# Presentation: 100479

## The FLEXE Project

**From Local to Extreme Environments**
**Liz Goehring (Pennsylvania State University)**
**Jamie Larsen (The GLOBE Program)**
**Steve Kerlin (Pennsylvania State University)**
**Eric Simms (Ridge 2000, Scripps Institution of Oceanography)**
**Ridge 2000 Scientists**
**3-9 August 2008**

## FLEXE Overview

**FLEXE Four-Year Project GOALS: **
- To help students develop:
-   an understanding of **earth systems science**, in particular through concepts *illustrated by deep-ocean processes *
-   **scientific inquiry skills **and  an understanding of the process and nature of science
- To evaluate FLEXE activities’ effectiveness
- To integrate with GLOBE

## FLEXE Components

**FLEXE Components**

** ****Comparison of Data/Environments**
-   _Local_/Schoolyard data  (primary data)
-   Partner school data / GLOBE database 		(secondary data)
-   Deep-Sea data (‘_extreme_’ data)

## FLEXE Components, con’t.

** ****Links to the Extreme Environment**

-  Facilitated interaction with scientists (FLEXE Forum)
-   Live Research Cruise featured via interactive website

## FLEXE Components, con’t.

**FLEXE Components, con’t.**

** ****Community of Learning**

-   Student-Student (Partner school exchange, Peer Review)
-   Student-Scientist (FLEXE Forum, Cruise website)

## Project Status

- First full instructional unit with system components complete in final test this spring (‘09)
- Energy unit – *earth science, physical science*
- Additional content/units in development
- Ecology unit – *life science, environmental science*
- Extreme Microbes unit – *biology (high school)*
- Deep-sea corals & climate change unit – *environmental science*

## Introducing the Deep-sea

- Before we begin with the activities,
- Let’s take a look at the deep-sea environment.
*“**Aliens of the Deep” *– an IMAX film by J. Cameron

- Absolutely beautiful, yes?
- And a challenging environment for students to truly understand.
- This is the reason for our emphasis on comparison protocols and links to live cruises – to make it meaningful for students

## Energy Unit

**Energy Unit**

*Key Earth System Science (ESS) Concepts:*
- Energy is transferred between components of the Earth system by the processes of radiation, conduction and convection.
- Earth has external and internal sources of energy.
- Patterns of temperature variation differ depending on location in time and space.

## Workshop Overview

**Workshop Overview**
**8:00****	****Overview of Day**
**8:30****	*****FLEXE Class Profile - Establish Collaborative***** **
**9:00****	*****What’s So Extreme About My Local Environment?***
**9:45****	*****Temperature Variation Around the GLOBE***
**10:45****	****Break****	**
**11:00****	*****FLEXE Forum (Bio9) –Temperature Variation at a Deep-sea Vent***** **
**12:00****	****Lunch**
**1:00****	****Review Morning, Overview Afternoon**
**1:15****	*****Temperature Variation in Our Local Environment***** **
**1:30****	*****FLEXE Forum – Spatial Variation in the Deep Sea Environment***** **
**1:45****	*****Student Research Investigation Part 1 – Setting up Research Project***
**2:15****	****Break**
**2:30****	*****Student Research Investigation Part 2 – Peer Review***
**3:15****	*****FLEXE Energy Unit Wrap-up***** **
**3:45****	****How to Get Involved This Year and Beyond **
**4:00****	****Plenary; End of Day Evaluation**

## Getting to Know Your Partner Class

**Demographic data**
**Brief Introduction**
**Images**
**Answers to questions**
**Most extreme local environment (later activity)**
**Temperature variation in local environment (later activity)**

**Getting to Know Your Partner Class**

**Establish a learning community using Class Profiles, facilitating comparison between each other’s environments with:**

## Slide 11

## What’s So Extreme AboutMy Local Environment?

**Consider how technology can help improve our ability to collect data**
**Engage students in thinking about extremes**

**What’s So Extreme About****My Local Environment?**

**Students explore temperature in their local environment to:**

## What’s So Extreme AboutMy Local Environment?

**Collect data using simple procedure**
**Post and share data**
**Answer Reflection Questions 1-3, 7, 9-11**
**Most Extreme Environment posted to Class Profile**

**What’s So Extreme About****My Local Environment?**

**Your Challenge****: Find the most extreme temperature in your local environment.**

## Slide 14

## Temperature Variation Around the GLOBE

**Temperature Variation Around the GLOBE**

- On-line learning activity:
- Class profile data entered earlier in class profile activity
- Compare temporal patterns from your local environment, your partner school, and another GLOBE school elsewhere in the world.
- Student groups analyze similarities and differences and write summary paragraphs.

**The purpose of this activity to introduce students to the use of  temperature data (from a database) to understand seasonal and diurnal patterns around the Globe.**

## Temperature Variation Around the GLOBE

**Temperature Variation Around the GLOBE**

## Temperature Variation Around the GLOBE

**Temperature Variation Around the GLOBE**

- _[http://flexe.psu.edu/login](file://saruman/data/dlese_workshop/FLEXE%20Presentations/flexe.psu.edu)_

## Slide 18

## FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation in the Water Column

**FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation in the **_**Water Column**_

## FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation in the Water Column

**FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation in the **_**Water Column**_

## FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation in the Deep-Sea

**FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation in the **_**Deep-Sea**_

## FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation at a Deep-sea Vent

**FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation at a **_**Deep-sea Vent**_

## FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation at a Deep-sea Vent

**FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation at a **_**Deep-sea Vent**_

## FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation at a Deep-sea Vent

**FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation at a **_**Deep-sea Vent**_

- _[http://flexe.psu.edu/ff/](http://flexe.psu.edu/ff/)_

- Go to Dataset 2 and read the _Scientist Greeting and Dataset_
- Work through the handout with your partner.
- Go to _Student Responses _to see how responses are entered.
- Go to _Scientist Feedback _to read Karen Von Damm’s response to students.

## FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation at a Deep-sea Vent

**FLEXE Forum: Temperature Variation at a **_**Deep-sea Vent**_

## Slide 26

## Review

**Review**
**8:00****	****Overview of Day**
**8:30****	*****FLEXE Class Profile - Establish Collaborative***** **
**9:00****	*****What’s So Extreme About My Local Environment?***
**9:45****	*****Temperature Variation Around the GLOBE***
**10:45****	****Break****	**
**11:00****	*****FLEXE Forum (Bio9) –Temperature Variation at a Deep-sea Vent***** **
**12:00****	****Lunch**
**1:00****	****Review Morning, Overview Afternoon**
**1:15****	*****Temperature Variation in Our Local Environment***** **
**1:30****	*****FLEXE Forum – Spatial Variation in the Deep Sea Environment***** **
**1:45****	*****Student Research Investigation Part 1 – Setting up Research Project***
**2:15****	****Break**
**2:30****	*****Student Research Investigation Part 2 – Peer Review***
**3:15****	*****FLEXE Energy Unit Wrap-up***** **
**3:45****	****How to Get Involved This Year and Beyond **
**4:00****	****Plenary; End of Day Evaluation**

## Review

**Review**
*What did we see this morning? *
- Diurnal and seasonal patterns in temperature variation in our local environment, although there were different seasons for different locations.
- Variation in temperature through the ocean water column, with some seasonal effect in upper layers. Deep ocean layer temperature is constant and cold!
- Vent temperatures also relatively constant and hot(!!) but with some episodic variation.

*	**  **Now let’s look at mechanisms of heat transfer*

## Temperature Variation in Our Local Environment

**Temperature Variation in Our Local Environment**

**Multi-part learning activity**
**Guided field investigation of ****spatial variation**** in temperature over various surfaces (e.g., asphalt, grass, concrete) at:**
**Surface**
**3 cm above surface**
**1 meter above surface**
**Demo activities to explore ****energy transfer**
**Classroom analysis of spatial and temporal dataset with discussion of energy transfer in their local environment.**
**Simplified Temperature Protocol:**
**Uses simple, inexpensive equipment (although you may modify protocol according to individual needs)**

## What do you predict?

**What do you predict?**

## Slide 31

## Students plot their data (for asphalt) and look at differences

**Students plot their data (for asphalt) and look at differences**
**Answer questions related to graph**
**Explore hands-on demos on radiation, convection, conduction, specific heat**
**Then modify their original prediction related to energy transfer.**

## Slide 33

## Revise prediction and share results via Class Profile.

**Revise prediction and share results via Class Profile.**

## Slide 35

## Spatial Variation in the Deep-sea Environment

**Spatial Variation in the Deep-sea Environment**

## FLEXE Forum: 

**Data Collected by “elevator rides” **
**Look at plume temperatures  (cools pretty quickly!)**
**What happens to plume?  **
**What causes plume to rise and to cool?**

**FLEXE Forum:**** **

## Slide 38

## Student Research Investigation Part 1

## Student Research Investigation Part 1

- Which site is most ‘extreme’ in my local environment?
- Absolute temperature
- Range of temperature through day/season
- Patterns of variation depend on several factors

## Student Research Investigation Part 1

**Question: **Which site in my school yard is most extreme (in terms of temperature)?
**Hypothesis: **Asphalt surfaces are most extreme and will inhibit germination of seeds the most.
**Materials/Methods:**
- Pick extreme site and controls
- Make germination packets
- Place in treatments for 1 week
- Collect data (% germination, radicle length)
- Analyze data
- Write Report

## Student Research Investigation Part 1

**Treatments**:

**Collecting Data: **

## Student Research Investigation Part 1

**Analyzing Data**:

## Slide 44

## Student Research Investigation Report Writing and Peer Review

**Student Research Investigation ****Report Writing and Peer Review**

- Process
- 	Students write a scientific report, review two reports, receive reviews from two other student groups, then use feedback from reviews to revise original report.
- Qualified Student Reviewers
- 	Common knowledge base: when students engage in similar activities, conduct similar investigations, and write a report about that investigation they are qualified to review other students’ reports.

## Report Writer

**Report Writer**

**Report Sections:**
- Title
- Introduction
- Materials & Methods
- Data Summary
- Results
- Discussion
- References

## Peer Review

**Peer Review**

**Complete Reviews **
**Uses standard form**
**Yes/No, comments, overall rating**
**Receive Reviews**
**Two per report**
**Revise Report**
**Edit based on feedback**
**Submit final report**

## Slide 48

## Slide 49

## Wrap-up: FLEXE Research Cruise

**Wrap-up: FLEXE Research Cruise**

- Showcases deep-sea environment
- Features:
-   Researchers “in the field”
-   Images/videos from the deep
-   Cruise Blogs
-   Marine Careers
- 	and
-   Q&A between FLEXE students      	and cruise participants

## How to Get Involved

**How to Get Involved**

**2008-2009: **
-  Final pilot of FLEXE Energy Unit
- 	*Still need International Schools to sign up*
-  Follow-along with the FLEXE Research Cruise (May?)
**2009-2010: **
-  Energy Unit available
-  Piloting Ecology and Microbial Processes Units
-  Follow-along with FLEXE research cruise events
- See your handout and watch the GLOBE FLEXE webpage!

## It all comes down to...moving from here...

## ...to here!

**...****to here!**