables, maps, figures, and photographs of Karst landforms from around the world are included. It is part of 'Geomorphology from Space', an out-of-print publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA).

This site is provided by the Mineral Resources Program (MRP) of the U.S. Geologic Survey. It is an online geographic information system which covers Earth and the United States. Layers which can be turned on and off feature information on mineral resources, soils, sediments, geologic features, cultural features, land cover, elevation, gravity data, and magnetic data.

This site presents an interactive periodic table that provides information about each element including its description, uses, occurrence, and role in biological processes. For instructors, the site features five comprehensive teaching packets which include teachers' guides, student pages, background materials, maps, and other student activities. The complete packets are available for a fee, but some of the learning activities can be downloaded for free. The site also provides links to other lessons, activities, and a 'homework help' area that includes a photo gallery and encyclopedic index of common minerals.

This collection, from the "On the Cutting Edge" workshop series, features educational resources useful for teaching undergraduate igneous and metamorphic petrology courses. The collection includes lab exercises, classroom activities, problem sets and more.

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.

This site features Flash animations that illustrate various facets of the rock cycle. The visualizations depict rock-forming processes, such as erosion, transportation, deposition, cementation, crystallization, subduction, and eruption, that create sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. They also show cooling environments that result in varied crystal sizes and demonstrate igneous rock classification. The animations can be paused and rewound to stress important points. These resources are suitable for use in lectures, labs, or other teaching activities.

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.

This is a chapter on spectroscopy from The Manual of Remote Sensing, Volume 3, Remote Sensing for the Earth Sciences. Topics in the chapter include an overview of spectroscopy, the reflection and absorption process, causes of absorption, spectra of miscellaneous minerals and materials, the sensitivity of absorption bands to crystal structure and chemistry and the scattering process. The chapter also covers quantitative understanding in terms of radiative transfer theory and spectral libraries. The site features an in-depth look at reflectance spectroscopy, and contains many figures and an extensive reference section.

This site from the "On the Cutting Edge" workshop series features a collection of resources for teaching mineralogy at the undergraduate level. These digital teaching materials are designed for faculty to use while designing new courses, enhancing existing courses, or simply looking for new ideas in teaching mineralogy. Students will also find this collection helpful for finding supplemental study materials and for doing research projects in mineralogy.

This site is a clearinghouse for a variety of educational and supporting materials for teaching igneous and metamorphic petrology. Some features of the site are a collection of classroom and laboratory activities, teaching materials such as lecture notes and Power Point presentations, a database of geochemical instruments available for use at various institutions, a collection of petrology syllabi, and listserv discussion groups. These collections reflect the contributions of faculty members from across the country, and will continue to grow as new materials and tools are developed.

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, and geoscience departments.

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, or answer questions or even do simple lab tests. Use different samples for each player. The important feature is the relay race format, which means all three players contribute to the effort and that the students need to get out of their chairs and move around a little. 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.

WEB-PHREEQ is a web-based computer application for aqueous geochemical modeling. WEB-PHREEQ was developed for classroom teaching and for routine calculation of the distribution of chemical species in water. Users can calculate the effects of mixing of waters, adding phases to the solution, or changing the solution's temperature, Eh, or pH. The site features an easy to use interface, frequently asked questions and on-line instructions. This web-based application is a simplified version of a more complex stand alone program that is also linked from the site.