Students form groups to work on a assigned hotspot chain. Each group gets to study a seamount trail from around the world and needs to present 15 slides that each have 3 main points and one nice graphical illustration or image.

This activity provides the students with a data set of ages of some of the Hawaiian Volcanoes and seamounts and how far they are from the active volcanism (considered to be the location of the hotspot). By plotting the data on a graph and fitting the data with a line of best fit, the plate velocity can be estimated by taking the slope of the line.

This lesson introduces the theory of mantle plumes and possible ways of finding evidence to support the theory.

This lesson explains the application of relative dating for volcanic features in the ocean.

This lesson discusses the similarities and difference between Samoa and Hawaii. Both Samoa and Hawaii are island chains in the Pacific and thought to be the result of hotspots.

Perhaps the first skill needed for successful quantitative reasoning is the ability to understand a single number. Newspaper headlines over the last year have used some amazingly large figures when discussing the national debt, bailout funds, corporate bonuses, or economic stimulus packages. Millions, billions, and trillions of dollars are often encountered in such stories. The ability to process these large values and compare their relative values is essential in understanding the financial nuances to such articles. This example contains two in-depth approaches to understanding large quantities.

This inquiry lab activity allows the students to explore limiting reagents with a simple acid and base reaction.

This activity helps students understand how mixtures are formed. They will make predictions regarding the rate of mixing. Students should report that the variation of heated water and crushed sugar creates the shortest mixing time.

This activity is a classroom demonstration where students observe how clouds are formed.

Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum module. Students analyze the percentage of change in the diversity of the US compared to New York City over 20 years.

This activity is a lab investigation is which students will design and conduct an experiment related to movement of materials through a cell membrane. Modified from a lab I received from a fellow teacher, Jeanne M. Reed.

This is a guided inquiry in which the students determine how a light bulb works.

This classroom activity is an inquiry based lesson where students observe and measure temperature changes in order to determine which fabrics are best at keeping in heat.

This activity is a investigation where students observe soil and rocks, record their similarities and differences, interpret their findings, and are guided to develop a new investigable question.

SSAC Physical Volcanology module. Students build a spreadsheet to examine how magma viscosity varies with temperature, fraction of crystals, and water content using the non-Arrhenian VFT model.

SSAC Physical Volcanology module. Students build spreadsheets to estimate melt density at high temperatures and pressures from the thermodynamic properties of silicates.

This inquiry lab activity involves students working to observe and describe to how worms will interact/adapt with their environment.

Examination of Second of Thermodynamics (endo/exothermic and entropy) using a thought story, rubber band inquiry, discrepant event and lecture.

SSAC Physical Volcanology module. Students build a spreadsheet to examine and apply the Mogi model for horizontal and vertical surface displacement vs. depth and pressure conditions in the magma chamber.

This activity is a hands-on modeling of the effects of pollution on our ground and surface water. Students will observe and record their observations as pollution is placed on the ground in their model and it is rained upon.