Earth Science Internet Activities for High School Sp. Ed. Students

TEC 912 Final Project, Annotated Webliography

Submitted by Sandi Larson-Wood

The following activities will be used to enhance a Sp. Ed. High School  Earth Science class.  A typical class has fifteen students with disabilities that include EMI, Autism, EI, LD and ADD.  It is sometimes difficult to accommodate  individual learning styles, however I have learned that they all share an avid  interest in computer based learning. 

Bevans, Scott R.  Pollution.  7/8/96.  8/21/02.
http://www-ed.final.gov/linc/projects/Bevans/studentrequirements.html

This site guides the student through a research project on pollution that ends with a class presentation.

Earth Floor:  Plate Tectonics.   9/14/01.  8/21/02. 
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/plates1.html 

This site uses maps to explain convergent, divergent and transform boundaries.  Requires a teacher-made question guide for the activity.

Eruption Simulation.  8/21/02. 
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwcocs/Online/erupt.html 

The student develops an evacuation plan for a town near a waking volcano.  Varied activities that include mapping and prioritizing volcanic hazards for the town.

The Fujita Scale.  8/21/02.
http://www.tornadoproject.com/fscale/fscale.htm 

This site offers basic information of tornado and explains the Fujita Scale. Requires a teacher-made worksheet to guide the student through the site.  

Granberry, Rita.  Edwards Aquifer WebQuest.  1998. 8/21/02.
<http://www.ci.swt.edu/Faculty/Peterson/Edwards%20Aquifer/Edwards%20Aquifer2.html>

The site offers background information on aquifers, then takes the student through a series of guiding questions.

Jawor, John S.  Atmospheric Phenomena.  8/21/02.
<http://sun2.lib.uci.edu/SEP/CTS/Atmos.html>

Using the Internet the student will investigate and explore atmospheric phenomena.  Requires student to cut and paste pictures or graphics for a report.

Johnson, Lorraine.  Dance of the Planets.  4/28/88.  8/21/02.
<http://inspire.ospi.wednet.educ8001/curric/land/geiograph/carto/index.html>

At this site the student will graph information about a planet as it moves around the Sun.  After taping a piece of graph paper to the screen the student determines the orbital pattern using the data.

Johnson, Lorraine and Martine Wayman.  Weather Charting Activity Plan. 11/06/96. 8/21/02.
<http://inspire.ospi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/weather/graphing/a6actpln.html>

A month-long activity of charting and entering data on a spreadsheet about weather in Michigan using a MSU weather site.  Activity can be shortened.

Mars Landing.  11/29/00.  8/21/02. 
<http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/activities/mars/situation.html>

The student uses an internal guidance system aboard a spacecraft to make a safe landing on Mars.   Just for fun.

Novak, Gary.  Virtual Earthquake.  8/21/02. 
<http://vcourseware.calstatela.edu>

This site helps the student determine the epicenter of an earthquake by graphing waves and their speed.  Completing the project successfully earns the student a printable certificate in seismology.  (Note:  Site is changing URL, but never completes its transfer to new site.  Site can be accessed by quickly clicking on desired activity from old menu page.)

Palmer, Chad.  A Typical Northern Hemisphere Hurricane.  3/22/01.  8/21/02
<http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/whurwhat/whurwhat.htm>

This is a quick lesson on wind directions and phenomena in a hurricane. Graphic allows student to set the hurricane in motion with a click of the mouse.  Has links to three other hurricane related websites for more information.

Powell, Richard.  An Atlas of the Universe.  8/21/02.
<http://anzwers.org/free/universe>

This site lets the student zoom away into the universe in light years, step by step. Includes a glossary and other links to the universe.

Rempel, Gene and Mike Hanson.  Predicting the Weather.  9/19/98.  8/21/02. 
<http://inspire.ospi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/weather/hsweather/index.html>

This site offers six lessons on weather prediction.  Interactive by reading maps and then predicting weather across the country.

Star Light, Star Bright.  8/21/02.
<http://amazingspace.stsci.edu/light/index.html>

The student will learn about the life of the stars and how light waves and color defines the age of the star. 

Westcott, Rob, Hugh Anderson and Lorraine Johnson.  Cartography-The Art of Making Maps, the Science of Where You Are.   1/24/97.  8/21/02.
<http://inspire.ospi.wednet.edu:8001/curric/land/geograph/carto/index.html>

The activity uses maps of many scales to zoom down from space to a town in Washington, and then tour an urban wetlands trail.  Nice explanation of maps and projections. 

An activity called Planet Impact, that has little educational value but will entertain the students immensely, can be accessed at: <http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/>   Smash a comet into Jupiter!