Using DLESE to Improve
Delivery in Geoscience
Education
Holly Devaul and Mary
Marlino
Digital Library for
Earth System Education
• http://www.dlese.org
• Supported by the National Science
Foundation
• The geoscience member library of the
National Science Digital Library
www.dlese.org
• A collaborative effort to provide support and leadership
in addressing the national reform agenda for science
education, scientific literacy, and scientific discovery
• Supports a broad audience
of educators and learners:
K-12, university, informal
education, the public
• Improve the quality and
efficiency of teaching and
learning about the Earth system
What does DLESE offer?
• Free access to learning resources about the Earth
System
 Lesson plans,
computer and
lab activities,
data visualizations,
instructor guides,
virtual
field trips…
 Themed collections
about a specific topic
 Reviewed collections
What does DLESE offer?
• Community
connections
• Professional
development
• Opportunities
to contribute
reviews, tips,
provide
feedback
• News and
Opportunities
2003
Annual
Meeting
First Teaching
Box
workshop,
June 04
Searching in DLESE
Keyword, grade level and resource type
High
school
Keyword :
ozone
DatasetsIn-situ or
Remotely sensed
Search by educational standards
• Plan to expand to
more detailed
national standards
and map to state
standards
• A growing number
of resources are
cataloged to
standards
Tools for evaluating resource
quality and providing feedback
Moving beyond resource discovery
• Support for resource selection, use and
sequencing
• Weaving resources together to develop an
overall Earth systems approach to teaching
and learning
• Provide guidance for use, but with
customization capability to modify for
specific learning environments
On-line Teaching Boxes
• A collaborative project to create classroom
ready instructional units using DLESE
resources
• Teams of teachers, science
advisors, interface designers,
facilitators
• What’s in a teaching box?
• How to translate to electronic?
• Topics (so far)
• Evidence for Plate Tectonics
• Dynamic Weather
Plate Tectonics Box:
Volcanoes as Evidence
Overview of the Plate Tectonics Box
What’s this Teaching Box
|
Concepts
|
List of lessons
|
Prerequisites
|
Procedure
What is “Exploring the Evidence for Plate Tectonics”?
Overview of box
Introductory activity
Fossil distribution
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Sea-floor spreading
This is an organized set of on-line resources and supporting materials that help teach
students to find the evidence for plate tectonics. It is meant to provide an inquiry-based
exploration of each of four lines of evidence:
•fossil distribution
•the location, depth, and type of earthquakes
•location and types of volcanoes
•sea-floor spreading
Lessons are organized into teachable units for each of these topics.
Culminating activity
In addition, we have provided an introductory activity to engage the students and to provide
a segue into the theory first proposed by Alfred Wegener.
At the end of this unit on Exploring the Evidence for Plate Tectonics, students will have
constructed an understanding of the four lines of evidence. An optional culminating activity,
In Support of Wegner, is included that can be used as assessment of this understanding.
As an understanding of latitude and longitude is essential for several of the activities, an
optional teaching unit on this topic is also included.
Appropriate for: Middle school, grades 6-8
Time to complete: The introduction, all four topics, and the culminating activity can be
covered in as few as 18 class periods and could be expanded to as many as 28 class
periods. Several pathways are offered within each topic area, so that teachers can select a
suite of lessons that best suits their classrooms.
Plate Tectonics Box:
Volcanoes as Evidence
Overview of box
Introductory activity
Fossil distribution
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Sea-floor spreading
Culminating activity
Overview of the Plate Tectonics Box
What’s a Teaching Box
|
Concepts
|
List of lessons
|
Prerequisites
|
Preparatory Lesson
•Latitude and Longitude
•Finding yourself in the classroom
Introductory Activity: Testing the fit
Fossil Distribution as Evidence for Plate Tectonics
•Fossils Provide Evidence of Past Life
•Dating of Fossils
•Fossils of Evidence of Past Environments
•Fossil Distribution as Evidence for Plate Tectonics: Tying it all together
Earthquakes as Evidence for Plate Tectonic
•Plotting Earthquakes from Real-time Data
•Fault Types and Plate Boundaries
•How deep is the earthquake?
•Earthquakes as Evidence:Tying it all together
Volcanoes as Evidence for Plate Tectonics
•Volcanoes Around the World
•Volcanoes of Volcano Types and Plate Boundary Types
•Volcanoes as Evidence: Tying it all together
Sea-floor Spreading as Evidence for Plate Tectonics
•The Earth’s Magnetic Field as Evidence for Plate Tectonics
•Sea-floor Spreading as Evidence for Plate Tectonics
Culminating activity:
•In Support of Wegener
Procedure
Plate Tectonics Box:
Volcanoes as Evidence
Overview of box
Introductory activity
Fossil distribution
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Introduction
Concepts/standards
Teaching sequence
Resources
Sea-floor spreading
Culminating activity
Volcanoes: Teaching sequence
Getting started
|
Lesson 1
|
Lesson 2
|
Lesson 3
There are three lessons in this sequence:
1. Locating Volcanoes Around the World is composed of two activities, which together will take
between two and three class periods.
