Whether making sand castles at the beach or drinking water from your tap, Glacial Geology Matters. Do you know why?

Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

During the past 2.3 million years, a number of continental glaciers advanced and retreated many times across much of the Midwestern landscape. The last of these glaciers melted and retreated some 12,000 years ago. These massive flowing ice sheets reshaped much of the original landscape here while also depositing a variety of different sediments. So in the end, the glaciers changed much of the surface geology, and it's the geology of the land that affects a great many things in our lives today.

To discover how and why, either read "Learn More" or sit back and watch this video. To take this "cool" learning to a new level, check out the companion classroom Lesson Guide below that will really "reshape" your understanding of this glacial stuff.

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and companion lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. So click on their logo to discover more!

Is it possible to identify glacial features while driving down the road? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activities at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

You might not realize it, but much of the Midwestern landscape that we see today was shaped by continental glaciers between 15,000 to 25,000 years ago. Hey, we wouldn't kid you, it's for real. These glaciers shaped the land in several ways. The ice that flowed slowly across the land both sculpted and deposited certain glacial features under the ice. When the ice front stopped flowing, ice meting at the front of the glacier deposited soils, sand and rocks trapped in the ice and formed other features. Even rivers that flowed on top of and beneath the glaciers deposited sand and gravel that formed some odd features. So what are some of these ice age features and how can we identify them? Okay we know that you're not a glacial geologist, but we'll give you an edge by using your computer.

To learn how, simply watch this video. Yeah, we suppose you could take some notes while you're at it, plus, read the "Learn More" section. To really explore some cool stuff about the landscape, use the Companion Lesson Guide below in your school so the whole class can become earth science geeks.

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. So click on their logo to discover more!

How did the research of agricultural scientist George Washington Carver shed light on the importance of nitrogen fixing plants such as soybeans for the health of both our soils and our economy? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning about a legume that uses "nitrogen fixation".

Did you know that soybeans helped poor Southern farmers rise out of poverty at the turn of the 20^th century? One of America’s most famous agricultural scientists made it his life work to bring science out of the lab and into the hands of American farmers.

“The primary idea in all of my work was to help the farmer and fill the poor man's empty dinner pail.  My idea is to help the man farthest down." These are the words of George Washington Carver, world-renowned botanist and inventor who rose out of slavery to revolutionize the South’s agricultural economy. But how did one man accomplish such a feat?  And how does it relate to the science of soybeans?

To find out the rest of this amazing story, watch the video here. To share this learning adventure with your whole class, check out the lesson activities below. And of course there's more to learn in "Learn More".

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. Educators are encouraged to evaluate and consider their science sources. Click on their logo to discover more!

 

How did one little bean rise so quickly to such importance as an agricultural crop? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

Heck, just a few hundred years ago, American farmers weren’t even sure what to do with the odd little bean that came from China. But all of that changed when industry began to discover the many ways that this protein-packed legume could be used as food sources and in making industrial products.

To discover how the little bean escaped from the holds of old-time cargo ships to become a top crop, watch this video. Then consider sharing the learning adventure in your classroom with the companion Lesson Guide. Let the learning voyage begin... Soy-ahoy!

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. Educators are encouraged to evaluate and consider their science sources. Click on their logo to discover more!

 

Ever wonder where the food you eat comes from, and how it arrived at your dinner table?  Or, how the products you use every day came to be? Discover the answers by watching this Serious Science video and reading the information below. And to take this learning adventure into your classroom, have your teacher download the free Lesson Activity at the bottom of this page so everyone can share in the fun of this inquiry based learning.

On the surface, soybeans – small, pea-sized beans that have a relatively flavorless taste – seem rather... unimpressive.  But the origin and history of soybeans is a fascinating tale of early explorers, sea-faring merchants, ancient Oriental cultures, and American inventors and agricultural pioneers. Drawing upon both ancient and modern influences, the soybean has become one of the most important crops and industrial products in human history.

Let’s take a look at how it all began... by watching this video. To really explore more about it, try the companion classroom Lesson Guide. You'll also find more to learn under "Learn More".

Plus, the educational partner noted below supported the video and lesson content here for all of us to learn from. They also offer other learning opportunities on their website. Educators are encouraged to evaluate and consider their science sources. Click on their logo to discover more!