Why is it that the earth sciences bring out the lifelong learner in people? We spend time stargazing at night, watching the weather channels, learning about geologic features at national and state parks, reading about topics such as climate change and prehistoric events, and wondering when (and where) the next earthquake, tsunami, or volcanic eruption will occur. And yet, for many students, their experiences in elementary and middle school are the capstone of any formal classes in the earth sciences. In high schools, earth science is often an elective (if it’s on the schedule at all). So hats off to all teachers who spark an interest in lifelong learning in this branch of science, including the authors featured in this issue!
As I was growing up, my family had an interest in geography. Most get-togethers usually included someone digging out an atlas to look something up. If Google Earth had been around in those days, we would have never left the dinner table! Three articles in this issue illustrate how web-based mapping projects can spark and build on student interest: Dynamic Lessons with Google Earth, Global Environmental Issues, and Teaching with Current Events. Investigating Continental Margins uses the GeoMapApp to compare and contrast the East, West, and Gulf coasts of North America. [SciLinks: Mapping]

Krakatoa Erupts! takes an interdisciplinary approach to capitalize on student interest in volcanoes. By studying a historic event, student can correct misconceptions and ask their own questions about volcanic eruptions. A rubric is provided (actually the rubric is not specific to this project and can generalized to other inquiry activities). [SciLinks: Volcanoes, Volcanic Eruptions, Volcanic Zones, Ring of Fire]
The authors of Going Underground describe how to help students learn about groundwater and karst systems with both field studies and classroom simulations [SciLinks: Water Cycle, Caverns (and Karst Topography), Groundwater]
The earthquake centered in Virginia last summer dispelled the misconception that these seismic events happen only on the west coast of the North America or elsewhere in the Pacific region. The activities described in Its YOUR Fault can help students understand concepts in seismology such as faults, fault zones, and tectonic boundaries by studying historic data and using current monitoring tools.  [SciLinks: Earthquakes, Seismographs, Tectonic Plates, Plate Boundaries]
Although Color Code is not directly related to earth science, the activities help to dispel common misconceptions. In this case, misconceptions related to heredity and inherited traits, using hair color as an example. Although students would have to consider that for many people, their hair color has been altered chemically! [SciLinks Genotype/Phenotype, Pedigrees, Genes and Traits]
Don’t forget to look at the Connections for this issue (December 2011). Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, this resource has ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, etc.