1. The Florida River Project or how a research project took over my intro Earth Systems Science course Kim Hannula Fort Lewis College

2. Course context Audience(s): Freshmen Geology majors Environmental Studies majors Elementary Education majors General education students Size, logistics, etc: 48 students (lecture); 2 lab sections

3. Colorado science competencies: lecture Develop fundamental knowledge in a specific field of science Understand & use scientific method Science as a process involving interplay of observation, interpretation, & theory Develop quantitative approaches to study natural phenomena

4. Colorado science competencies: lab Concepts of accuracy, precision, repeatability Hands-on & inquiry-based Student formulation & testing of hypotheses Student generation & analysis of real data Interpretation of data Communication of results

5. Content expectations Geo majors: Plate tectonics Rocks & minerals Topographic maps Elementary ed majors: Intro geologic time Weather Climate People who live in the Rockies/Southwest: Rivers Groundwater Landslides Deserts Glaciers Mountain building Earthquakes (including human triggering)

6. Research project: the Florida River Colorado Florida R. Animas R. Durango The Florida is… Tributary of Animas Water source for Durango

7. Durango Animas R. Florida R. basin National Forest Lemon Reservoir Ranches, rural subdivisions Agriculture, oil & gas, rapid residential development Sampling sites Florida River Basin

8. Structure of sampling One or two sites per lab section One or two sites per lab section Four data groups per lab section Four data groups per lab section 1. Discharge 2. Sediment 3. pH, TDS, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate 4. ICP: Na, K, Ca, Mg Groups compare data to previous years and other sites Groups compare data to previous years and other sites

9. Structure of skill development Data collection: Gain familiarity with area: topography, geology Research background info (individual) Collect data (field, group) Present preliminary results

10. Structure of skill development Individual question: Graphing by hand (discharge through a year; homework) Graphing using Excel (+ group discussion) Propose question Paper (use class data, previous class’s data, Snotel, NWS, USGS…)

11. Structure within course: labs Weather & climate first Labs: Week 5: Topo maps Week 6: Landscapes field trip (includes Animas River) Week 10: Sed & metamorphic rocks Week 11: River sampling Week 13: Group presenations

12. Structure within class: other components Other components: The Math You Need (unit conversions, discharge calculations) http://serc.carleton.edu/ mathyouneed/index.html Use pre-lecture questions to cover content Homework: Graphing by hand Background Question