Science That Matters Modules

• Are Humans Dinosaurs, An Asteroid, or Both? A Study of the Methods and Goals of Science
• Big Bang To Tiny Cells: The Evolution Of Early Earth
• Chips On A Wafer! How Do They Get Millions Of Transistors On A Microprocessor
• Designer Genes: Shuffling The Genetic Deck
• Eating Sunlight: From The Sun Through The Sea
• Elements Of The Science Behind Modern Medical Imaging
• Eyes To See And Ears To Hear: The Science Of Vision And Hearing
• The Fire Down Below: Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics
• From The Eye To The Atom: The Science of Human Vision, Laser Eye Surgery And Lasers
• From Mountains To Molehills: How Mountains Are Created And Destroyed
• From The Mountains To The Sea: A Sedimentary Journey
• From Parent To Child: An Introduction To How Human Inheritance Works
• Force And Motion: The Mystery Of Space And Time
• Fruits Of Passion: A Cultural Comparison Of Water Management
• Great Dyings: Biodiversity Crises Now And Then
• Growing Pains: Populations, Agriculture, And Global Changes
• The Hitchhiker's Guide To Stephen W. Hawking's A Brief History Of Time
• Hug Me Like There's No Tomorrow: Understanding Muscle Contraction
• If Newton Drove A Porsche: The Physics Of Auto Safety
• It's Elemental; Building Blocks Of Our World; An Inquiry Into Chemistry
• Materials Science: From the Stone Age To The Information Age
• Oranges, Everglades And Tourists: The Allure Of Florida's Subtropical Weather System
• The Puzzling History Of The Geological Plates
• Rockets, Rollers Coasters, And Sports: The Physics Of Force
• Science Is Easier Than You Think: A Look At The Scientific Process
• The Spice Of Life? Genetic Variation In Natural Populations
• Sticks, Stones And Animal Bones: Science In Primitive Technology
• Too Hot, Too Cold, Just Right? The Makings Of A Habitable Planet: Insights From Mars (And Other Worlds)
• Treasures From The Earth: Gems And Precious Stones, The Physics and Chemistry of Shine
• Water: Above and Below
• Water, Water Everywhere And Not A Drop To Drink

Are Humans Dinosaurs, An Asteroid, or Both? A Study of the Methods & Goals of Science
Donna Price Henry, Joseph Hart & Edwin M. Everham III
Florida Gulf Coast University

This module is intended to allow you to practice the process of science, in the context of issues of interest and relevance. Dinosaurs became extinct millions of years ago. It is hypothesized that an asteroid may have caused their extinction. Currently, humans are having a dramatic impact on the planet that may rival the asteroid as an extinction event and may eventually impact their own fitness to continue as a species on this planet. In this module the scientific process is presented as a means to investigate impacts on a specific ecosystem type, an estuary, and whether these impacts are human-caused, natural, or some combination.

You are introduced to concepts of extinction on large spatial and long temporal scales. Working as part of a "research group", you are asked to focus regionally on estuaries. An overview of the study of estuaries presents an opportunity to integrate biological, geological, chemical and physical concepts. A long-term database is introduced to illustrate changes over time and to give your group the opportunity to analyze data, synthesize the findings, and develop hypotheses. Your group then collaboratively designs a study to test your hypotheses.

Finally you develop and discuss your ideas about the process of science and its role in understanding the systems with which we interact and with the impacts we have upon them.

Big Bang to Tiny Cells: The Evolution of Early Earth
L. L. Robbins
University of South Florida

How can we possibly know, since no one was around 4.6 billion years ago, what our early Earth was like? What clues still exist to help us understand what happened during Earth's first 2.5 billion years? This module will develop the terrestrial and extraterrestrial evidence on the evolution of Earth from its incredible inception to its cellular advance. This amazing story will reveal milestones of Earth's development through scientific advancements in observation, prediction, and theory revision. Within the context of the evolving Earth, this module will also explore the interrelatedness and integration of Earth's atmosphere and biosphere.

