Earth Systems Science

Earth Systems Science Initiatives

Earth Systems Science (ESS) is the study of the Earth as a system in order to better understand how the Earth is changing and the impacts on life. ESS involves studying the processes and interactions (cycles) among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and geosphere across the time scales in which these spheres interact. ESS is multidisciplinary in its approach and requires the use of mathematics to describe the physical, chemical and biological processes within each sphere and the interactions between the spheres. ESS includes the study of geosciences, biosciences, space sciences, atmospheric sciences, and environmental sciences.

The ETXSC is engaged in several Earth Systems Science initiatives at the state, national, and international levels.

GLOBE is a hands-on, school-based science and education program (grades 5-14) uniting students, teachers, scientists and community members around the world in study and research about the dynamics of the Earth's environment. Working in close partnership with NASA and NSF large-scale Earth System Science Projects (ESSPs), the GLOBE Schools Network consists of over a million GLOBE students led by more than 40,000 teachers in more than 20,000 schools located in 109 countries. GLOBE students have taken important environmental measurements focusing on Earth system science connections. More than 17 million measurements in the areas of Atmosphere/Climate, Hydrology, Soil, Land Cover/Biology and Phenology have been entered into the GLOBE database. The data from these measurements are used in their own research activities as well as by students and scientists around the world.

The goals of the GLOBE Program are to:

Contribute to scientific understanding of the Earth as a system;
Support student achievement across the curriculum with a focus on student research in science; and
Enhance the awareness of individuals throughout the world to benefit the environment.

The ETXSC provides training and technical assistance to GLOBE Partners and Teachers throughout the world. The following services are available:

GLOBE Trainer Training
GLOBE Teacher Training
Preservice Teacher Training
Elementary GLOBE

Elementary GLOBE is designed to introduce students of grades K-4 to the study of Earth System Science (ESS). Elementary GLOBE forms an instructional unit comprised of five modules that address ESS and interrelated subjects including weather, hydrology, phenology, and soils. Each Elementary GLOBE module contains a science-based storybook and classroom learning activities

The Texas Earth and Space Revolution http://www.txessrevolution.org
The ETXSC through the Texas Regional Collaborative provides support to school districts participating the TXESS Revolution. The Texas Earth and Space Science Revolution (TXESS Revolution) is a professional development program aimed at 8th grade and high school teachers preparing to teach the senior capstone course in Earth and Space Science. In 2006, the Texas State Board of Education voted to add a 4th year of required science to the high school curriculum, and further voted to approve Earth and Space Science as an option for that 4th year. This created a unique opportunity in the earth science community in Texas to design a rigorous, content-rich course in the geosciences as a capstone. The effort to develop the standards for Earth and Space Science Capstone is currently underway at the state level. In addition, the new course has created a need for teachers with the content knowledge and skill to teach the course.

GeoFORCE Texas is a summer program that rewards outstanding students from select East Texas School Districts from grades 8-12 with the chance to travel the country, meet inspiring people, and learn about opportunities for careers in the geosciences. Students admitted to this selective program meet each summer for one week, traveling to The University of Texas at Austin's Jackson School of Geosciences, which hosts the program, and several locations of geologic significance around the United States. The East Texas STEM center has partnered with UT-Austin to make GeoFORCE available to students in East Texas.

Earth Systems Science Online for Middle School Teachers (3 credits or 45 hours CEU)
This online course was created to provide professional development in Earth system science for middle school teachers. The course addresses the standards for including inquiry-based approaches in science through explicitly modeling a collaborative, student-centered environment in which teachers relied on each other for input, knowledge-building and feedback. The course addresses teachers' knowledge about Earth systems science and resources and their use of constructivist teaching practices, particularly collaboration, rubrics and the use of journals. Teachers work in groups to develop knowledge of individual spheres and create Earth system diagrams as teams. They create Earth system science lessons and local event analyses. Teachers are administered an exploratory pre-course survey to guide ongoing development and formative assessment, as well as a post-course content assessment to capture knowledge gains.

Earth Systems Science Online for High School Teachers (3 credits or 45 hours CEU)
Like the middle school course, the high school course deepens teachers’ content knowledge. It also prepares them by giving them a new tool to use in the classroom. Sometimes one hears that elementary and middle school teachers teach students; high school teachers teach content. Like the other two courses, the high school course features inquiry-based learning methodology that takes teachers out of the role of “middle man” (i.e., the deliverer of content) and creates a climate for a student-centered classroom. Inquiry lessons start by introducing students to a problem through a story or scenario. Participants collaborate in learning teams of four-six teachers and cycle through four three-week units, each unit providing an environmental context for developing deep understanding of the biogeochemical linkages between each of the Earth system spheres. Each unit culminates in designing a related lesson plan for participants to use in their own classrooms.

Earth Systems Resources: (more to come)

The Digital Library for Earth System Education: http://www.dlese.org
DLESE is the Digital Library for Earth System Education, a geoscience community resource that supports teaching and learning about the Earth system. It is funded by the National Science Foundation and is being built by a community of educators, students, and scientists to support Earth system education at all levels and in both formal and informal settings. DLESE provides:

Easy access to quality teaching and learning resources about the Earth as a system for a wide range of learners.
Services to help users effectively create, use and evaluate digital learning resources.
Interfaces and tools to allow student exploration of Earth data.
A community center that fosters interaction, collaboration and sharing.

Earth Exploration Toolbook: http://serc.carleton.edu/eet/index.html
The Earth Exploration Toolbook is a collection of computer-based Earth science activities. Each activity, or chapter, introduces one or more data sets and an analysis tool that enables users to explore some aspect of the Earth system. Step-by-step instructions in each chapter walk users through an example-a case study in which they access data and use analysis tools to explore issues or concepts in Earth system science. In the course of completing a chapter, users produce and analyze maps, graphs, images, or other data products. The ultimate goal of each activity is to build user's skills and confidence so they can use data to conduct their own investigations of the Earth system.

NASA’s Earth Observatory: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
The purpose of NASA’s Earth Observatory is to provide a freely-accessible publication on the Internet where the public can obtain new satellite imagery and scientific information about our home planet. The focus is on Earth’s climate and environmental change.