T174. Identifying and Addressing K-16 Student Misconceptions in the Earth-Science ClassroomNational Association of Geoscience Teachers

Laura A. Guertin, Tanya Furman, Jason Petula, Scott McDonald K-16 student misconceptions range from factual and conceptual misunderstandings of content to the nature/process of scientific knowledge to what scientists are like. We seek presentations that highlight

research and share classroom/laboratory activities addressing these misconceptions.

ChaosTheory

Studies why and how the behavior of simple systems—simple algorithms—becomes more

complex and unpredictable as the energy/information the system dissipates

increases.Logistic system: Xnext = rX (1-X)

Logistic Systemevolves to equilibrium

Logistic Systemevolves to complexity

+ -

ChaosTheory

Is imbedded within . . .

. . . studies how systems with many “agents” that are already at high

energy/information dissipation interact and behave.

ChaosTheory

Units of friction along a

fault zone

Sand grains in

a migrating

ripple

Complex systems modeling is a Complex systems modeling is a fundamental philosophical shift fundamental philosophical shift

from the mathematical from the mathematical assumptions of classical assumptions of classical

physics/chemistry. physics/chemistry.

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

IF the classical principle that systems evolve to greater disorder and lower energy states (the 2nd Law) is right, . . .

. . . then we should be living in a chaotic and disorganized world

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

“The old idea of stable, slowly evolving climate was so widespread through the twentieth century – and died such a slow death – because it seemed to make the most sense. Abrupt change, in contrast, is so counterintuitive and so elusive that it is like a concert being played at a pitch beyond the range of human hearing.”

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

http://www.ps3za.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=82877

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

http://www.ps3za.co.za/forum/showthread.php?t=82877

http://www.climate.org/topics/extreme-weather/index.html

Climate Institute: Extreme Weather

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

New Madrid, MissouriEarthquakes

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

Natural Disasters—Forecasting Economic and Life LossesDr. Christopher Barton and Dr. Stuart Nishenko, U.S. Geological

Survey

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

Note that the number of large extinctions are very infrequent. The largest, the Permian, is the only one of its size. Smaller extinctions— <10 %—on the other hand, occurred in over 50 separate geological stages.

0 20 40 60 80 100Percent Extinction

Num

ber

of G

eolo

gic

Stag

es0

10

20

30

40

50 Extinction Intensity ForPhanerozoic Genera

In 106 Time Intervals (stages)

Devon

ian

K-T an

d Tr

iassic

Ord

ovici

an

Perm

ian

Are mass extinctions differentfrom background?

At high energy levels behavior becomes so complex it can appear random, the system has almost infinite behavior.The behavior is in fact not random, but it takes special mathematical lenses to see the patterns.

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

Values of r

Va

lue

s o

f X

EquilibriumTheory

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

http://brain.cc.kogakuin.ac.jp/~kanamaru/Chaos/e/Animation/lorenz.html

The more energy/information a system dissipates:

Forrest and Haff, 1992, Mechanics of Wind Ripple Stratigraphy

An agent based model

Values of r

Va

lue

s o

f X

EquilibriumTheory

jmu.edu/geology/ComplexEvolutionarySystems/