Chips on a Wafer! How Do They Get Millions Of Transistors On A Microprocessor?
Dolores Pusins
Hillsborough Community College

In recent years, developments in the art of semiconductor design and manufacturing have made it possible to produce increasingly more powerful microprocessors in smaller and smaller packages. This painstaking and brilliant use of physics and chemistry has produced a revolution that has changed the world. Chief among these developments has been the decreasing size of the microprocessor (also known as the chip or integrated circuit) components. The purpose of this lesson is to provide a general overview of the chip manufacturing process from the design stage to the final fabrication. The first part of this lesson presents a summary of the design process and how the process moves from first determining what the chip will accomplish, then to the logic designers, next to the circuit designers, and finally the layout designers. The second part of the lesson outlines the manufacture or fabrication of a high-end microprocessor.

Designer Genes: Shuffling the Genetic Deck
Mary Jane Saunders
University of South Florida

Genetic engineering, or the use of recombinant DNA technology, is a part of every aspect of modern biological research and has transformed the field of biotechnology. Today's medical and agricultural advances depend on our ability to manipulate the genome. The cloning of microbes, plants, and animals will have an increasing societal and scientific impact in years to come. In this module, students are introduced to the structure of DNA, the process of translating genes into protein, and several techniques of genetic engineering through activities that demystify working with genes. Then students examine the impact of genetic engineering on society and their lives by examining news reports posted on the Internet. Finally, students analyze ethical dilemmas that these advances in medicine and agriculture have created. Thus, the world and work of science is linked to the student's experience and enables the student to make responsible decisions about the use of biotechnology.

Eating Sunlight: From the Sun Through the Sea
Walter J. Conley
St. Petersburg Jr. College

Three major themes of life science are changing over time (evolution and resulting biodiversity), transfer of

information (from DNA, through RNA, to proteins that control cellular physiology) and transfer of energy (from photons through photosynthetic organisms to animals). This module focuses on the latter, using the marine environment as a backdrop. The module integrates classical topics from physics, chemistry, and biology. The theme follows the transfer of radiant energy from photons to the potential energy in chemical bonds, how the high-energy bonds of bio-molecules transfer within marine food webs, and the conversion of food energy into cellular energy within humans.

The importance of the electromagnetic radiation that impacts the earth provides a particularly rich topic through which to integrate the physical and biological sciences. The general concept of electromagnetic radiation includes an investigation of the visible spectrum and the relationship between wavelength and energy. The visible spectrum is vitally important to the photochemical reactions of photosynthesis. Energy levels of electron orbitals are explored in order to provide an understanding of the fact that chemical bonds are energy relationships among atoms. The conceptual aspects of photosynthetic process are addressed.

The energy stored in the complex carbohydrates of marine phytoplankton is followed as it passes through the complex interactions of marine food webs. Organic molecules are consumed by heterotrophs and the energy that was stored in those molecules is converted from chemical to other forms of energy that are required by organisms for reproduction and growth. This is accomplished by the conversion of food energy from shell or finfish to the cells that use food energy to produce Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) within the mitochondria of cells.

Elements of the Science Behind Modern Medical Imaging
J. A. Gering
Florida Institute of Technology

Whether through personal experience or through television programs like ER or Chicago Hope, many students are aware of the acronyms for three of today?s most powerful and amazing medical imaging techniques: MRI, CT Scans and PET Scans. In this module, students will uncover how these three imaging techniques work on the macroscopic and atomic scale. During this journey, students will visit several areas of science: the nature of matter and energy, atomic theory, magnetism, forces and motion, and astronomy.

Techniques used to engage students include interactive lectures, lecture demonstrations performed by the instructor and hands-on student activities. Interactive lecturing vial instructor-led Socratic dialogues represent the central method of instruction. This method is designed to help students answer the questions necessary to gain a sound qualitative understanding of the fundamental science behind these medical technologies. The assigned text readings and the text and figures presented in the module, have been selected to provide enough detail so students can construct certain lines of reasoning for themselves. In this way, students will take an active role in concept development and critical thinking.

Eyes to See and Ears to Hear: The Science of Vision and Hearing Larry E. Eason Pasco-Hernando Community College

This six-hour module allows the student to examine the biology mechanisms inherent in human vision and hearing. It incorporates simple physical science principles as they apply to the sense of vision and hearing. In addition the most common hearing and vision defects are explored since this is an area that commonly interests students. In some instances human vision and hearing is contrasted to that in other animals in order to emphasize how vision and hearing reflects an animal's role in the natural world. As much as possible hands-on activities are used to introduce each one-hour session. These exercises are designed so that they can be performed with a minimum of equipment in a ten to fifteen minute time period. In this module an attempt is made to emphasize critical thinking and creative thinking, and to emphasize conceptual learning over straight factual learning. Evaluation is conducted at the end of each class with critical thinking exercises, and with a short cumulative test at the end of the last session of the module.

The Fire Down Below: Volcanoes And Plate Tectonics
Thomas Juster
University of South Florida

Because the Earth's mantle and crust normally consist of solid rock, the origin of volcanoes is akin to the origin of magma. This unit describes the origin, products, and hazards of volcanoes. Using phase diagrams that the students construct, this module first investigates the special conditions that allow mantle rocks to melt and produce magmas at (a) mid-ocean ridges and hot spots, and (b) subduction zones. The module then explores the way that water in magmas causes some volcanoes to erupt explosively. After describing the nature of volcanic products, the module investigates volcanic hazards in two very different settings, the Hawaiian Islands and Mt. Rainier. In the final day the students share their research into individual volcanic eruptions to illustrate the many ways in which volcanoes have affected society and the environment.

From the Eye to the Atom: The Science Of Human Vision, Laser Eye Surgery And Lasers James A. Gering Florida Institute of Technology

This module integrates elements of optics, medicine, electromagnetism and atomic theory to tell a three part story: the scientific model of human vision, the treatment of vision impairments using lasers and the atomic theory of lasers. This module features interactive lectures, programmed as logical sequences of questions and answers. Several of the interactive lectures are tied to instructor-led demonstrations and student activities.

From Mountains to Molehills: How Mountains are Created and Destroyed
Albert C. Hine
University of South Florida

In this module we examine one of the earth's great recycling systems--the construction of huge mountain ranges by the collision of two tectonic plates and mountain range destruction by weathering. Ultimately, billions of tons of rock in the form of sedimentary material are removed and are transported by rivers to the coastline. Here, the remains of mountains are introduced into the ocean basin where further transport carries sedimentary material thousands of kilometers out onto the deep seabed forming huge submarine fans where it is available again for future mountain building through subsequent continental-to-continental collision. This completes one of the great natural recycling mechanisms on earth.

Three major topics are discussed: (1) mountain building; making rocks available for erosion, (2) mountains changing climate; sowing seeds for their destruction, and (3) weathering; the first step on a long journey to the sea.

Due to the scientific breadth of this module, a wide range of different topics is presented. Seemingly diverse subjects such as plate tectonics, climate change, meteorology, rock weathering, sediment transport, ocean history, sedimentology, and others are presented to try to present as complete a story as possible so that the student can understand the interconnectedness of earth science. Earth science, geology, and oceanography are really the application of the physical, chemical, and biological processes active within and on the earth's surface over many time and spatial scales.

From the Mountains to the Sea: A Sedimentary Journey
Sandra L. Gilchrist
New College - University of South Florida

The teaching strategy stressed in this module is a balance of learning specific foundational information and exploring concepts through practical experience. Student empowerment through input and choice about the material in the individual journal and the final project is important. It must be made clear to students what is expected from their activities together. Time management must be stressed. This can be done by holding the students accountable for the time used in groups. Within each section, student questions are suggested to stimulate reflection on real world applications of ideas examined.

