Software for Learning | Games and Simulations | Introduction |

After reviewing each software package, we asked the evaluators to design a learning activity that uses SimEarth.

Learning Ideas by Steve Bass

Particularly applicable to GPH111 are sections on plate tectonics, erosion, the solar energy budget and evolution of the atmosphere. A laboratory exercise using SimEarth towards the end of the semester would allow students to analyze relationships among these subsystems. For example, students could be asked to develop a hypothesis relating to the relationship between the amount of isolation received at a location and productivity among plants. Similarly, hypotheses relating to atmospheric gases and life forms might be formulated, and so on. Scatter grams indicating these relationships could then be plotted. Students would be encouraged to test their hypotheses by experimenting with variables in the software. A test of whether any variables have an effect on tectonic correlation is impossible using SimEarth, but general relationships likely could be ascertained.

[go to Steve Bass's review]

Learning Ideas by Barbara Jaquay

1. The Earth is Formed
   1. Lesson Objectives
      1. List the layers of the earth, their composition, and their thickness.
      2. Discuss the importance of volcanisms to the formation of the earth, the types of volcanoes, and describe internal and external land forms produced.
      3. Describe the geologic time scale subdivisions of eras, periods and epochs.
      4. Learn to use a simulation model and manipulate the model for different scenarios.
   2. Classroom lecture - Solid-earth environment
      1. Examination of Earth's internal structure
         1. Earth's layers described
         2. Schematics used to help explain locations
      2. Describe processes associated with volcanisms
         1. Types of volcanoes
         2. Land form produced - internally and externally
         3. Slides of volcanoes types and land forms created
      3. Discuss or describe the usefulness of geologic time scale
         1. Provide handout of scale
         2. Give different events which happened at different times
         3. Show relationship of human's times on earth to formation of Earth
   3. Simulation Run
      1. Worksheet questions answered by students in group
      2. Thinking it over questions by students in group
         1. Map exercise to be added
            1. Map location of volcanoes
            2. Questions - can student see any geographical arrangement to these locations?
   4. Group Discussion
      1. Have each group explain what they did
      2. Class discussion of answers
   5. Follow-up - Quiz
2. Plate Tectonics
   1. Lesson Objectives
      1. Describe the processes responsible for plate movement
      2. Describe the causes of volcanoes and earthquakes
      3. Describe mountain building processes
      4. Identify by name and location the various plates
      5. Explain the difference between divergent, convergent and transform plate boundaries
   2. Classroom Lecture
      1. Discuss Plate Tectonic Processes and their causes
         1. Short term effects
            1. Volcanoes and earthquakes
         2. Long term consequences
            1. Arrangement of ocean basins, continents, mountain range formation
      2. Discuss the three types of plate boundaries
   3. Simulation Run
      1. Worksheet questions
      2. Thinking it over questions
   4. Group Discussion
      1. Have each group explain what they did
      2. Class discussion of answers
   5. Follow-up Quiz

[go to Barbara Jaquay's review]

Learning Ideas by Alan Gaugert

Goal:

For students having difficulty comprehending the concepts of plate tectonics and the internal structure of the earth and their interrelationship, this exercise will allow them to see these forces in motion and examine their interaction. At the end of this exercise the students should be able to:
1. Name the first super continent.
2. State how long ago it formed.
3. Describe how the continents arrived at their current locations.
4. Describe the permanence of land mass locations.
5. Describe what might be/is responsible for plate movement.

1. Start SimEarth and advance geologic time until the first super continent forms, approximately 250-600 millions years ago.
2. Open the planet up to investigate its internal structure.
   1. Find the core [inner (solid) and outer (molten)], mantle, crust [SIAL & SIMA], lithosphere, and asthenosphere.
   2. Modify the internal process settings.
      1. Determine what makes the rocks melt and the crust move
      2. Modify and monitor what happens to the movement of the continents as changes are made to the internal process
   3. Monitor breakup of the super continent and the resultant continental movement.

1. Students will be able to successfully answer questions 1 - 5.
2. Students will grasp the concepts put forth:
   1. Plate tectonics is a reality.
   2. Continental movement is an ongoing process.
   3. Forces internal to the Earth cause this movement/process.
3. With guidance, students should be able to postulate that in another 250-600 millions of years, all the continents will join once again.

[go to Alan Gaugert's review]

Learning Ideas by Donna Tannehill

1. TI-82 calculator
2. Computer with SimEarth software

Objective
Through the course of this lesson, students will learn how to:

1. Plot data points on their calculator
2. Use data points to create a mathematical model
3. Predict future 'events' using the model created

Activity

1. Start SimEarth
2. Open the File Menu and select New Planet.
3. Select Experimental Mode.
4. Click on Random Planet.
5. Select Technologic, then click on Begin.
6. Pull down the Windows menu and select Report. Record the current population.
7. Set the speed to slow.
8. Make a list of data points that correspond to population values for the years t=0 to t=1 (by units of .1 thousands years).
9. Enter these points on your calculator list, and use the regression feature to create the 'best' mathematical model for the set of data.
10. Is the population growing or decaying? If it is decaying, try to predict the number of years it will take for the population to become extinct. If it is growing, try to predict the number of years it will take for the population to double.
11. Verify your results from step 10 with the simulation by letting it run until the time you computed. How accurate were your results compared to what the computer generated?
12. Try to determine some of the conditions present that led to the growth or decay of your population.
13. Assuming the computer will start you off with the same initial population each time, you can vary the experiment by adjusting factors like weather, agriculture, medicine, etc. ... to see the effect they have on population growth. Try adjusting just one at a time to see the effect.

[go to Donna Tannehill's review]

Learning Ideas by Roberta Delaney

Step 1. All students in the classes would play the game for one period to give them an overall view of different aspects of the earth's geology. I would have more than one student at the computer so they could comment, help each other and get help in smaller groups.

Step 2. I'd divide the class into four groups, one group for each simulation area. Each member of a group would be responsible for finding a short, readable article on an aspect of the group area such as, in "Sparks of Life", students could find articles on primitive organisms, the affect of oceans and mountains, photosynthesis, etc. They would be responsible for finding the article, reading it, taking notes and presenting it to their group. All groups would be doing this on their different area

Step 3. Each group would compile the information from their articles and from their background gained from the SimEarth game into a readable and/or understandable essay, summary, outline, map, flow chart, or whatever they feel fits their section, with each person in the group contributing their knowledge gained from the article to the overall picture.

Step 4. A traveling day. Each group would hang up their chart or summary or whatever they did and the whole class would wander around for a short time looking at these overall views.

Step 5. The same day as Step 4. The groups break up and one person from each group forms another group so that new groups are formed of persons from each simulation area as an expert. Each expert talks to the group they are now in about what they've learned and as much as possible the summary of their area to this new group. In this way information would be distributed among everyone in the room and all students would have a part.

[go to Roberta Delaney's review]