Using data in the classroom

Workshop facilitators:Cindy Shellito

Kathy Surpless

Brainstorming

1. What does it mean to use data in the classroom?

2. Why have students use data? What are the learning goals for students?

Designing activities

What is the learning goal?

How much time do you have?

What do your students already know and what are your students comfortable with? ◦ Are they familiar with Excel, or other software?

◦ To what extent will you need to ‘package’ the data?

Will students work in teams or individually?

How will you frame your activity?◦ Will students do the activity first, as an active introduction

to specific content?

◦ Will students complete the activity as a follow-up or building on content?

How will you assess your activity?

Example 1: Using CO2 data

Many sources for CO2 data available online:◦ Mauna Loa observatory: daily, monthly, annual data since 1958

◦ Globally averaged surface data since 1980◦ Vostok ice core data (to 414,000 BP)

Plot data at different time scales and for different time periods◦ Assess trends◦ Compare rates and direction of change◦ Make predictions based on trends◦ Discuss size of datasets

Example 1: Using CO2 data

Example 2: Using temperature and precipitation data

Students work in groups to examine tropical Pacific SST and precipitation data over 10-yr time span. Used as intro to El Niño in an intro-level meteorology course.

Students learn to read lat-lon plots; identify year to year changes; make connections between SST and location of precipitation.

Example 2: Using temperature and precipitation data

Example 3: Using grain-size data

Collect grain size data using sieves (for disaggregated sample) and thin section measurements

Plot grain size data using Excel Calculate statistics to assess size range and

sorting Plot multiple samples to compare sizes and

sorting, assess size grading◦ Think about how different data collection methods

impact interpretation of results

Work with large dataset of grain size data already collected

Example 2: Using grain-size data

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

-1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00

Cu

mu

lati

ve P

ercen

t

Grain size (phi)

95-DG-9

96-DG-23

96-DG-24

97-DG-53

95-DG-10

96-DG-26

97-DG-54

96-DG-27

Example 4: Using global climate models

Students examine global climate model output available online and consider impact of global warming on tropical cyclone initiation and evolution.

Available online at:http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/hurricanes/activities/28268.html

Example 4: Using global climate models

Sample climate model output available online at the National Center for Atmospheric Research

Your turn!

Take a moment to identify an activity or a data set that you would like bring into one of your classes.

1. What do you want your students to learn from the activity?

2. What resources or tools might you need to complete the activity?

3. How will you know what students have learned from this activity?