This module is designed to integrate three major areas of inquiry: how rocks and minerals become sand and sediment, movement of terrestrial sediments from their source to the sea, and how beaches are formed and maintained. Transport of materials from land to the sea is a complex process. Organisms, particularly humans, can modify flow of water in rivers and influence transport of material to the sea. Likewise, the distribution of organisms can be influenced by solid materials transported as well as by the flow of the water transporting the material. Beaches are created through deposition of terrestrial material. The type of beach formed is a function of the amount of material available as well as the wave energy for modification. By tracking creation of sediments and soils from their origins along a modification path, students gain an appreciation for the need to study different aspects of a system to gain an understanding of the system as a whole.

This module is designed to introduce students to the basic concepts of Mendelian genetics by focusing on humans as the organism of study. Mendel's principles are challenging to learn from his work on the garden pea. This is because there are numerous symbols and terms which are usually introduced simultaneously to the development of his principles of inheritance in a relatively unfamiliar organism, the garden pea. In this module, the students will use a more intuitive tool, a pedigree, to develop their understanding of his work. The module introduces pedigree structure, construction, and interpretation and then sets out to show students how inheritance operates through worked examples of hypothetical families displaying human genetic disorders.

As the students progress through the module, they will learn the role of simple probability in inheritance and they will be able to explore the issues that arise as a result of the new technology of genetic testing.

The module briefly touches on the biochemistry of two inherited disorders. The names of the molecules may seem intimidating, but there is no need to focus on them and have the students memorize them. The broader concept of understanding that a defect in the normal operation of the cells of the body caused by an inherited disorder, is the important point.

Many of the terms associated with Mendelian inheritance are introduced with hypothetical pedigrees so the students can see what the term means in the context of inheritance. Toward the end of the module, the students will encounter additional factors, which can complicate the interpretation of the rules of inheritance. This will broaden the perspective of the students and will illustrate that the knowledge they have acquired represents a starting point, rather than an end point, of the modern science of genetics.

Force and Motion: The Mystery of Space and Time
Sylvan Bloch
University of South Florida

This Force and Motion Module introduces the student to the elementary notions of measurement, space, time, mass, and the description of motion in space and time. Next, Newton's laws are used to investigate motion under the influence of various forces. This Module uses simple examples to which the student can relate. Only basic algebra and trigonometry are required.

It is strongly suggested that the instructional CD (see page 5, CD-Physics) be used for interactive experiments, examples, illustrative problems, and computer demonstrations to assist the student's intuitive understanding (see Equipment and Materials on page 6, and Appendix 8). Simple live demonstrations accompany each Topic in this module. Time constraints require the deferral of momentum applications (collisions, rockets, planetary and satellite motion), detailed discussion of angular momentum, and energy methods to a subsequent Module.

Pedagogical strategies used in this Module include "looping back", to probe deeper into previously introduced concepts, and redundancy, to reinforce concepts from different viewpoints.

Fruits of Passion: A Cultural Comparison Of Water Management
Claudia Jannone
University of South Florida
Hillsborough Community College

This module focuses on the interrelationship between climate, weather, and water management by focusing on the hydrologic cycle and the related weather and climatic aspects of solar energy and circulation patterns. It uses earth science, life science, and physical science to explore how the properties of water relate to everyday life and to agricultural water use in Bali and Florida.

In it you will examine water management for two water-intensive crops: Florida strawberries and Balinese rice. You will explore how differences in water use and management are culturally based and subject to cultivation technologies gained from specific histories, climates, and assumptions about the use of natural resources. You will learn about types of water use, weather, climate, and the heat capacity of water through a variety of activities: focused discussions, written summaries, creation of graphics, videos, brief research assignments, quantitative work, manipulation of data, group exercises, hands-on homework experiments, and scientific observation.

The module's hands-on activities involve you to real life experiments that will help you to understand water use and management practices and to assess differences in water use in two distinct agricultural areas. The activities will prompt you to think about personal water conservation issues. The observing and hypothesizing skill that you develop should increase your awareness about water conservation.

Great Dyings: Biodiversity Crises Now And Then
Peter J. Harries
University of South Florida

This module is devoted to investigating and placing into context today's biodiversity crisis. The data for the current crisis will be compared to that from the mass extinctions that have punctuated the Phanerozoic (from 540 million years ago till today) history of life. Although we are constantly refining our knowledge of the rate of species' disappearance in a variety of different environments, especially within tropical rainforest ecosystems, the end effect of this process is difficult to predict. Using the fossil record judiciously, however, we may be able to get a far better understanding for how these biotic crises have been produced in the past and what sort of predictions can be made about the outcome of the current biodiversity crisis. Therefore, this module is dedicated to exploring controls on diversity in the past and present, and comparing the outcomes of mass extinction events to predictions about the future outcome of the current biodiversity crisis.

Growing Pains: Populations, Agriculture, And Global Changes
Nancy Morvillo
Florida Southern College

This module addresses basic concepts of population dynamics and ecology using humans as a model system. In the process of learning about habitats, population growth, population genetics, and global climate changes, students will also consider cause and effect relationships of human population growth on culture, history, society, and politics. The use of data collection, graphing techniques, and critical thinking skills provides students with a better understanding of scientific methods and how they are used to predict population growth and effects on other systems. In the first part of the module, the history of human population growth is explored. Aspects of population growth, including carrying capacity and limiting factors, are addressed. The second part of the module addresses how agriculture contributes to population growth, how selective pressures may change the genetic makeup of a population, and how the human population affects various aspects of ecology.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Stephen W. Hawking's a Brief History of Time
Sylvan C. Bloch and Robert Dressler
University of South Florida

What do we know about the universe, and how do we know it?
What is our place in the universe?
Where did the universe come from, and where is it going?
Did the universe have a beginning, and if so, what happened before then?
What is the nature of time?
Will it ever come to an end?
Can we go back in time?
What existed at the beginning of space and time? How would we mark the beginning?

These are some of the questions that Professor Hawking raises, and attempts to answer. His best-selling book is based on our current knowledge of the physical laws of the universe. However, many parts of contemporary theory are incomplete, controversial and open to serious questions. It is not clear that these questions can ever be completely answered to everyone's satisfaction.

All primary assigned readings in these topics are from the tenth anniversary edition of A Brief History of Time by Stephen W. Hawking. (Bantam Books, New York, 1998. ISBN 0-553-38016-8). Supplementary readings from the Internet and Scientific American are suggested.

Throughout history, imaginative scientists and mathematicians have sought the answers to these fundamental questions posed above. Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Einstein, Hubble, and others used direct observation, reasoning, applied mathematics, and new technologies to overturn ideas about cosmology that were once thought to be fundamental truths. Their breakthroughs reshaped our understanding of the nature and structure of the universe. Their work, and that of other cosmologists, not only provided new explanations of the universe, but also raised seemingly paradoxical questions.

Did the vast variety and mass of matter that make up the cosmos evolve from nothing but energy? If so, where did the energy that created all of the matter in the universe come from? The history of cosmology is a detective story in which each discovery leads, at the beginning, to even more puzzles. Yet each step brings us closer to cosmology's ultimate goal ? a single unifying theory that takes into account all the forces shaping the universe.

This instructor's guide offers the following components:

• a vocabulary that uses common terms in cosmology and physics;
• activities that require students to use basic mathematics, research and writing skills to examine issues and ideas discussed in A Brief History of Time;
• biographies of several important people in the history of cosmology; and
• websites on related topics.

HUG ME LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW: Understanding Muscle Contraction
Donna P. Henry and Danilo M. Baylen
Florida Gulf Coast University

Using muscle tissue as a context facilitates an opportunity for enhanced understanding by non-science major students of the structural and functional relationships involved in muscle contraction, and how energy is utilized and converted to cause movement of skeletal muscles.

The module is activity-based, and relies on team-based learning. Activities include: 1) using Styrofoam and pipe cleaners to make a model of contracting sarcomere; 2) analyzing case studies to lean how muscles use energy for different tasks; 3) predicting muscle mechanics after performing different tasks; and using computer animation and video vignettes in visualizing the muscle contraction process. Students are expected to apply concepts to these activities to enhance their learning.

If Newton Drove a Porsche: The Physics of Auto Safety
Brian Lane
Hillsborough Community College

The purpose of this module is twofold: first, to acquaint the student with the principles of classical mechanics and, second, to make driving a less dangerous activity.

In the first sections of the module the emphasis is on exposing the student to classical mechanics, a branch of physics. There, he will learn of the broader concepts of forces, motion and energy wrapped in the ideas known as Newton's Laws. In the later sections the more specific parameters; momentum, friction and impact; will also be studied. The connection between these abstractions and their practical consequences; skidding, impact and injury; are made at every opportunity throughout the module.

Case histories, illustrated examples and practical applications are presented at regular intervals to give meaning to the ideas of classical mechanics. Hands-on activities that involve automobiles are included to provide visual reinforcement. Seeing and feeling the link between theory and practice will help the student understand the why and the how of automobile behavior. This understanding will enable the student to become a safer and, ideally, accident-free driver.

IT'S ELEMENTAL: Building Blocks of Our World; An Inquiry Into Chemistry
Jennifer R.S. Ascher and Robert L. Potter
University of South Florida

What makes up our world? This is a question that humans begin trying to answer at birth. The search for answers takes many paths. In this module, we will begin by discussing the methods used by researchers when they want to find out the answers to scientific questions. How do they avoid repeating someone else's work? How can we as consumers, discover whether the extravagant, seemingly scientific, claims of some products are backed up by scientific research? We will learn how to take advantage of the resources available to us on the World Wide Web and at our local or university library.

We will use our research methods to discover how chemists arrange elements and why the arrangement can be useful. In doing so, we will explore the basics of atomic structure and its relationship to the organization scheme. Then we will learn about the classification of elements as metals or non-metals, examine some of their interesting characteristics, and see how examples from these groups are found in the world around us. Along the way, we will see how chemistry is the basis of everything we experience and we will learn how to use our chemical knowledge to understand and better interpret the natural world.

Materials Science: From the Stone Age to the Information Age
Julie P. Harmon
University of South Florida

This module is designed for non-science majors with a basic high school science background. The overall objective is to give students a basic scientific understanding of the materials that they see and use every day. Students will be expected to enjoy this module because it is interesting. They will understand how materials have impacted our history and how new materials effect our lives today. The relevance of this module and interest in it will captivate the students and relieve their fear of science. Through interactive learning, students will come to understand the levels of organization in materials science from the atom to the macroscopic realm. Exercises are intended to make the students aware of and able to identify materials that they encounter every day. They will become fascinated in learning to discuss these materials in light of understanding their place in the organizational scheme of nature. Definitions of new technical terms used in the text are placed at the end of each topic if they are not defined within the text. The technical terms are underlined in the text.

Oranges, Everglades and Tourists: The Allure of Florida's Subtropical Weather System
Charles J. Mott
St. Petersburg Junior College

Florida's unique weather is the result of the interaction of three major influences: Florida's subtropical latitude, its peninsular shape and the global system of winds and pressure. The economic effect of this weather regime is to support unique agriculture and tourism industries. Citrus, first brought to Florida by Spanish explorers, thrive in Florida's subtropical climate. Oranges and other citrus products are the basis for a billion-dollar industry in the State.

The Florida Everglades is a one-of-a-kind natural feature found nowhere else on the Planet. Despite the impact by man, this natural wonder still serves as a major agent in the hydrologic cycle. In the Everglades, abundant rainfall provides water for evaporation, water storage (even in periods of drought) and interaction with the Florida groundwater aquifer.

