"LIFE CORES”: USING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES TO TEACH ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND GEOLOGIC PRINCIPLES

Developed as part of the School of Ice, a “life core”, which is a vertical representation of a time period of a student’s life, introduces students to techniques and vocabulary utilized in the geosciences, including ice core records and stratigraphic principles. “Life cores” can be easily and economically created with clear plastic tubing, PVC caps, paper or cloth, and small personal effects. One of the key concepts, superposition, is utilized in both the creation of their own “life core” and the logging of another student’s “life core”. This activity aligns with a variety of Next Generation Science Standards, including analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations, and engaging in argument from evidence.

The “life core” activity could be adapted for a variety of lower- and upper-division courses, including first-year experiences, paleoclimatology, or sedimentology and stratigraphy. Additionally, the activity could be adapted for other uses in courses. For example, instead of a “life core”, students could construct a “learn core” for a particular unit or an entire course, adding material throughout the semester that demonstrates the key concepts they are learning. Whichever way the “life core” activity is utilized in a course, student’s will benefit as they develop a model and gain a better understanding of key earth science ideas.