2. Correlation of Volcano Types and Plate Boundaries is composed of four activities, which
together will take between four and five class periods.
3. Volcanoes as Evidence: Tying it all Together? is the culminating lesson composed of a
single activity that will take two class periods.
Students should be able to plot locations given a whole number latitude and longitude. [See
Lesson Latitudes and Longitudes]
Students should have general knowledge of the structure of the earth, earthquakes, and volcanoes
prior to beginning this topic. Students should know the layers of the earth and their composition.
Students should know that earthquakes result in movement of landmasses (of varying scale)
moving past one another. Types of faults are defined by the direction of movement of the land
relative to one another. Additionally, students should know the types of volcanoes, the difference
between lava and magma, and the types of eruptions (i.e., explosive vs. non-explosive) that may
occur.
Questions to initiate cognitive engagement and active learning:
What are some volcanoes that you know and where are they?
Possibly do a volcano slide show that highlights stratovolcanoes (composite volcanoes) and shield
volcanoes; other volcano slides could be included as just a way of reviewing / re-engaging students
in volcanoes.
Following are two sites where the teacher may gather images for a PowerPoint slide show:
Images of Volcanoes (By Region)
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/volc_images.html
Plate Tectonics Box:
Volcanoes as Evidence
Overview of box
Introductory activity
Fossil distribution
Volcanoes: Resources for the classroom
Activities
|
Labs
|
Demos
|
Tutorials
|
Assessments & Rubrics
|
Lessons
Discover Our Earth, Volcanoes Exercise:
http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu/education/student/volcanoes/volcano_1.html
A mapping tool. Part of an earth system educational web site that encourages learning
for all ages.
Concepts
Concepts
Technical
Technical
requirements
requirements
Full description
Full description
Use in teaching sequence
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Introduction
Concepts/standards
Teaching sequence
Resources
Background info
For the classroom
Sea-floor spreading
Culminating activity
Snack Tectonics
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/teacher_resources/teach_snacktectonics.html
From the teacher resources area of Windows to the Universe. Students create a tasty
model that illustrates plate tectonic motions.
Concepts
Technical requirements
Full description
Use in teaching sequence
Blank World Map
http://swiki.dlese.org/CA-Pilot/uploads/BlankWorldMap.pdf
Small 8.5 x 11” maps.
Good for individual student use.
Concepts
Technical requirements
Full description
Use in teaching sequence
Volcanoes: Can We Predict Volcanic Eruptions?
http://www.learner.org/exhibits/volcanoes/dynearth.html
Information about why volcanoes erupt in different ways and about separating plates,
colliding plates, and hot spots.
Concepts
Technical requirements
Full description
Use in teaching sequence
Plate Tectonics Box:
Volcanoes as Evidence
Volcanoes: Concepts and standards
The locations and types of
volcanoes provide evidence
for plate tectonics
Overview of box
Introductory activity
Fossil distribution
Stratovolcanoes (Booming
volcanoes) occur at subduction
boundaries because the magma
originates from the melted crust
Earthquakes
Shield volcanoes (Fizzling
volcanoes) occur at spreading
centers because the magma comes
directly from the mantle
Types of volcanoes can be identified by
both shape and rock composition
Volcanoes
There is more than one type of volcano
Introduction
Concepts/standards
Teaching sequence
Resources
Most volcanoes are located along plate
boundaries
Volcanoes only occur in certain locations
Sea-floor spreading
Culminating activity
National standards
|
Associated resources
|
Placement in teaching sequence
NSES: 5-8: D - Earth and space science: Structure of the earth system
Lithospheric plates on the scales of continents and oceans constantly move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in
the mantle. Major geological events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from these plate motions.
State Standards 6th Grade Earth Science:
California Science Content Standards, Grade 6
Focus on Earth Science - Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Structure
Investigation and Experimentation
7. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this
concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations.
Students will:
a. Develop a hypothesis.
b. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and
binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data.
Next steps
• Continue interface design, translating to webbased, interactive (customizable) environment
• Classroom testing of the teaching boxes by
teachers and students
• initial feedback by students has been very positive
• Usability studies of overall product - teacher
involvement critical
• CSTA meeting workshop with 60 teacher
participants, many volunteered
• Iterative design process, working prototype
planned for January 2005
• New topics!
Opportunities to get involved
• Submit teaching tips or reviews for the
resources you use
• Suggest new resources for the library
• Attend an annual meeting
• Participate in user testing
of new library services
support@dlese.org