California Climate: Pacific Ocean Connection
Geology College of the Canyons
Used this activity? Share your experiences and modifications
I use this lesson as a group assignment in my Earth Science classes. In the face-to-face and field studies classes, the groups present their findings/and recommendations to the class on the last meeting day.
Transfer level, undergraduate Earth Science. This course articulates to both California State Universities and the University of California schools.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
They must have some basic Earth Systems knowledge about the hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere. They get this in the first month of the course and then I give them the assignment.
How the activity is situated in the course
Content/concepts goals for this activity
To synthesize Earth Systems thinking to solve a state issue.
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
Other skills goals for this activity
Description of the activity/assignment
This project describes a real-case senario of a decade of drought and warming in California. The students synthesize this information and then give a report of their findings to the governor.
Determining whether students have met the goals
We are developing a rubric for this project-based assignment.
More information about assessment tools and techniques.
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