Recurring Themes and Assignments in this Course

In this course, there are a handful of recurring assignment types and themes. The frequency of their occurrence helps students know what to expect and build both their skills and knowledge.

Recurring assignment types

• Transparency In Learning and Teaching (TILT) assignments: Assignments in this course use the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) model and template from the TILT Resources page to make the goals, purpose, and expectations of each assignment explicitly clear to students and instructors. Rubrics are included in the instructor materials as examples of the expectations for assessments.
  • Unit 1.1 The Practice of Science Homework (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 1.7MB Sep10 24)
  • Unit 2.1 Plate Boundaries In-Class Activity (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 2.5MB Sep10 24)
  • Unit 3.1 Geological Resource Identification Worksheet (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 162kB Sep13 24)
  • Unit 4.5 In Class Worksheet (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 66kB Aug28 24)
  • Unit 5.5 In-Class Activity A (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 66kB Aug23 24)
  • Unit 6.2 Pre-Class Homework (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 52kB Aug26 24)
• Science and Engineering Practices Web Model Analysis and Reflections: In each unit, students reflect on and articulate which science and engineering practices they used to complete each of the sub-units using a graphic that shows the interconnections between the science and engineering practices (Nyman & St. Clair, 2016).
  • Unit 1.2 SEP Jigsaw
  • Unit 1 Exit Ticket
  • Unit 2 Exit Ticket
  • Unit 3 Exit Ticket
  • Unit 4 Exit Ticket
  • Unit 5 Exit Ticket
  • Unit 6 Exit Ticket
• Scientist Spotlights: These activities highlight the different types of work that scientists do. Students read profiles of different scientists and ultimately create a "scientist spotlight" that imagines the student as the scientist. The scientists chosen for these assignments represent multiple types of diversity, and are at different stages in their careers.
  • Unit 2.2 Scientist Spotlight Homework Assignment
  • Unit 3.3 Geology Career Spotlight Worksheet
  • Unit 4.1 Pre-Class Homework
  • Unit 5.3 Scientist Profile Homework
  • Unit 6.4 Scientist Spotlight Project

Recurring themes

• Real-life, current, and place-based data: Several activities in this course use online, frequently-updated datasets to make observations, define problems and questions, and use qualitative and quantitative analysis to understand and explain Earth processes. 
• Inclusive pedagogy: The activities in this course are designed with inclusive pedagogies in mind, and offer a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of each unit's goals through written assignments, presentations and clicker questions, all of which could be supplemented by traditional exams.  

References

Nyman, M., & St. Clair, T. (2016). A Geometric Model to Teach Nature of Science, Science Practices, and Metacognition. Journal of College Science Teaching, 45(5), 44-50.

Transparency in Teaching and Learning: Higher Ed