Interest in Florida by tourists dates back to the late 1700's. Over the centuries, cycles of winter-ravaged tourists have traveled to "The Sunshine State" to bask in the year-round subtropical climate.

Analysis of the unique nature of Florida's climate and weather patterns constitute the major components of this module.

The Puzzling History of the Geological Plates
Julie Lambert Holmquist
Florida State University

The theory of plate tectonics was developed during the twentieth century. In this module, students will follow the debate that led to this recent reorganization of scientific thought ? a revolution in the way scientists viewed the workings of the Earth.

A constructivist approach will engage students in discovering the evidence as scientists did as the theory of plate tectonics was developed over the last century. Students will work in collaborative research teams for each activity or project. Activities include reconstructing a map of Pangaea based on Alfred Wegener's geographic, biological, and geological evidence; constructing a model of sea-floor spreading using evidence from the Earth's pattern of magnetism and sedimentation; calculating sea-floor spreading rates; examining a map of the plates and geological features associated with the plate boundaries; and preparing Publications and Presentations on related tectonics phenomena, such as hot spots, tsunamis, and hydrothermal vents. For a final assessment activity, students will construct a timeline that traces the history of the development of the theory of plate tectonics.

Rockets, Roller Coasters, and Sports: The Physics of Force and Motion
Robin B. Schoch M. Ed.
Manatee Community College

This unit concentrates on relating Newton's Laws of Motion to science, technology and sports. Five main topics are explored in this unit: motion, speed, force, acceleration and gravity. Initial readings reinforce the Law's of Motion and introduce the technology of rockets. Subsequent text is provided to explore topics such as the Space Shuttle, micro gravity, friction, and gravity. Journal articles are cited to provide further readings about roller coasters and sports physics. Real life data can be gathered from the readings and recorded in data charts; students then calculate various forces using the numerical values they have recorded. Activities are provided for the collection of data in the classroom by demonstration or active participation. Decision-making is then encouraged by activities where the students make choices based on the outcome of their data. When this unit is completed the students will have been exposed to physics in a user-friendly manner that will encourage their curiosity about the technology and sports world around them.

Science is Easier Than You Think: A Look At The Scientific Process
Kenneth A. Thomas
Hillsborough Community College

Nonscientists often consider their world to be unscientific and science as happening only in a deep, dark, secret laboratory. The events and processes that interest them in everyday life are not recognized for their scientific relevance.

This module is designed to take the mystery out of science and show students--in an interesting, fun, and interactive way--how science is done and the familiar places where science exists. The exercises within are designed to teach students that they are capable of thinking scientifically, more so than they are usually led to believe. Through active participation in the exercises of this module, students will begin to comprehend what science is (and is not). They will also become encouraged to think critically about their surroundings as a normal way of viewing the world.

The Spice of Life? Genetic Variation in Natural Populations
Bruce J. Cochrane
University of South Florida

We are living in a world in which the human genome is a commonly used term, implying that there is a single genetic blueprint that can be used to describe everyone. However, we know that, with the exception of identical twins, we are in fact, all different from one another.

This module will introduce you to the field of population genetics--how variation in any species, including humans, is studied at the genetic level. We will examine what we would expect the fate of genetic variation to be in a sexually reproducing species such as ours. We will then examine, using simulation techniques, how different forces can lead to changes in the genetic makeup of populations. We will also examine the ultimate source of genetic variation (mutation) and end by considering the significance of genetics as a factor in determining what we think of as race and intelligence in human populations.

Sticks, Stones and Animal Bones: Science in Primitive Technology
William H. Chrouser
Warner Southern College

The goal of this module is to allow students to experience skills needed to maintain life without modern technology, to develop an understanding of the needs for sustaining life, to interpret nature in local areas, to observe and employ the processes of science as might have been used in past, to relate survival principles and primitive living skills to scientific principles, concepts or laws.

The nature of science is examined to discover the relationships between modern scientific method and primitive problem solving approaches. A sequence related to solving a need is analyzed through discussion and activities. What materials are needed and how must they be modified to solve a problem?

Human priorities of life are analyzed through discussion and activities. How those needs can be met today, during emergency situations and in primitive societies, are discussed and experienced by making tools/weapons, shelter, fire, and cordage. Each of the skills is related to at least one scientific principle.

This course contains hands-on activities and guided instruction throughout with limited amount of time spent in lecture and is very practical.

Too Hot, Too Cold, Just Right?
The Makings Of A Habitable Planet: Insights From Mars (and Other Worlds)
Jeff Ryan
University of South Florida

This unit uses information from recent NASA Solar System exploration programs to assess the requirements for a life-sustaining planet, and to investigate where and when life may exist (or have existed) in the solar system on worlds other than the Earth. The module will proceed as a series of "news items" related to recent NASA discoveries (possible microfossils in the ALH 84001 meteorite, Mars Pathfinder/Sojourner results, etc.), which students will research, dissect and evaluate, using information they collect predominantly from Internet resources maintained by various NASA labs. The module concludes with a class discussion on the necessities of a habitable world, based on student research results, and the development of a group recommendation for the future exploration of the place in the solar system (other than Earth) most likely to harbor living things.

Treasures from the Earth: Gems and Precious Stones, The physics and chemistry of shine
Thomas Juster
University of South Florida

This unit uses the properties of gems and precious stones as a vehicle for teaching students some basic chemistry and physics. In order to understand how minerals are made, one must first understand the atomic theory of atoms and the nature of chemical bonds. Then, to understand the origin of color and sparkle in gems and precious stones, one must understand the properties of light and the way in which light interacts with matter. This module seeks to make students comfortable with the concepts of atoms and ions, electronic configurations and energy levels, and the way in which electrons can be moved among these energy levels when stimulated by light. It also introduces elementary concepts of crystal chemistry necessary to understand why minerals contain the impurities they do, and color theory, which is needed to explain the origin of color in gems.

Water: Above and Below
Donald Hall
Anthony J. Gambino
John Wilson
Manatee Community College

Water: a resource that is difficult to keep in one place. Water is constantly being vaporized and condensed throughout the hydrologic cycle. In the clouds, it forms ice crystals and as these crystals fall they melt into water droplets. These water droplets, if heavy enough, find their way to earth in the form of precipitation. The precipitation can collect in ponds and lakes, or it can drain into rivers and oceans. Some of the water permeates through the soil and travels underground, either through the rock or in subterranean caves. Water moves more slowly in the form of icebergs and glaciers. Water is a resource that is constantly on the move! Think of it this way, a runner sweats during a race and the water evaporates from his skin. The same water might come down as rain and eventually end up in a glass of water in the same person's house. It is a resource that people have tried to control, but sometimes becomes uncontrollable, as in devastating floods.

Water, Water Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink
Florida Geology, Water Supply, Treatment, and Resource, Decision Making
Mary Kay Cassani
Florida Gulf Coast University

This module explores the water resources of Florida in relation to usage. Module topics include: where water is found, how much there is, how good it is, how we use and abuse it, and how to ensure a future supply. Ninety-two percent of the water we drink in Florida comes from underground, so we begin by looking at the geology of Florida. The unit opens with a taste-test using potable water from various sources. This sets the stage to explore where drinking water comes from, how it is treated and how these factors affect water taste. Because most of our water supply comes from underground aquifers, the taste test is followed by a brief look at the geology of Florida, in order to understand the degree to which our ultimate water supplies are sensitive to rainfall, drainage, population, and surface activities. The second topic explores patterns and impacts of water use and includes a study of water-bearing underground rock formations. Sinkhole formation, saltwater intrusion, and wetlands draw down are examined. The impact of growing populations on water supply is also investigated, and the impact of expected growth of Florida's population, especially near coastal areas, on our water supplies. The module closes with a mock city council meeting, where students must make decisions regarding future water supplies of the city, using information they have learned in this module.