InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Modeling Earth Systems
 Earth-focused Modules and Courses for the Undergraduate Classroom
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The materials are free and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Initial Publication Date: September 15, 2017

Summary

In this course, we develop the qualitative and quantitative tools for constructing, experimenting with, and interpreting dynamic models of different components of the Earth system. The integrated set of ten modules within this course explores a range of systems that all relate to the dynamics of Earth's climate, including interactions with humans. The course is aimed at an intermediate-level geoscience student with some knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, which form the foundation for building and understanding computer models of these systems.

Strengths of the Course

  • By building and working with models of the climate system, population growth, water resources, and the intersections between climate change and economic systems, students will develop the ability to integrate information from a variety of disciplines, including geosciences, biology, physics, chemistry, and economics. Further, students will be asked to apply the results of their models to societal problems.
  • Using models in this way explicitly encourages the use of prediction and experimentation as ways of learning. Modeling also fosters quantitative and analytical thinking. Finally, models allow students to simulate processes that occur over geologic time.
  • Geoscience data will be used as the initial conditions for some systems models, for example the pre-industrial concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Geoscientific data will also be used as points of comparison for model output in other units, for example, students will compare General Circulation Model outputs to records of surface warming over the past several decades.
  • The use of visually-based models helps students to see connections between different parts of dynamic systems. Students will be asked to make predictions about model (system) behavior over time, and analyze results in the context of 1) the specific system being modeled and 2) how and why predictions may have differed from results.

A great fit for courses in:

  • Climatology
  • Environmental Science
  • Environmental Studies
  • Earth Modeling
  • Geology/Earth Science
  • Systems Thinking

Next Generation Science Standards Logo. A purple, orange, and green triangle to the left of the words, Next Generation Science Standards.

These materials have been reviewed for their alignment with the Next Generation Science Standards. At the top of each page, you can click on the NGSS logo to see the specific connections. Visit InTeGrate and the NGSS to learn more about the process of alignment and how to use InTeGrate materials to implement the NGSS.

NGSS in this Module

This is an intermediate to advanced course that gives students the opportunity to use and develop computational models using the software program STELLA. The models become more complex and interdisciplinary throughout the course.


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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »