CONTENT REPRESENTATION (CoRe) FORM FOR STORE PROJECT TEACHERS

Teacher name: __________Linda Smith_________________________________________

Name of the class: ____College Prep Earth Science_____________________________________
Name of lesson (could be over multiple days): ): _____STORE Basic Lesson #2: Topography, Orographic Rainfall & Ecosystems Using Google Earth______
___Predicting the Future: Comparing Current and Projected Changes of Temperature and Precipitation in CA ____

Description of the students in the class (achievement level, language, prior course work, typical level of engagement, etc):

Thirty one freshmen and one sophomore participated this year. These students are primarily college bound and did actively engage in the lessons.

The week prior to the STORE activities students were introduced to basic atmospheric science with lessons on the composition and layers of the atmosphere as well as
pressure and energy transfer in the atmosphere. Lessons consisted of PowerPoint presentations and lab activities on: layers of the atmosphere; composition of the
atmosphere; atmospheric pressure; nitrogen, oxygen, carbon and water cycles; formation & changes of the atmospheres composition since the Earth was formed (and
how scientists determine this with ice cores, etc.); movement of energy in the atmosphere (radiation, conduction, convection); the greenhouse effect & greenhouse
gases. After the STORE lessons we covered atmospheric circulation is due to unequal heating and cooling of the Earths surface (land heats and cools faster than
water); global winds are caused by pressure changes, convection, & the Coriolis effect; local winds are due to differential heating & cooling of land & water; climate is
the average of weather conditions over a long period of time; climate is primarily classified by annual precipitation and daily temperature averages; three factors that
affect climate are latitude, heat absorption & release, and topography of the region; ocean currents affect weather and climate; El Nino & La Nina affect the west coast
precipitation; the rain shadow effect is obvious in the weather & climate of the Sierra Nevadas.

Prior to the STORE lessons the class and laboratory activities performed included making a foldable of the layers of the atmosphere and element cycles,
demonstrations and activities related to pressure. After the STORE lessons we did activities on differential heating and cooling of soil and water, watching video clips on
various related topics, as well as the Discovery channel movie, Global Warming: What You Need to Know with David Brokaw.

After my 2012 experiences with STORE & Google Earth I chose to incorporate a Google Earth introductory activity during my map unit in the fall semester. Students
went to the library computer lab and downloaded the recently updated Google Earth to their personal school files. The following day we went back to the library and
the students downloaded the STORE data files to their school files. They were then allowed to play with Google Earth and find their homes, the school, and other
places of interest.

This year, 2013, students were introduced to the STORE project briefly on the Monday 3/18 prior to going to the computer lab and were given the Pre Assessment.

Tuesday 3/19 we went to the new computer lab and student groups received a full length copy of the Basic Lesson #2 Scafolded for reference, along with a shortened,
slightly modified version: Using Google Earth to Analyze the Connection Between Topography and Rainfall which had the students search for information on
average precipitation and average daily temperatures for the CA study area. Throughout the period most students were able to access and work with the data. None
completed the activity on day one. Fortunately, Jason Westfall and Dan Zalles and Kathy Haynie were all available to assist students for the three days in the computer
lab. Having extra help available was extremely useful, particularly that first day.

On Wednesday, 3/20 we went back to the lab. About half of the students needed to finish the first lesson. All started the second lesson, Predicting the Future. They
were about evenly split with the projected changes in temperature and precipitation being higher (or lower) than their starting hypotheses. Students were very engaged
in the activity.

On Thursday, 3/21, we finished up the computer portion of the lessons. All students finished the two lessons and many worked on the STORE 2013 Wrap -Up lesson
created by Jason Westfall. All students completed this on Friday, 3/22. Students completed the Post Assessment as well.

Although the post-assessment results were not what I hoped for, nearly all students made improvements. Overall, I feel that this year went very well and students
enjoyed the activities and learned more than the questions show. I plan on doing the same lessons next year.
Big ideas:
State standard(s) addressed:
1. Daily temperature is influenced by elevation (topography) & proximity to large bodies of water.
2. Elevation (topography) influences average daily temperatures & precipitation amounts.
3. Future climate change can be projected from past data.
4. Data is more understandable with computer technology.
5. Weather & climate are not the same and vary by location.
CA Earth Science Standards:
IE#1: Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a
basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other four stands, students should develop
their own questions and perform investigations.
IE1, a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology( such as computer-linked probes, spreadsheets, and graphing
calculators) to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships and display data.
IE1, b. Identify and communicate sources of unavoidable experimental error.
IE1, c. Identify possible reasons for inconsistent results, such as sources of error or uncontrolled conditions.
IE1, d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence.
IE1, g. Recognize the usefulness and limitations of models and theories as scientific representations of reality.
IE1, h. Read and interpret topographic and geologic maps.
IE1, j. Analyze the locations, sequences, or time intervals that are characteristic of natural phenomena (e.g. relative ages
of rocks, locations of planets over time, and succession of species in an ecosystem).
IE1, j. Recognize the issues of statistical variability and the need for controlled tests.
IE1, k Recognize the cumulative nature of scientific evidence.
IE1,l. Analyze situations and solve problems that require combining and applying concepts from more than one area of
science.
IE1, m. Investigate a science-based societal issue by researching the literature, analyzing the data, and communicating
the findings. Examples of issues include irradiation of food, cloning of animals by somatic cell nuclear transfer, choice
of energy sources, and land and water use decisions in California, etc.
#6: Climate is the long term average of a regions weather and depends on many factors.
6, a. Students know weather (in the short run) and climate (in the long run) involve the transfer of energy into and
out of the atmosphere.
6, b. Students know the effects on climate of latitude, elevation, topography, and proximity to large bodies of water
and cold or warm ocean currents.
6, c. Students know how Earths climate has changed over time, corresponding to changes in Earths geography,
atmospheric composition, and other factors, such as solar radiation and plate movement.
6, d.* Students know how computer models are used to predict the effects of the increase in greenhouse gases on
climate for the planet as a whole and for specific regions.
What do you intend the students to learn about
this idea or be able to do with it:
Why it is important for students to know this (for
example, in the schema of the broad courses
standards/ objectives or in terms of bigger
educational/civic/social goals):
Anticipated student misconceptions and
difficulties understanding this:
Teaching procedures (and reasons why):
1. Average daily temperatures have less variation closer to the ocean than in the Central Valley or foothills of the
Sierras.
2. Average daily temperatures are generally lower at higher elevations.
3. Average temperatures were lower in the past and are projected to continue to increase over the next decades.
4. Average precipitation is projected to decrease in many areas of California.
5. Computer models help scientists make sense of large amounts of collected data.
6. Climate change is real and humans are contributing to it.
The appeal of this project to me, the instructor, is many layered. I believe that all students should be aware of: 1) the
evidence for, and consequences of, climate change; 2) how and why precipitation varies in our state and what we should
do as citizens to protect it; and 3) the computer technology available and how it is used for scientific analyses.
In addition to being part of California State Science standards, these concepts are critical to developing an informed
citizenry able to understand that climate change will have far reaching impacts on our future in California. In their
future, students will need to make decisions on how to mitigate the climate changes that are coming, including choices
regarding water use and storage in California.
Finally, our local community college has an excellent geospatial information science program (and instructors!). The
STORE project provides me with tools to interest students in that program, collaborate with the instructors there, and
possibly help students find a future career.
1. Climate is the same as daily weather.
2. All parts of California experience the same weather, both temperature and rainfall.
3. Students are not familiar with the program , nor do they utilize computers regularly at out school (except for word
processing or internet research for papers or projects)
1. Lectures (PowerPoints following the textbook & State Standards): To give the foundation for understanding the
lessons.
2. Computer laboratory time: To see actual data and gain familiarity with the technology
Formative assessment: 1. Completion of the activity worksheet. Some student responses to the end questions:
Specific ways of ascertaining students
understanding or confusion around this idea 2. Multiple choice questions regarding the activities concepts. Examples include:
(include likely range of responses): Whichofthefollowingstatementsdescribeswhathappenswhenthesunheatswaterandland?
a. Landheatsmoreslowlythanwaterdoes.
b. Waterheatsmoreslowlythanlanddoes.
c. Waterandlandabsorbheatfromthesunatthesamerate.
d. Bothabsorbheatatthesamerate,butwaterreleasesitfaster.
Aweathereventinwhichamovingairmasshitsamountain,rises,cools,andlosesmostofitsmoisturethroughprecipitationis
calleda
a. monsoon.c. foehn.
b. rainshadow. d. chinook.
Twomajorfactorsusedtoidentifyclimateare
a. longitudeandlatitude. c. latitudeandtemperature.
b. temperatureandprecipitation. d. precipitationandlongitude.
Whichofthefollowingmoderatestemperature(nottoohighortoolow)andincreasesrainfall?
a. mountain c. oceansorlargebodyofwater
b. iceberg d. desert
ClimatedoesNOTchangeasaresultof
a. platetectonicmotion. c. humanactivity.
b. phasesofthemoon d. volcanicactivity.
WhichofthefollowingisNOTanimpactofclimatechange?
a. solareclipses c. globalwarming
b. sealevelchanges d. changeinprecipitation