Blog

Teaching About Risk and Hazards

Wildfire Model

The GeoHazard team contributed to this blog post. We have just wrapped up a week of remote professional learning for our GeoHazard: Modeling Natural Hazards and Assessing Risks project. The goal of GeoHazard is to help students interpret data and understand the factors influencing the progression of and risks associated with natural hazards. Due to […]

Continue reading

Updating Real-World Datasets When New Data Become Available

The High-Adventure Science modules, first written in 2011-2013, are each based on a big unanswered question in Earth/environmental science. These six modules include interactive computer-based systems models and real-world data that students use for evidence as they develop scientific arguments. The modules incorporate real-world data from the National Aeronautic and Space Administration, National Oceanic and […]

Continue reading

Modeling the Taal Volcano in the Philippines

Taal Volcano

All volcanic eruptions are dangerous. Some are more dangerous than others. Volcanic eruptions range from slow, relatively gentle flows of lava to explosive eruptions of gases, ash, and rock. Our Visualizing Geohazards and Risk with Code project (GeoCode) challenges students to model tephra volcanic eruptions (tephra refers to all particles ejected explosively from a volcano, […]

Continue reading

Use GeoCode Explorer to teach about volcanoes and block programming

Volcano

Volcanoes are some of the most impressive and unstoppable features on Earth. From the amazing artifacts at Pompeii to the photos of forests flattened by lava flows, the dangers associated with volcanoes are both terrifying and awe-inspiring. However, despite the risks, millions of people live in constant threat of damage to their homes, and more […]

Continue reading

Looking beyond paper and pencil

Teacher Ambassador Stephanie Harmon

“I love the look of amazement and confidence when someone makes connections and understands what is happening,” says Stephanie Harmon, who’s beginning her 24th year in a high school classroom. She was named Kentucky Science Teacher Association’s Outstanding High School Science Teacher in 2014, and currently teaches physics and advanced physical science and Earth science at Rockcastle County High School in Mount Vernon, and introductory astronomy at Eastern Kentucky University.

Continue reading

Students write better arguments with automated real-time feedback

High-Adventure Science HASBot analysis

Julia LaCava was a summer intern at the Concord Consortium. A junior at Ithaca College, she majors in communications. The Automated Scoring for Argumentation project, which we affectionately called “HASBot” is wrapping up. This four-year partnership between the High-Adventure Science (HAS) team at the Concord Consortium and Educational Testing Service (ETS) was funded by the […]

Continue reading