The Florida River Project

or how a research project took over my intro Earth Systems Science

course

Kim HannulaFort Lewis College

Course context

Audience(s):• Freshmen Geology majors• Environmental Studies majors• Elementary Education majors• General education studentsSize, logistics, etc:• 48 students (lecture); 2 lab sections

Colorado science competencies: lecture

• Develop fundamental knowledge in a specific field of science

• Understand & use scientific method• Science as a process involving interplay of

observation, interpretation, & theory• Develop quantitative approaches to study

natural phenomena

Colorado science competencies: lab

• Concepts of accuracy, precision, repeatability• Hands-on & inquiry-based• Student formulation & testing of hypotheses• Student generation & analysis of real data• Interpretation of data• Communication of results

Content expectations

Geo majors:• Plate tectonics• Rocks & minerals• Topographic maps

Elementary ed majors:• Intro geologic time• Weather• Climate

People who live in the Rockies/Southwest:• Rivers• Groundwater• Landslides• Deserts• Glaciers• Mountain building• Earthquakes (including

human triggering)

Research project: the Florida River

Colorado

Florida R.

Animas R.

Durango

The Florida is…

• Tributary of Animas

• Water source for Durango

Durango

Animas R.

Florida R. basin

National Forest

Lemon Reservoir

Ranches, rural subdivisions

Agriculture, oil & gas, rapid residential development

Sampling sites

Florida River Basin

Structure of sampling• One or two sites per lab section• Four data groups per lab section

1. Discharge

2. Sediment

3. pH, TDS, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate

4. ICP: Na, K, Ca, Mg

• Groups compare data to previous years and other sites

Structure of skill development

Data collection:• Gain familiarity with

area: topography, geology

• Research background info (individual)

• Collect data (field, group)

• Present preliminary results

Structure of skill development

Individual question:• Graphing by hand

(discharge through a year; homework)

• Graphing using Excel (+ group discussion)

• Propose question• Paper (use class data,

previous class’s data, Snotel, NWS, USGS…)

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 500

5

10

Na (ppm)

River miles below campground

Na

(ppm

)

Structure within course: labsWeather & climate firstLabs:• Week 5: Topo maps• Week 6: Landscapes field

trip (includes Animas River)

• Week 10: Sed & metamorphic rocks

• Week 11: River sampling• Week 13: Group

presenations

Structure within class: other components

Other components:• The Math You Need

(unit conversions, discharge calculations)

http://serc.carleton.edu/mathyouneed/index.html• Use pre-lecture

questions to cover content

Homework:• Graphing by hand• Background• Question