Class Schedule and Reading Assignments

CGA = Collaborative Group Activity (Inquiry-Based)
SCT = Science Content Topic
PCT = Pedagogy Content Topic

Week Date and
Instructor		 Class Topics Reading   Links to Assignments
1 Aug 29
Witter		 The Earth as a System
bullet Introduction to Course
bullet CGA: Exploring Daisyworld
bullet SCT: System Behaviors
bullet PCT: Why Inquiry?
bullet Content Knowledge Pretest
Kump et al., Ch 2

Krajcik et al., Ch 1

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards, Ch 1, 6

  

Week 1 Assignment
2 Sept 5 Labor Day - No Class      
3 Sept 12
Witter/Ortiz		 Life in the Greenhouse
bullet CGA: Earth, Venus, Mars - Comparative Analysis of Planetary Greenhouse Effects
bullet SCT: Global Energy Balance: Radiation, Temperature and the Greenhouse Effect
bullet PCT: Starting with the End in Mind - Inquiry and Academic Content Standards
Kump et al., Ch 3

Krajcik et al., Ch 2

National Science Education Standards, Ch 2

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards, Ch 2

   Week 3 Assignment
4 Sept 19
Witter		 Climate Zones and the Global Atmosphere
bullet CGA: Inferring Climate Zone Locations
bullet SCT: Global Atmospheric Circulation
bullet PCT: Inquiry and the Academic Content Standards
Kump et al., Ch 4, pgs 55-72

Krajcik et al., Ch 3

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards, Ch 3

   Week 4 Assignment
5 Sept 26
Witter		 The Water Planet - Oceans and Climate
bullet CGA: Physical Models of Density-Driven Ocean Circulation
bullet SCT: The Water Planet - Ocean Circulation and Climate
bullet PCT:  Uncookbooking Cookbook Labs
Kump et al., Ch 5, particularly pgs 91-103

Handouts:
a) Volkmann and Abell
b) Leonard

   Week 5 Assignment
6 Oct 3
Sheridan		 Weather and Weather Forecasting
bullet CGA: Forecasting Tomorrow's Weather
bullet SCT: Weather and Weather Forecasting
bullet PCT: Setting up a School-Based Weather-Observing Station
TBA   Week 6 Assignment
7 Oct 10
Ortiz		 Dredging the Deep - Developing the Theory of Plate Tectonics
bullet CGA: Evidence for Plate Tectonics
bullet SCT: Plate Tectonics - Reading the Geologic Record
bullet PCT: Teaching with Real Data

Graduate credit: Term paper topics and initial reference lists due.

 Kump et al., Ch 7

Krajcik et al., Ch 4

   Week 7 Assignment
8 Oct 17
Witter		 Life on the Edge - Plate Boundary Processes
bullet CGA:  When Can a Plate Subduct?
bullet SCT: The Diversity of Subduction Zones
bullet PCT: Working with Collaborative Groups - Dynamics and Assessment Issues
Kump et al., Ch 7

Krajcik et al., Ch 6

National Science Education Standards, Ch 5

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards, Ch 4

   Week 8 Assignment
9 Oct 24
Witter		 The Rock Cycle
bullet In-Class Midterm Exam (1 hour)
bullet SCT: Ophiolites and the Rock Cycle
bullet CGA/PCT: Collaborative Learning via the Jigsaw Method
Kump et al., Ch 7

Handout - pgs 228-229 of "The Art of Teaching Science" by J.Hassard (Oxford Univ. Press, 2005)

   Week 9 Assignment
10 Oct 31
Munro-Stasiuk		 The Toll of Time
bullet CGA: Exploring Erosion, Transportation and Deposition
bullet SCT: Reshaping the Landscape - Erosion and Weathering
bullet PCT: Teaching with Technology I - Using Computers to Simulate and Analyze Data in the Classroom
TBA

Krajcik et al., Ch 5

   Week 10 Assignment
11 Nov 7
Witter		 Freshwater - A Delicate Balance
bullet CGA: Flood on the Mississippi!
bullet SCT: The Hydrological Cycle
bullet PCT: Inquiry and Science - Minds of our Own Video
Kump et al., Ch 4 pgs 74-75

Choose one:
a) Pitlick, 1997: "A Regional Perspective of the Hydrology of the 1993 Mississippi River Basin Floods".
b) Kunkel et al., 1994: "Climatic Aspects of the 1993 Upper Mississippi River Basin Flood".

   Week 11 Assignment
12 Nov 14
Ortiz		 What Goes Around, Comes Around
bullet CGA: Carbon in a Three-Box Model
bullet SCT: Biogeochemical Cycling
bullet PCT: Using Challenge Questions/Conceptests

Graduate credit: First draft of term paper due.

 Kump et al., Ch 8

Krajcik et al., Ch 7

   Week 12 Assignment
13 Nov 21
Witter		 Getting Along With the Neighbors - Ecosystems and Their Environment
bullet CGA: Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Investigative Cases, Planning
bullet SCT: Ecosystems and Their Environment
bullet PCT: Using Investigative Cases
Kump et al., Ch 9   Investigative Case Assignment
14 Nov 28
Witter		 Keeping all the Parts - Biodiversity Today
bullet CGA: Ecosystems and Biodiversity - Investigative Cases, Synthesis
bullet SCT: Biodiversity
Kump et al., Ch 9   Investigative Case Assignment
15 Dec 5
Witter/Ortiz		 Semester Wrap Up
bullet CGA: Ecosystems and Biodiversity - Investigative Case Reports

Graduate credit: Final version of term papers due.

     Investigative Case Assignment
16 Monday, Dec 12
5:45-8:00 pm		 Final Exam