Sim Earth

A WebQuest for High School
Earth Science

1 week Lesson

Designed by Darla McFarren
drmcfarren@hastings.edu

Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits |

Introduction

Help! The evil Dr. Penderschlime has done it again! He's got a machine that can control different aspects of the earth. He can change the tilt of the earth, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, the mutation rate of the animals, and many other different scenarios! He is holding the earth as a hostage unless we give him *pause for evil smirk* $1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.95. Fortunately, he's only got enough power to do one thing to the Earth. Please find the least damaging distruction of the Earth. Please play out the scenarios to find out what he's going to do so that we can stop him!

The Task

Your mission:

• Research about the earth, and the importance of the geosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere
• Play out what happens with the Earth's population if 3 different scenarios occur
• Write out a conclusion of your results, noting if the scenario followed your expectations
• Discuss with your classmates the least harmful scenario
• Make the least harmful decision to tell Dr. Pinderschlime to do

To complete your task, you must have a computer which can research the internet, and the Sim Earth program.

The Process

First you need to get into 3 groups. Once you are in your groups, you will be assigned an area.

(if limited computers) You (as a group) will pick 3 different areas to research.

(if unlimited computers) You will each pick an area to research, and work individually (you can consult group members for help).

Now go to the Fundamentals of Physical Geography Site.

Find information about the area, including the definition, and outline what may happen if you increase or decrease the amount of your property. For example, you chose erosion, and so you look up erosion under the Physical Geography site. You will find it under Geomorphology (chapter 11), and that will give you a general idea of what happens on the earth if it increases or decreases.

If you don't have the exact words available to research, try to figure out the general idea which it may be pointing to. For example if core heat isn't there in the definiton, look under heat.

Make a table with your word, the definition, what may happen if it increases, and what may happen if it decreases

Here is the website, and the chapters.

Fundamentals of Physical Geography Table of Contents

Chapter 5 - The Universe, Earth, Natural Spheres, and GAIA

Chapter 6 - Energy and Matter

Chapter 7 - Introduction to Meteorology and Climatology

Chapter 9 - Introduction to Biogeography and Ecology

Chapter 10 - Introduction to Geology

Chapter 11: Introduction to Geomorphology

All done? Now you have a chance to play.

Now that you have an understanding of your area, you need to go into Sim Earth. Before you start fiddling around on your own, you need to help the class research with your expertise.

Once you open up Sim Earth, you should have 1-2 windows open. The Edit Menu, and the World Menu. If the Edit Menu does not come up, go to the Menu at the top and chose Windows, and chose Edit. You also have to start a new game. Go to the Menu, ahc chose file. Now go to New Planet. Chose the Earth Today Option.

Edit Menu	World Map

Now go back up to the menu at the top and chose Models. This is the time when you go to the Model you were given in your group. This can either be Geosphere, Atmosphere, or Biosphere. Chose the model of your group.

Geosphere Group	Atmosphere Group	Biosphere Group

This is where you do your simulation. One at a time, you need to change your conditions.

• First highlight your condition in the menu
• Find the slider on the right hand side. Push it up as far as it will go.
• Make sure that the speed is fast. Go to the Menu. Chose Speed, then Fast
• Wait until the time in the upper right corner goes to 200 years
• Stop the time so you can make observations. Go to the Menu. Chose Speed, then Pause.
• Now you need to find out what has happened on the Earth
  • Go to the Menu. Chose Graphs, then Air Sample. Record the numbers of gasses available.
  • Go to the Menu. Chose Graphs, then Biomes. Record the numbers of biomes available.
  • Go to the Menu. Chose Graphs, then Life Forms. Record the numbers of life forms available.
  • Go to the Menu. Chose Edit, then History.
    • Click on CO2
    • O2
    • CH4
    • Sea Temp
    • Air Temp
    • Rainfall
    • Populate
    • Biomass
    • Diversity
    • RECORD current trends (approximate), and note for each if it has increased dramatically, increased some, did not increase, decreased some, or decreased dramatically or fluxuate
  • Take Pictures if applicable
• Now you need to start over with a new planet, and start this process again, using the same condition
• This time you need to push the slider down as far as it will go.
• Before you leave Sim Earth to confer with your friends, you can also find definitions for your terms here.
• Go to the Menu, and chose Windows, then Glossary.

Here are pictures of things to look for:

Air Sample	Biomes	Life Forms	History

Now is the hard part. You need to get with your group, and find the least devistating effect. Come up with an argument as to why you think this condition is the least devistating. Once you have agreed (for the most part) on a solution, we will have a classroom discussion, and chose the very best scenario, based on the arguements found in the classroom. Write a conclusion to the discovery, and include what you have learned about the earth, what you have learned about the change in your topic that you have researched and experimented with, and why the classroom topic is the best result. If you do not believe that is the best result, then you need to tell me which one is the best, and why.

You MAY have some time at the end to do more exploring on Sim Earth.

Evaluation
You will be evaluated on your definitions that you come up with for your topic, your effort on your graphs (each student needs one), their conclusions. You will also be graded on their discussion skills that will go towards some behavior points in the classroom.

There is no "right or wrong" answer. This is the nature of science - getting you to know about what to expect, testing your theories, and then reporting your theories and answers with others.

Conclusion
If you completed this lesson, you should know a little bit about science, the process you need to take to explore, and how to discuss your ideas with others. You have saved the Earth if you have gone through this process completely. We thank you, and Oh yeah, while you were working, Dr. Penderschlime called, and he said that his electric bill is too high and he won't be controlling the Earth. The Police have since traced his call, and have captured the Evil Dr. Penderschlime.

If you liked this activity, you can find a new planet and make some more changes. While you are working in the new planet, try to figure out the function of these buttons.

Atmosphere Butons	Biosphere Buttons	Geosphere Buttons	Civilization Buttons	Hydrosphere Buttons	Biomes

Credits & References

Most of the images used in this site came directly from the Maxis game Sim Earth. The Maxis website relates to SimCity, and makes no reference to Sim Earth at all (that I saw).

The Maxis Website: www.maxis.com

The other website used in this site is Fundamentals of Physcal Geography, which appears to be an entire book on-line. Each of the separate websites are specific chapters which are found within the book.

The Fundamentals of Physical Geography Table of Contents: http://www.geog.ouc.bc.ca/physgeog/contents/table.html