The image above is what you will see when you visit "Science in your Backyard" hosted by USGS website. Click on your state and a variety of real time data for earth sciences will be available. Below I will outline a couple of ideas on how you might use this website in your classroom:
1. Using Current Events - I clicked on "IA" and found an article about the effects of a warmer, drier climate developing in Iowa and the effects this will have on Iowa waterfowl. The article highlighted research that indicates a greater sensitivity to a drying climate than previously thought. Updated, local and RELEVANT data and research like this could "spice up" a unit like global warming. Current events are also great formative assessment tools.
2. Real Time Water Data - Having access to real time water data could be a valuable resource for inquiry in the classroom. For example, we have received a lot of rain this year in Iowa (El Nino last year? This year?) and you can see in real time the effects this rain has had on local rivers. Students could make predictions on which rivers will reach floodstage and why and then access this website daily to collect data. Once data is collected, organized analyzed, a student could argue conclusions about watersheds and flooding in Iowa.
3. Resources Links - On this same page, I was able to access a link that gives updated reports on Iowa's mineral production each year. Those of you looking to "spice up" your mineral unit and make it more inquiry based could use this link to do a variety of things with minerals:
a. Research which states provide types of minerals and investigate trends
b. Research any yearly trends within your own state with mining and production of minerals
c. Research what types of minerals your state contains and then research which states are more probable to develop alternative energy resources
Developing science thinking skills as well as higher order thinking skills are more important than content retention. Using real time data in an inquiry based earth science classroom can provide your students with the opportunities they need to develop the necessary skills to becoming scientifically literate in the 21st century.
Go to the website and see how you might use this great resource in your classroom:
hey B Fritz, thanks for the usgs site. i assign a current events summary to my seventh graders and they can use this site to choose an article, then if i can get the blogging thing together for them, they can post their summaries instead of emailing me them.
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