EARTH-SPACE CURRICULUM

Anna Wilder-O'Neil, La Costa Canyon High School

UNIT 2: An Earth System Science Approach: Earth's Interacting Systems

Part 2: Earth as an Internal Heat Engine

Focus Investigation: "FROM MOUNTAINS TO MONSOONS"

In the "ODP: From Mountains to Monsoons" CD-ROM you will explore the geologic, climatologic and oceanographic history of the Indian Ocean basin and nearby Himalayan Mountains. This will be a chance to integrate your knowledge of these four interacting systems (biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere) to reconstruct the tectonic history of the Himalayan Mountains and examine the impact of mountain uplift on climate.

Your goal will be to answer the following questions:

1. When did the Indian continent collide with the Tibetan Plateau?

2. Did this collision create the Himalayan Mountains?

3. Did the formation of the Himalayan Mountains create changes in wind?

patterns causing Monsoons?

In order to answer these questions you will "join" the Ocean Drilling Program expedition and carry out investigations in paleomagnetism, sedimentology, micropaleontology and climatology using core samples. Your answers to these questions will be based upon the scientific evidence you have discovered from your investigations.

To help you in your study student facilitators will provide you with key background information and concepts that will help you answer your questions. They are familiar with the CD-ROM and can help you with computer questions. They will not answer your investigation questions for you. That is the role of your expert teams!

 

STUDENT CLASS SCHEDULE

Note: This was done with classes that met on a 2-hour block schedule.

Day 1:

I. Introduction to ODP and key concepts (Student facilitators)

II. From Mountains to Monsoons CD-ROM (Student facilitators)

Each row will be assigned a number from 1 through 5 which will indicate the

investigative lab station that you will work on.

1. Paleomagnetics Menu

2. Micropaleontology Menu

3. Sedimentology Menu

4. Climatologist's Menu

5. Micropaleontology Menu Lab 2

To get to your investigative lab station you need to do the following:

1. Log into ODP with your first and last name and password you have selected

2. Press ctrl M and it will take you to the main menu.

Click on the name of the correct menu that your row has been assigned. For example, row 5 will go to the Micropaleontology Menu Lab 2 section. Go through the introduction, lab procedure, activity and review. TAKE NOTES!!! RECORD YOUR RESULTS and think about how they relate to the investigative questions.

 

Day 2:

1. Meet in groups by lab stations for review of the activity and data analysis of your investigation as it relates to our three major investigative questions. Make sure every group member has an understanding of the scientific evidence that you gathered from your lab activity.

2. Each expert team presents a summary of its investigation to the class. There will be an additional review of each topic by student facilitators.

 

Day 3:

1. Meet in new groups of FIVE so that there is a representative of each of the five investigative activities. Each member should explain his/her activity and scientific findings. Begin to formulate your team answers to the three investigative questions posed for this study.

2. Complete your team answers to the three investigations and submit for

grading.

 

Day 4:

1. Compare your answers to the experts: summary of results.

2. Team revision of answers to the three investigative questions.