Earth Science

Earth Science Resources

This online collection of transformative geoscience resources includes Earth system models, data visualization tools, and curriculum modules. Each module is designed for middle and high school students and is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Teacher Editions, which include detailed background information, tips, and exemplar student responses, are available to help teachers guide their students through each module.

Author/Presenter

Amy Pallant

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2021
Short Description

This online collection of transformative geoscience resources includes Earth system models, data visualization tools, and curriculum modules. Each module is designed for middle and high school students and is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Teacher Editions, which include detailed background information, tips, and exemplar student responses, are available to help teachers guide their students through each module. Classroom management tools, reports, and a real-time dashboard to help teachers track their students' progress are also available through the Learn portal. Validated pre- and post-assessments for each module are provided.

Earth Science Resources

This online collection of transformative geoscience resources includes Earth system models, data visualization tools, and curriculum modules. Each module is designed for middle and high school students and is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Teacher Editions, which include detailed background information, tips, and exemplar student responses, are available to help teachers guide their students through each module.

Author/Presenter

Amy Pallant

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2021
Short Description

This online collection of transformative geoscience resources includes Earth system models, data visualization tools, and curriculum modules. Each module is designed for middle and high school students and is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Teacher Editions, which include detailed background information, tips, and exemplar student responses, are available to help teachers guide their students through each module. Classroom management tools, reports, and a real-time dashboard to help teachers track their students' progress are also available through the Learn portal. Validated pre- and post-assessments for each module are provided.

CHANGE Curriculum

CHANGE provides a website, https://climatechange.usf.edu/ which includes nine units from a marine sciences course, complete with lesson plans involving inexpensive, easy to find materials, Powerpoints, downloadable files and an interactive web-based eBook with simulation-based games.

Author/Presenter

The CHANGE Team

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2018
Short Description

Nine units for high school-level Marine Science classes: (1) Ocean Exploration, (2) Marine Geology, (3) Marine Chemistry, (4) Estuaries, (5) Marine Physics, (6) Populations: Producers, (7) Populations: Invertebrates, (8) Populations: Vertebrates and (9) Capstone: Apollo Beach. All of these materials can be potentially repurposed for other high school science courses. The units include lesson plans involving inexpensive, easy to find materials, Powerpoints, downloadable files and an interactive web-based eBook with simulation-based games. Teachers can view the top level, outline of the CHANGE curriculum web-page: https://climatechange.usf.edu/. However, to access the actual materials, they will need to register to get a username, by emailing Dr. Glenn Smith: glenns@usf.edu and metinbesalti@mail.usf.edu

Integrating Chemistry and Earth Science

Principal Investigator:

Integrating Chemistry and Earth science (ICE) has developed innovative units bringing Earth science concepts and practices into the high school chemistry curriculum to address NGSS expectations in the absence of high school Earth science courses. ICE features 3D teaching about local phenomena with student-designed investigations in the schoolyard and labs, exploration of BES datasets and conceptual modeling. ICE built a community of practice with teachers, school leaders, education researchers and scientists supporting rigorous, responsive teaching.

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Target Audience:

Negotiations in Scientific Argumentation: An Interpersonal Analysis

Argumentation enables students to engage in real world scientific practices by rationalizing claims grounded in supporting evidence. Student engagement in scientific argumentation activates the negotiation process by which students develop and defend evidence-based claims. Little is known, however, on the intricate process and potential patterns of negotiation between students during scientific argumentation.

Author/Presenter

Donna Governor

Doug Lombardi

Catie Duffield

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2021
Short Description

Argumentation enables students to engage in real world scientific practices by rationalizing claims grounded in supporting evidence. Student engagement in scientific argumentation activates the negotiation process by which students develop and defend evidence-based claims. Little is known, however, on the intricate process and potential patterns of negotiation between students during scientific argumentation. The present study seeks to fill this gap by exploring how a group of university science education students negotiated when evaluating the relationship between lines of evidence and alternative explanatory models of a phenomena (i.e., climate change).

Machine Learning-Enabled Automated Feedback: Supporting Students’ Revision of Scientific Arguments Based on Data Drawn from Simulation

A design study was conducted to test a machine learning (ML)-enabled automated feedback system developed to support students’ revision of scientific arguments using data from published sources and simulations. This paper focuses on three simulation-based scientific argumentation tasks called Trap, Aquifer, and Supply. These tasks were part of an online science curriculum module addressing groundwater systems for secondary school students.

Author/Presenter

Hee-Sun Lee

Gey-Hong Gweon

Trudi Lord

Noah Paessel

Amy Pallant

Sarah Pryputniewicz

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2021
Short Description

This paper focuses on three simulation-based scientific argumentation tasks called Trap, Aquifer, and Supply. These tasks were part of an online science curriculum module addressing groundwater systems for secondary school students.

Machine Learning-Enabled Automated Feedback: Supporting Students’ Revision of Scientific Arguments Based on Data Drawn from Simulation

A design study was conducted to test a machine learning (ML)-enabled automated feedback system developed to support students’ revision of scientific arguments using data from published sources and simulations. This paper focuses on three simulation-based scientific argumentation tasks called Trap, Aquifer, and Supply. These tasks were part of an online science curriculum module addressing groundwater systems for secondary school students.

Author/Presenter

Hee-Sun Lee

Gey-Hong Gweon

Trudi Lord

Noah Paessel

Amy Pallant

Sarah Pryputniewicz

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2021
Short Description

This paper focuses on three simulation-based scientific argumentation tasks called Trap, Aquifer, and Supply. These tasks were part of an online science curriculum module addressing groundwater systems for secondary school students.

The Joys of Teaching Ecology in K–12 and Informal Settings

Esposito, R. M. M, Harris, C., Berkowitz, A. R., & Pregnal, M. (2019). The joys of teaching ecology in K-12 and informal settings. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17(9), 538-539. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2122

Author/Presenter

Rhea M  M Esposito

Cornelia Harris

Alan R Berkowitz

Maribel Pregnall

Year
2019
Short Description

This article describes opportunities for primary and secondary ecology education in formal and informal settings.

Improving Ecological Education through a Four‐Dimensional Framework

At its November 2018 meeting, the Ecological Society of America's Governing Board made the important decision to endorse the 4‐Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) framework. Developed over the past 3 years by a task force of ESA members who solicited input from a variety of groups, the framework takes a fresh and innovative approach toward the teaching of ecology.

Author/Presenter

Kenneth Klemow

Alan Berkowitz

Carmen Cid

George Middendorf

Year
2019
Short Description

This article describes the 4‐Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) framework. Developed by a task force of ESA members who solicited input from a variety of groups, the framework takes a fresh and innovative approach toward the teaching of ecology.

WISE: Web-based Inquiry Science Environment

Author/Presenter

Libby Gerard

Marcia Linn

Korah Wiley

Allison Bradford

Year
2020
Short Description

Free, standards-aligned, and research-based inquiry curricula that address NGSS 3D proficiency. Includes Interactive scientific models plus hands-on activities, personalized guidance, and rich embedded assessments. For teachers, WISE offers a a virtual workshop for customizing WISE units for distance learning.